TREATMENT OF THE DOG IN HEALTH. V29 



bottom of the kennel from getting damp and remaining so. The 

 boards should be tongued and grooved so as to shut out all drafts. 

 Provided always with clean, dry straw, the dog will thrive. Foul 

 and damp bedding produces mange, rickets, distemper, rheuma- 

 tism, etc. If possible avoid keeping the dog on chain, as it frets 

 and iiTitates it and is very apt to sour its disposition. 



Preparing a Dog for Exhibition. 



To show a dog "for all there is in him," its coat should be in 

 perfect condition, free from all dead hair, and in the form as called 

 for in the standard pertaining to its special breed. The body 

 should be round, the ribs well covered ; and in sporting and large 

 specimens the muscles should be well developed and hard. Where 

 two exhibits about equal in points of conformation come together 

 in the judging ring, the one shown in the best "condition" will 

 receive the blue ribbon. Grooming in the smaller breeds is gener- 

 ally "nine points" toward conditioning. 



