"With all the graces of his fatherland;
With well-cut coat, and ever ready hand--
See--the French poodle sports his life away;
Obedient, wise, affectionate, and gay."
_Chronicles of Animals._
These dogs, like all others, possess many amiable qualities, and are
remarkable for the facility with which they learn several amusing
tricks, and for their extraordinary sagacity. This latter quality has
frequently made them a great source of profit to their masters, so
that it may be said of them, "c'est encore une des plus profitables
manieres d'etre chien qui existent." A proof of this is related by M.
Blaze in his history of the dog, and was recorded by myself many years
before his work appeared.
A shoe-black on the Pont Neuf at Paris had a poodle dog, whose
sagacity brought no small profit to his master. If the dog saw a
person with well-polished boots go across the bridge, he contrived to
dirty them, by having first rolled himself in the mud of the Seine.
His master was then employed to clean them. An English gentleman, who
had suffered more than once from the annoyance of having his boots
dirtied by a dog, was at last induced to watch his proceedings, and
thus detected the tricks he was playing for his master's benefit. He
was so much pleased with the animal's sagacity, that he purchased him
at a high price and conveyed him to London. On arriving there, he was
confined to the house till he appeared perfectly satisfied with his
new master and his new situation. He at last, however, contrived to
escape, and made his way back to Paris, where he rejoined his old
master, and resumed his former occupation. I was at Paris some years
ago, where this anecdote was related to me, and it is now published in
the records of the French Institute.
Perhaps the most remarkable instance known of what are called "Learned
Dogs," is that of two poodles, which were trained at Milan, and
exhibited at Paris in the spring of 1830. The account of them is given
by a lady, whose veracity is not doubtful, and who herself saw their
performance. "The elder, named Fido," says she, "is white, with some
black patches on his head and back; and the younger, who is called
Bianco, is also white, but with red spots. Fido is a grave and serious
personage, walks with dignity round the circle assembled to see him,
and appears much absorbed in reflection. Bianco is young and giddy,
but full of talent when he chooses to apply it. Owing to his more
sedate disposition, however, Fido is called upon to act the principal
part of the exhibition. A word is dictated to him from the Greek,
Latin, Italian, German, French, or English language, and selected from
a vocabulary where fifty words in each tongue are inscribed, and which
all together make three hundred different combinations. An alphabet is
placed before Fido, and from it he takes the letters which compose the
given word, and lays them in proper order at the feet of his master.
On one occasion he was told to spell the word Heaven, and he quickly
placed the letters till he came to the second e; he stood for an
instant as if puzzled, but in a moment after he took the e out of the
first syllable, and put it into the second. His attainments in
orthography, however, are not so surprising as those in arithmetic. He
practises the four rules with extraordinary facility, arranges the
double ciphers as he did the double vowels in the word Heaven, and
rarely makes an error. When such does occur, his more thoughtless
companion is called in to rectify it, which he invariably does with
the greatest quickness; but as he had rather play than work, and pulls
Fido by the ears to make him as idle as himself, he is quickly
dismissed. One day, the steady Fido spelt the word Jupiter with a _b_
instead of a _p_; Bianco was summoned to his aid, who, after
contemplating the word, pushed out the _b_ with his nose, and seizing
a _p_ between his teeth, put it into the vacancy. Fido is remarkable
for the modest firmness with which he insists upon his correctness
when he feels convinced of it himself; for a lady having struck a
repeating watch in his ear, he selected an 8 for the hour, and a 6 for
the three-quarters. The company present, and his master, called out to
him he was wrong. He reviewed his numbers and stood still. His master
insisted, and he again examined his ciphers; after which he went
quietly, but not in the least abashed, into the middle of the carpet,
and looked at his audience. The watch was then sounded again, and it
was found to have struck two at every quarter; and Fido received the
plaudits which followed with as gentle a demeanour as he had borne the
accusation of error.
"One occupation seems to bring the giddy Bianco to the gravity of the
elder savant; and when the spectators are tired of arithmetic and
orthography, the two dogs either sit down to _ecarte_, or become the
antagonists of one of the company. They ask for, or refuse cards, as
their hands require, with a most important look; they cut at the
proper times, and never mistake one suit for another. They have
recourse to their ciphers to mark their points; and on one occasion
Bianco having won, he selected his number, and on being asked what
were the gains of his adversary, he immediately took an O between his
teeth, and showed it to the querist; and both seemed to know all the
terms of the game as thoroughly as the most experienced card-players.
All this passes without the slightest visible or audible sign between
the poodles and their master; the spectators are placed within three
steps of the carpet on which the performance goes forward; people have
gone for the sole purpose of watching the master; everybody visits
them, and yet no one has hitherto found out the mode of communication
established between them and their owner. Whatever this communication
may be, it does not deduct from the wonderful intelligence of these
animals; for there must be a multiplicity of signs, not only to be
understood with eyes and ears, but to be separated from each other in
their minds, or to be combined one with another, for the various
trials in which they are exercised.
