Fish hound - [Fearsome Critter]

Fish Hound - [Fearsome Critter] - aka "Financial Fish Hound", "Dog-fish" –(Latin: Canis Maris Aurum) 

• About this critter: A rare breed of aquatic pure-bread hounds. with hydrophobic fur & scales, said to have been useful & trained for hunting fish in the freshwater lakes across North America. – it's said that if you throw a silver dollar into the water, the hound will dive in after it and quickly bring you back a large catfish and 15¢ in spare change!!

• History: The 'Fish Hound' is an old hunting/fishing yarn which was a staple in turn of the century tall tales, yarns & jokes told across North America & Canada; the idea dates back to at least 1917. – (though no doubt such tales go back orally much further, started and shared between fishermen who where bragging about how good their pets where.) – Generally speaking this yarn refers to a hunting dog so loyal that it which will 'fetch a fish' on command for their masters or do something equally preposterous. - (Often the fish version is they're joked about as being fish-dog hybrids) – One such folktale is found in Luke Sylvester “Lake Shore” Kearney's 'The Hodag' [1928.]  - Kearney spins an early yarn about breeding 'pure bread fish hounds' in Siberia, Wisconsin; Loyal 'Nero' who appears as a both a scaled & Minky-furred hound, will bring back any fish you ask for: 

"If I want a fish, all I have to do is to say, “Nero, get me a four pound bass.” He at once dives into the water and swims among the muskalonge, pickerel and pike until he spies a four pound bass. As my lake is full of fish, Nero is usually back within five minutes with the bass."

 a direct parallel to kearneys story critter is also found in the 'Fish-Fox' from 'Yarns of the big woods.' 1922 which describes another critter, a fox-fish hybrid which brings back all the four pound bass in the lake if asked!)

[Two 'Fish hound' variant's mentioned in papers, "Bluefish Pointer" and a "Herring Spaniel" - 1917.]

The 'Financial Fish Hound' and the idea of it 'giving 15¢ in change' seems to have began to become popular sometime in the 1930's possibly originating with 'Tall Stories' by Lowell Thomas 1931.– [I'm presently waiting for a copy of that book to arrive, so expect an update here with a bit more information once it does!] -

[The story of the 'financial fish hound' from a clipping advertising 'Tall stories' Lowell Thomas 1931]

[a later poem about the financial fish hound from Gllygaloos and Gollywhoppers - Ennis rees, 1969]

[A variant of the joke also appears in Grandpas Ribticklers & Kneeslappers, 1984]

Of course, on occasion the 'joke' might've been just been referring to loyal dogs that just so happen to enjoy 'hunting fish' as well, dogs used for fishing its not entirely out of the realm of possibility, but even back then there was doubt! –

[Clipping Buffalo courier 1916]

That said; one other fun parallel which seems to follow; 'Dogs bringing back spare change' which is in-fact rooted in reality is found in the story of a real dog-bartender! Mike, a famous a dog from Bowser BC, who waited tables and would even fetch you a beer if asked, was rumoured to collect the exact change: if you didn’t leave the correct change with him, Mike would just sit there and stare at you. Until the customer figured out the right amount... – [You can find more stories about Mike under the title of "BOWSER" in Micheal Taft's "Tall tales of BC" 1983] –

(Photo of Mike fetching a beer, Vancouver Archives)

Of course... Similar tales of 'convenient' or 'smart dogs' are found in the context of hunting dog yarns as well! – (see also 'Splitdog')

[Hunting dog story from 1983's 'Tall tales of BC']

Finally, of course; without a doubt, the idea of a 'cat-fish' or a 'dog-fish'  likely dates back to medieval times & Heraldry. – indeed there's a plethora of 'sea-dogs' & and such wondrous creatures are to be found in ancient texts – however, perhaps its worth mention; These are distinct from Fish-Hounds which seem to prefer hunting in fresh water lakes across North America...

[a 'dog-fish' (Canes maris) from medieval texts. - source.]

[a heraldic sea-dog. - source.]

[comical dog-fish, cat-fish (& sea-pigs!) argue and chase each other in a 1904 newspaper illustration by Walt Mcdougall]

I decided to draw mine as a bull-dog (because it is a critter from Wisconsin which is known for their love of bulldogs) mixed with a Koifish (which i've heard tell by local fishermen that the species is now invasive)  Folkloric koi are creatures which bring good luck & fortune to those that keep them and well, either way you think about it, it makes cents to me with a capital '¢'!

[Art sticker by @SamKalensky part of my Fearsome Critters collection of stickers follow and support for many more.]