If one reflects too, that every individual student, out of the
multitude of dogs, selects that one which seems to assort itself most
completely with his pleasure and humour, one sees probably therein the
ground of the observation which we once heard made by an intelligent
English lady, who asserted that there was always visible a great
likeness between the dog and his master. We can only corroborate the
justice of this remark, and it must strike every one, that the dog
continually picks up first one and then another of the peculiarities of
his master.
He who desires to take a general glance at the different races of dogs
which inhabit our city, I counsel him to attend the annual dog-muster.
This is held in an appointed place on an appointed day, whereto all the
dogs of the city, both those of the students and the citizens, must be
brought. These all pass, in succession, under the inspection of a beast
doctor, and such as neither through disease nor old age fall under a
sentence of death, are redeemed by the payment of a certain tax, and
have a tin label hung on their necks, which they wear for a certain
time. I add here, in passing, a refutation of those who assert that the
Germans are ungallant, in the fact that the ladies of the canine
species are charged only a gulden each for their redemption, while the
gentlemen of that race are mercilessly mulcted to the extent of a
gulden and a half.
Great and small, tall and short, thick and thin, one or many coloured,
all meet here together. On the one side, you see the heavy house-dog,
and the butcher's dog, how humbly they follow their masters; the
multitude of yaffing turnspits, prized as true watchers; on the other
hand you descry a line of boot-foxes, who have conducted hither the
dogs of the students.
Hither come hastening with throngs and with pride,
Lots of proud fellows from every side.
_Reineke der Fuchs, by Göethe_.
There is the poodle with his thick, round head, with the stumpy nose
and hanging ears; he is propped on his short, stout leg, and his
knowing eye blinks forth from amongst the crisp woolly hair. He permits
himself good-humouredly to be adorned with his new order. Grimly steps
forth at the call, the colossal bull-dog, with black, thick, split
nose, and slavering chops; but over him towers the English mastiff, in
hairy coat of one uniform hue. The hunting dog, in a place where all
worthy exercise of his powers is denied him, has stretched himself out
calmly, supporting his strong head with its long drooping ears, on his
vigorous foot. The slim greyhound, constantly trembling, has cowered
down in a corner. Here and there you discover a fretful thick-bodied
pug, with his upthrown snub nose, which the popular speech styles a
saddle-nose. There is the bandylegged Dachs too, with his deep sweeping
ears, dark colour, and eyes full of intelligence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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