THE CONSCIENCE OF A DOG.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 15, 9 April 1892, Page 389

THE CONSCIENCE OF A DOG.

‘ I DOX’T see Low you can talk about a dog's conscience,’ said the small boy. • A conscience is what we feel «orry or glad for our actions with. It reproaches us when we arc wicked, and makes us feel happy if we are good. If we listen to it, it tells us when what we are going to do is right or wrong.’

That was a very wise definition of a conscience fora small boy.

• And doesn't a dog's conscience do those things* a>ked the big woman. ‘ Doesn't a dog look ashamed when he has disobeyed you, and wag his tail when he has done something praiseworthy? Doesn't he slink off to do what is forbidden because he knows he is going to do something wrong? Doesn't he sometimes act as if he repented, ami wanted to atone for a sin ?'

‘ Yes, Dash does all those things,’ said the small boy thoughtfully.

• < iccasionally a dog's conscience acts in a funny way,’ continued the big woman. ‘ I heard lately of a little dog which was fond of chewing bis master's clothes broom. He was punished for it several times, but kept up bis naughtiness whenever he wasn’t observed. At last he reduced the broom to a stump. Then they took tbe stump and gave him a severe beating with it. Being much mortified, he ran off, and did not come home all day. The next day he walked in with a brand new clothes broom, which he laid at his master’s feet. He wagged his tail, jumped about joyfully, and looked as proud as if he said plainly : “ Here's your clothes broom. I have made amends for my mischief. Am I not a splendid fellow ? " I suppose he thought be had gained the right to chew up unlimited clcthes brooms.' Ihe small boy laughed. ‘ That was a smart little dog.' ‘ Oh, yes, he was smart. But after all he was not as honest as he wanted his master to think. An honest little dog would have tried to earn money to buy his master a new clothes-broom. This dog simply went down to the village store, watched his chance, and stole one.

The small boy laughed harder than ever. ‘And then.' went on the big woman, ‘they had to whip him for the theft. That dog s conscience must have been terribly mixed up. It never could have been clear to bis mind why it was wicked to tear up a broom, and then wickeder to replace it.’ * How could you teach a dog the difference between right and wrong without teaching him each thing separately ?’ asked the small bov.

‘ Yon couldn't. You could not teach a dog actual right and wrong. The master trains the dog’s conscience, teaching him what he must do and what he must not. His master's orders and wishes make the dog's conscience, and a bright dog knows when he disregards them. The uog I told you of had been taught that it was wrong to tear up a broom, but never that it was wrong to take a broom ont of some one else's house to replace it. No one thought he would do such a thing.’ ‘ Then a dog hasn't got a conscience of bisown, after all ?’ ‘ Well, he has. and he hasn't. He has a good sized conscience for an animal, bnt it wouldn't be very big for you ’ ‘ I mean to try to teach Dash that he must never steal anything, anywhere, or at any time,’ said the small boy. ‘ Well, perhaps you can do it,’ replied the big woman. E.L.C.