"I have seen learned pigs and ponies, and can, after these spectacles,
readily imagine how the extraordinary sagacity of a dog may be brought
to a knowledge of the orthography of three hundred words; but I must
confess myself puzzled by the acquirements of these poodles in
arithmetic, which must depend upon the will of the spectator who
proposes the numbers; but that which is most surprising of all is the
skill with which they play _ecarte_. The gravity and attention with
which they carry on their game is almost ludicrous; and the
satisfaction of Bianco when he marks his points is perfectly evident."
Nor is this a solitary instance of the extraordinary sagacity of the
poodle. A lady of my acquaintance had one for many years, who was her
constant companion both in the house and in her walks. When, however,
either from business or indisposition, her mistress did not take her
usual walk on Wimbledon Common, the dog, by jumping on a table, took
down the maid-servant's bonnet, and held it in her month till she
accompanied the animal to the Common.
A friend of mine had a poodle dog, who was not very obedient to his
call when he was taken out to run in the fields. A small whip was
therefore purchased, and the dog one day was chastised with it. The
whip was placed on a table in the hall of the house, and the next
morning it could not be found. It was soon afterwards discovered in
the coal-cellar. The dog was a second time punished with it, and again
the whip was missed. It was afterwards discovered that the dog had
attempted to hide the instrument by which pain had been inflicted on
him. There certainly appears a strong approach to reason in this
proceeding of the dog. _Cause_ and _effect_ seem to have been
associated in his mind, if his mode of proceeding may be called an
effort of it.
In Messrs. Chambers' brochure of amusing anecdotes of dogs we find the
following:--
An aged gentleman has mentioned to us that, about fifty years ago, a
Frenchman brought to London from eighty to a hundred dogs, chiefly
poodles, the remainder spaniels, but all nearly of the same size, and
of the smaller kind. On the education of these animals their
proprietor had bestowed an immense deal of pains. From puppyhood
upwards they had been taught to walk on their hind-legs, and maintain
their footing with surprising ease in that unnatural position. They
had likewise been drilled into the best possible behaviour towards
each other; no snarling, barking, or indecorous conduct took place
when they were assembled in company. But what was most surprising of
all, they were able to perform in various theatrical pieces of the
character of pantomimes, representing various transactions in heroic
and familiar life, with wonderful fidelity. The object of their
proprietor was, of course, to make money by their performances, which
the public were accordingly invited to witness in one of the minor
theatres.
Amongst their histrionic performances was the representation of a
siege. On the rising of the curtain there appeared three ranges of
ramparts, one above the other, having salient angles and a moat, like
a regularly-constructed fortification. In the centre of the fortress
arose a tower, on which a flag was flying; while in the distance
behind appeared the buildings and steeples of a town. The ramparts
were guarded by soldiers in uniform, each armed with a musket or
sword, of an appropriate size. All these were dogs, and their duty
was to defend the walls from an attacking party, consisting also of
dogs, whose movements now commenced the operations of the siege. In
the foreground of the stage were some rude buildings and irregular
surfaces, from among which there issued a reconnoitring party; the
chief, habited as an officer of rank, with great circumspection
surveyed the fortification; and his sedate movements, and his
consultations with the troops that accompanied him, implied that an
attack was determined upon. But these consultations did not pass
unobserved by the defenders of the garrison. The party was noticed by
a sentinel and fired upon; and this seemed to be the signal to call
every man to his post at the embrasures.
Shortly after, the troops advanced to the escalade; but to cross the
moat, and get at the bottom of the walls, it was necessary to bring up
some species of pontoon, and, accordingly, several soldiers were seen
engaged in pushing before them wicker-work scaffoldings, which moved
on castors, towards the fortifications. The drums beat to arms, and
the bustle of warfare opened in earnest. Smoke was poured out in
volleys from shot-holes; the besieging forces pushed forward in
masses, regardless of the fire; the moat was filled with the crowd;
and, amid much confusion and scrambling, scaling-ladders were raised
against the walls. Then was the grand tug of war. The leaders of the
forlorn hope who first ascended were opposed with great gallantry by
the defenders; and this was, perhaps, the most interesting part of
the exhibition. The chief of the assailants did wonders; he was seen
now here, now there, animating his men, and was twice hurled, with
ladder and followers, from the second gradation of ramparts: but he
was invulnerable, and seemed to receive an accession of courage on
every fresh repulse. The rattle of the miniature cannon, the roll of
the drums, the sound of trumpets, and the heroism of the actors on
both sides, imparted an idea of reality to the scene.
After numerous hairbreadth escapes, the chief surmounted the third
line of fortifications, followed by his troops; the enemy's standard
was hurled down, and the British flag hoisted in its place; the
ramparts were manned by the conquerors; and the smoke cleared away, to
the tune of "God save the King."
It is impossible to convey a just idea of this performance, which
altogether reflected great credit on its contriver, as also on the
abilities of each individual dog. We must conclude that the firing
from the embrasures, and some other parts of the _mechanique_, were
effected by human agency; but the actions of the dogs were clearly
their own, and showed what could be effected with animals by dint of
patient culture.
