THE AMERICAN GORDON SETTER. 93 



but on your return, before you let them go to rest, feed 

 them strongly. If you do not feed before they are kenneled, 

 they will not eat well, for the reason that when once put 

 away they prefer rest to food. 



If you can, in the section where you are shooting, secure 

 some raw fresh beef or mutton, give them a good feed twice 

 a week. Rest assured, if your dogs are well fed, they will 

 do twice the work for you that could possibly be gotten 

 out of them if half -starved. At the same time, do not over- 

 feed. Never feed them on salt meat while on your shooting- 

 trips, for if you do you will have them filling themselves 

 to overflowing with water, and this will spoil your day's 

 shooting. 



When on your trip, if you ride to your shooting-grounds, 

 see that the wagon-floor is well covered with dry hay or 

 straw; put your dogs in, both going and returning, thus 

 saving them all you can and see how they will tuck them- 

 selves away in the straw on your way home. 



When you arrive home and feed them, take them at 

 once to your room; spread your dog-blanket, which I pre- 

 sume you have taken with you, before the fire; let them 

 dry well, or thaw out, as the state of the weather may 

 require; take a comb and get off all the burs, especially 

 under the shoulders, and look the toes over to see that no 

 burs or dried or frozen mud are left there. I prefer to 

 always keep my dogs in my room at night, and will not 

 stop at any house where I can not do so, unless it be at a 

 friend's home. 



By following the above instructions, you will find your 

 dogs as fresh as you would wish them the next morning; 

 they will be with you until a good old age, and no rheuma- 

 tism will you see in them at any time. If you wish your 

 dogs to always look well in coat, wash them well all over 

 with Spratt's dog soap, rubbing it well in with a stiff root 

 brush, such as is used for brushing a horse's mane. This 

 makes a lather, and will kill every flea on them. Commence 

 this washing in May, and have it done every three weeks 

 until about October 15th; then you are rid of fleas on them 



