doubledogs in history

 

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Milk Cart, Antwerp Belgium

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396-(2084) Lat. 50 N.: Long. 4 E.
Keystone View Company

In our own coutry a boy sometimes hitches his dog to his little wagon, and thus plays "horse". But in the Low Countries of Belgium and Holland, dogs work for a living. There they take their places as beasts of burden.

In the view a dog is hitched to a milk cart which is several times heavier than he is. He has hauled this cart many miles from the country. The Belgian peasant women get up early in the morning, get breakfast for the famly, milk the cows, load themilk cans into the wagon, adn drive the dog carts into the city to sell their milk. It is a hard life for both the dogs and women.

The Belgian dogs are used to haul all kinds of loads. Carts laden with vegetables are drawn to market by dogs. Poultry carts, butter and cheese carts, grocery carts - all these the dogs help to pull. It is not an unusual sight to see a dog overloaded and tired fall down in the shafts to rest.

The Belgian army also makes use of the dogs to pull machine guns, and other guns not too heavy. The dogs can move rapidly and can go where horses cannot. During a battle they lied down in their harness, so the guns are always ready to be moved about quickly.

Antwerp is the chief seaport of Belgium. It is the fifth greatest port in the world. Its total commerce in a year amounts to $1,200,000,000. London, New York, Hamburg, and Liverpool are the only seaports that do a greater volume of business than Antwerp. The harbor and shipping can be seen in the background of the view. Antwerp is a city of over 300,000 inhabitants.

What are some of the other cities of Belgium? What do you know about the part that Belgium played in the Great War? Make a list of all the animals you know of that are used to haul goods, and tell where they are so used. Which way is Antwerp from Paris?

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