4. The external characters of the dog.—Examine a dog in the same way, and compare it point by point with the cat as regards the following characters: (a) Hair.—Notice that the dog is covered, not with fur, but with rough hair, and that the whiskers are not very large. How are these differences associated with differences in habit? (b) Eyes.—Notice that the pupil is always round, although it is smaller in a strong light than in a weak one. (c) Teeth.—Compare the teeth with those of the cat, and notice that they are of similar form—with strong interlocking canines and a sharp-edged tooth on each side of the upper jaw which clips against a similar tooth in the lower jaw—but that the cat’s teeth are more pointed. (d) Tongue.—Notice that the dog’s tongue is much smoother than the cat’s. (e) Limbs.—Examine and measure the limbs, comparing them with those of the cat, rabbit, and man. Notice that the claws are blunter than the cat’s, and that they cannot be withdrawn into sheaths. How many toes are there on the feet? 5. The habits of the dog.—(a) Food.—Does the dog prefer animal or vegetable food? Watch a dog gnawing a bone, and observe the use of the clipping teeth. Does a dog eat greedily or deliberately? Does it chew its food or swallow it in lumps? Do dogs hunt singly or in packs? Do they stalk the prey stealthily, as cats do, or do they try to run it down by speed? Whenever possible watch a pack of hounds; upon [Pg 249] what sense—hearing, sight, or smell—do the hounds rely most? How does a dog drink? (b) Locomotion.—Does a slowly-moving dog hop or walk? Try to find out the order in which it puts its feet down. How does it run? Does a dog walk flat-footed or on its toes? (c) Likes and dislikes.—Do you consider dogs sociable or otherwise? Do they seem to know the difference between right and wrong? Are dogs affectionate? Are they more attached to the people or to the houses to which they are accustomed? What can you learn of a dog’s feelings, by the movements of its tail? Write accounts of instances, which you know to be true, illustrating its likes and dislikes. What expression of the human face seems to you most like the snarl of an angry dog? What are the resemblances? (d) Intelligence.—Write accounts of evidence of intelligence, or reasoning power, which you have observed in dogs. (e) Voice.—What is the ordinary voice of the dog? What other sounds do dogs make, and what do they mean? (f) Play.—How do dogs play? Do you think dogs have any sense of humour, or are able to appreciate a joke for the joke’s sake? Have you ever seen any expression resembling a smile on a dog’s face? 6. Puppies.—(a) Appearance.—Are puppies blind and helpless when they are born, or are they active? How soon can they see? Are the proportions of the body and limbs markedly different from those of the full-grown dog? At what age is a dog full-grown?