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blunt pack keen follow noble sledge pad master pride wolves led faithful
I
Come here, Alfred, and I will tell you some things you may not know about that dog of yours. Hear what a noise he makes coming across the floor! Now look at his feet and you will see why.
LOOK AT HIS FEET
He has soft pads under his toes, but he cannot draw in his claws as a cat can. She has to creep along to spring on the mice. He can run fast to catch what he wants.
Sometimes he chases pussy, but pussy can get away from him.
If he comes too near her in the race, she can put out her sharp claws and climb a tree. He cannot climb, because his claws are short and blunt.
There is another way in which pussy has the better of him. He cannot see so well in the dark as she can. She hunts at night, and he hunts in the day.
You remember the walk we took last week. We left Redcoat at home, you know, but he joined us when we were far away from home.
Can you guess how he found us? It was his keen nose that led him to us. Dogs can follow animals or people for miles without seeing them.
You see that Redcoat’s nose is cold and wet. That shows he is well. It is only when a dog is sick that his nose is hot and dry.
Now let us look at his teeth. They are sharp and pointed. I should not like to have them bite me.
Redcoat can move his jaws only up and down. Cows and other animals that eat grass move their jaws sideways, as well as up and down.
II
Redcoat is a hunting dog. He likes to chase game. Some dogs take care of sheep and cattle. Others protect their masters’ homes.
In some places there are packs of wild dogs. They hunt together and feed on the animals they kill.
A DOG AT WORK
If Redcoat lived in some parts of the world, he would have to work. His master would make a little wagon and Redcoat would have to draw it.
There are countries in the north where it is too cold for horses to live. In these places dogs draw sledges over the snow and ice.
These dogs are very strong and can go far with little food. Their coats are warmer and thicker than your dog’s. They look like wolves.
Do you know that the wolf and fox say they are Redcoat’s cousins? I do not believe that he would take pride in such cousins.
Dogs are noble animals. They are faithful and loving, and always remember the people who are kind to them.
一
过来，阿尔弗雷德，我想给你说说小狗，有些事情你可能不知道。
听听，小狗跑来跑去踩得地板咚咚响！看看他的脚，你就会明白了。
他的脚趾下边有一块柔软的肉垫，但他无法像猫咪那样把爪子收起来。猫咪可以悄悄地靠近老鼠不被发现，而狗则可以跑得很快。
有时他也会追猫咪，但小猫总能很快逃开。
要是他侵犯了小猫的地盘，小猫就会伸出尖尖的爪子爬上树。狗不会爬树，他的爪子太短太钝了。
猫咪还有另一个优于小狗的地方：她在暗处也能看清楚，而狗不能，所以她在晚上也能捕猎，而狗则在白天捕猎。
记得上个星期我们散步时并没有带上雷克，走了很远以后，小狗还是从家里出来找到了我们。
你知道他是怎么找到我们的吗？是他灵敏的鼻子。光凭这他就能追踪好几公里外的人和动物。
你看，雷克的鼻子又湿又凉，这是他非常健康的标志。生病的狗才会有又干又热的鼻头。
现在我们再看看他的牙，非常尖利。我可不想被他咬一口。
雷克只能上下挪动颌骨，不像牛羊这些吃草的动物可以上下左右自由地挪动。
二
雷克是一只猎犬，喜欢玩追逐游戏，有的狗可以放牧牛羊，还有的可以看家护院。
有些地方生活着成群的野狗，他们一起捕猎，分享食物。
要是雷克生在世界上的某些地方，他就得工作。主人会给他架上小车，让他拉着跑。
北方有些地方天气十分寒冷，不适合养马，所以在冰雪上拉雪橇的工作就由狗来完成。
这些狗非常强壮，吃一点东西就可以跑很远。他们的皮毛比雷克的要厚实、暖和，看起来很像狼。
你知道吗，据说狼和狐狸都是雷克的表亲？不过我想，听到这些他是不会感到骄傲的。
狗是高贵的动物，而且非常忠诚友爱，不会忘记那些善待他们的人类。