Another specimen of these canine theatricals was quite a contrast to
the bustle of the siege. The scene was an assembly-room, on the sides
and the further end of which seats were placed; while a music-gallery,
and a profusion of chandeliers, gave a richness and truth to the
general effect. Livery-servants were in attendance on a few of the
company, who entered and took their seats. Frequent knockings now
occurred at the door, followed by the entrance of parties attired in
the fashion of the period. These were, of course, the same individuals
who had recently been in the deadly breach; but now all was
tranquillity, elegance, and ease. Parties were formally introduced to
each other with an appearance of the greatest decorum. The dogs
intended to represent ladies were dressed in silks, gauzes, laces, and
gay ribbons. Some wore artificial flowers, with flowing ringlets;
others wore the powdered and pomatumed head-dress, with caps and
lappets, in ludicrous contrast to the features of the animals. The
animals which represented gentlemen were judiciously equipped; some as
youthful and others as aged beaux, regulated by their degrees of
proficiency, since those most youthfully dressed were most attentive
to the ladies. The frequent bow and return of curtsey produced great
mirth in the audience. On a sudden the master of the ceremonies
appeared; he wore a superb court-dress, and his manners were in
agreement with his costume. To some of the gentlemen he gave merely a
look of recognition; to the ladies he was generally attentive; to some
he projected his paw familiarly, to others he bowed with respect; and
introduced one to another with an air of elegance that surprised and
delighted the spectators.
As the performance advanced the interest increased. The music was
soon interrupted by a loud knocking, which announced the arrival of
some important visitor. Several livery servants entered, and then a
sedan-chair was borne in by appropriately dressed dogs; they removed
the poles, raised the head, and opened the door of the sedan; forth
came a lady, splendidly attired in spangled satin and jewels, and her
head decorated with a plume of ostrich feathers! She made a great
impression, and appeared as if conscious of her superior attraction;
meanwhile the chair was removed, the master of the ceremonies, in his
court-dress, was in readiness to receive the _elegante_, and the bow
and curtsey were admirably interchanged. The band now struck up an air
of the kind to which ball-room companies are accustomed to promenade,
and the company immediately quitted their seats and began to walk
ceremoniously in pairs round the room. Three of the ladies placed
their arms under those of their attendant gentlemen. On seats being
resumed, the master of the ceremonies and the lady who came in the
sedan-chair arose; he led her to the centre of the room; Foote's
minuet struck up; the pair commenced the movements with an attention
to time; they performed the crossings and turnings, the advancings,
retreatings, and obeisances, during which there was a perfect silence,
and they concluded amid thunders of applause. What ultimately became
of the ingenious manager with his company, our informant never heard.
The following anecdotes prove the strong affection and perseverance
of the poodle. The late Duke of Argyll had a favourite dog of this
description, who was his constant companion. This dog, on the occasion
of one of the Duke's journeys to Inverary Castle, was, by some
accident or mistake, left behind in London. On missing his master, the
faithful animal set off in search of him, and made his way into
Scotland, and was found early one morning at the gate of the castle.
The anecdote is related by the family, and a picture shown of the dog.
A poor German artist, who was studying at Rome, had a poodle dog, who
used to accompany him, when his funds would allow it, to an ordinary
frequented by other students. Here the dog got scraps enough to
support him. His master, not being able to keep up the expense,
discontinued his visits to the ordinary. The dog fared badly in
consequence, and at last his master returned to his friends in
Germany, leaving the dog behind him. The poor animal slept at the top
of the stairs leading to his master's room, but watched in the day
time at the door of the ordinary, and when he saw his former
acquaintances crowding in, he followed at their heels, and thus
gaining admittance was fed till his owner came back to resume his
studies.
A gentleman possessed a poodle dog and a terrier, between whom a great
affection existed. When the terrier was shut up, as was sometimes the
case, the poodle always hid such bones or meat as he could procure,
and afterwards brought the terrier to the spot where they were
concealed. He was constantly watched, and observed to do this act of
kindness.
The sagacity of the poodle is strongly shown by the following fact.
Mr. B----t, who was constantly in the habit of making tours on the
Continent, was always accompanied by a poodle dog. In one of his
journeys he was seated at a table-d'hote next to a person whose
conversation he found so agreeable, that a sort of intimacy sprung up
between them. The dog, however, for the first time he had ever done so
to any one, showed a dislike to the stranger, and so much so, that Mr.
B----t could not help remarking it. In the course of his tour he again
fell in with the stranger, when the intimacy was renewed, and Mr.
B----t offered him a seat in his carriage as they were both going the
same way. No sooner, however, had the stranger entered the carriage,
than the dog showed an increased dislike of him, which continued
during the course of the journey. At night they slept at a small inn,
in a wild and somewhat unfrequented country, and on separating in the
evening to go to their respective beds, the poodle evinced the
greatest anger, and was with difficulty restrained from attacking the
stranger. In the middle of the night Mr. B----t was awoke by a noise
in his room, and there was light enough for him to perceive that his
dog had seized his travelling companion, who, upon being threatened,
confessed that he had entered the room for the purpose of
endeavouring to purloin Mr. B----t's money, of which he was aware
that he possessed a considerable quantity. This is not a solitary
instance of an instinctive faculty which enables dogs to discriminate,
by showing a strong dislike, the characters of particular individuals.