118 SPORTSMAN'S HAND BOOK. 



for there is no better physic for a dog than a gorge of boiled 

 fat meat. Feeding dogs meat is contrary to the teachings of 

 dog men generally, but if you want your dog to hunt every 

 day in the week give him plenty of good meat in his feed 

 and he will stay with you through thick and thin. During 

 the close season they require but little food if they have 

 their liberty, and will usually pick up more than they should 

 have. This is more the case in cities than in the country, 

 however. Dogs, when not used in the field, are very apt to 

 be overfed and become lazy and fat. Mind you, when they 

 work hard see that they get plenty of good, strong food, 

 and when doing nothing see that they get very little strong 

 food, especially if kept in confinement. If they run at 

 large they will take care of themselves, so far as food is 

 concerned, and ten to one will become worthless loafers. 



Dogs should have a clean, warm kennel'to sleep in, and 

 the bedding should be changed often; in the summer time 

 use plenty of flea powder and sprinkle it in the bedding. 

 Carbolic acid is good to kill and keep off fleas; sprinkle the 

 floor of the kennel and bedding with a strong solution of car- 

 bolic acid, once a week and your dog will not be troubled 

 with fleas. An excellent wash for dogs is made of carbolic 

 acid one part and water thirty parts ; this will keep them 

 clear of fleas, and prevent and even cure almost any 

 kind of skin disease. Fleas are a terrible pest, but with 

 care they can be kept clear of them, and it pays to see care- 

 fully to it. 



DOG TRAINING. 



There are quite a number of good books on dog training. 

 Among the best, "Training vs. Breaking," by Hamond, is by 

 far in the lead. There is but one secret in dog breaking, 

 that is, prompt and implicit obedience, that is all there is of it. 

 Dog breaking has no reference to a dog's hunting qualifica- 

 tions; if a dog has not hunting instinct by nature, it will not 



