a dog frames the family cat

[Nov. 2, 1872.]
Our terrier Crib took upon himself yesterday to add his testimony to your view of "dog-consciousness," as expressed in the Spectator of the 19th ult. Crib verges on perfection, save that he is frantically jealous of any other animal who may receive attention, but yesterday he rebelled against the injustice of being compelled to eat all his dinner, and refused to swallow one special piece of bread; but finding that his refusal was not accepted, apparently made a virtue of necessity, and gulped down the bread with a look and wag of the tail, giving me to understand that I ought to be satisfied, which I was not, as I observed a slight swelling in one cheek. So concealing my suspicion I furtively watched. Crib also occasionally eyed me, lying down and then walking round the room, and sniffing in the corners, as he is wont to do. In a few minutes, and when I appeared safely absorbed in my paper, he made his way slowly to where pussy was lapping her saucer of milk; passing her without stopping, he cleverly discharged the hated mouthful into pussy's milk, and continuing his walk to the rug, laid himself down and slept the sleep of the just. -- C. S.

-- From Dog stories from the "Spectator": being anecdotes of the intelligence, reasoning power, affection and sympathy of dogs, selected from the correspondence columms of "The Spectator."   (New York: Macmillan and Co., 1985) pp. 226-7.