206 THE SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



The following foods are in common use: 



1. Meat of any kind, unspoiled, raw or cooked. Horse meat is just as 

 wholesome as any other kind. Slaughterhouse ofifal like portions of the 

 genital organs (scrotum), the stomachs of cattle, intestine, spleen, lungs, 

 tankage, etc., are suitable. 



2. Milk, for young, weak, old, pregnant or nursing dogs. 



3. Cooked rice. Rice mixed with a little meat is considered the most 

 wholesome food for the dog. 



4. Oat flour, oatmeal and ground oats, boiled or scalded ; favorite 

 food for hunting dogs. 



5. Bread. This is in very common use but much less wholesome than 

 the feeding stuffs given under 3, 4 and 6. 



6. Cooked legume seeds and meals. Objectionable for watch dogs 

 and lap dogs, on account of tendency to cause constipation, obesity and 

 laziness. Very suitable for draft dogs, however, especially when mixed 

 with rice (1 pound rice and about two-thirds of a pound of peas for a 

 large dog). 



7. Potatoes and vegetables should be used merely as by-feeds for 

 dogs at rest. They are not suitable as an exclusive diet and should not 

 be fed at all as a basal feed to growing or working dogs, or nursing 

 bitches. 



8. Dog biscuits (p. 127) are usually soaked in warm water (broth or 

 soup), seldom fed dry. Dog biscuits of proper composition may be used 

 as exclusive feed, but are not economical. 



One feed per day is sufficient for dogs at rest or doing light work. 

 Two feeds per day are necessary for dogs at hard work. If the dog is 

 kept in the house, a light evening meal and a heavier morning meal are 

 best. The food should never be given hot, but always lukewarm or cold. 



By-feeds of bones (calf bones, calf feet and cartilage) or prepared 

 chalk are indispensable for growing dogs and occasionally necessary for 

 mature animals. 



Pregnant bitches should have concentrated, easily digestible food (meat 

 with some fat as well as rice and oatmeal or milk with oatmeal or corn- 

 meal, etc.). The ration should be rather short for one or two days after 

 whelping. After this time nutritious food in the form of whole milk, 

 oatmeal and rice should be given. 



Young dogs (pups) thrive best on the mother's milk during the first 

 two months of their existence. After this the food for the smaller breeds 

 is usually much the same as that for man, but this is hardly sufficient 

 for the larger breeds. Lime and albumen should be increased from four 

 to five fold. Cow's milk does not constitute a complete ration for the 

 young dog. Milk, rice and bread are equally unsuitable. These foods 

 contain too little lime and albumen and predispose to rachitis. The food 

 of young dogs should approach the bitch's milk in chemical composition. 

 The latter is composed of about 7.5 per cent albumen, 9.5 per cent fat, 

 3 per cent milk sugar and 1 per cent mineral matter. In order to grow 



