Diet. 49 



readily ; but, should any refuse it, they may 

 soon be taught by placing a small quantity 

 before them when they are hungry, and 

 dropping into it a few bread crumbs or 

 small shreds of meat. It is, as I have said, 

 excellent for worms, and its merits are de- 

 scribed in the pages which treat of them. 



Sweet and clean food is of nearly as 

 much importance as pure air and sunshine, 

 and you should never force your dog to eat 

 any food that is not absolutely clean and 

 sweet; if he wants dirt to eat, let him help 

 himself, but do not force him to eat it with 

 his food. Tainted meat, mouldy bread or 

 stale vegetables should never be fed ; all 

 are bad, the last two dangerously so, as 

 they are very apt to cause derangement of 

 the digestive organs, and not infrequently 

 more serious ills. Indeed, I am well con- 

 vinced that unsuitable diet is often answer- 

 able for cases of so-called canker of the ear, 

 as well as other disorders. In very young 

 do^s this disease is not common, but the 



