General Management. 483 



and although they may assist in keeping fleas away, these troublesome 

 intruders are better kept at a distance by constant attention to thorough 

 cleanliness. 



Straw in abundance is, on the whole, the best material for dogs in 

 health, but hay is an advantage at times to dogs ill and to delicate 

 puppies. 



Cleansing the Kennel. The dogs should be taken out for exercise at a 

 regular hour, and when out if that is practicable, which it may not be if 

 only one man is kept, or the dogs have not an enclosure to exercise in 

 the kennels should be thoroughly brushed out, and in warm dry weather 

 swilled out thoroughly ; for this purpose, if water can be laid on and used 

 from a hose it is of great advantage, and saves time and labour. It 

 must, however, be done before feeding the food preparing the while. 

 The straw should be forked off the sleeping benches, and these brushed 

 free from dust and dirt, and the beds again made up. If they are dogs 

 for exhibition, and require grooming, let that also be done before the 

 morning meal is served. 



Whitewashing. At regular intervals, say every month or six weeks, 

 the walls should be whitewashed. For this purpose whiting is of no 

 use. Get lumps of unslaked lime, and gradually slaking it, add water 

 until it is thin enough to apply. 



Disinfectants. The use of disinfectants is as preventives of disease, 

 and to check its spread when it has entered the kennel. 



Whichever is used it should be by itself, not mixed with the limewash. 

 Disinfectants are numerous. Chloride of lime is a white powder, which 

 must be kept very dry, as it absorbs moisture rapidly. It should be 

 mixed with considerable quantities of water when used, and old rags 

 dipped in the solution and hung up inside the dormitories where there is 

 a suspicion of an infectious disease will prove a good way of distributing 

 the free chlorine which is the disinfecting principle and purifying the 

 kennel. A solution of permanganate of potash is an excellent disinfec- 

 tant. There is, however, nothing better suited to kennel use, and so 

 convenient, as " Sanitas," and of its efficacy I can speak from consider- 

 able personal experience ; it is also reasonable in price, and handy, as all 

 chemists sell it. 



Carbolic acid even granting the qualities claimed for it as a disinfec- 

 tant, which I do not is objectionable, because of the insolubility of the 



