BONE — BONES 



the blue-coloured dogs, when one or both of them are 

 usually ''china" or "wall" — i.e. blue in shade. The ears 

 are small ; the neck fairly long, but very powerful ; the 

 shoulders sloping and the body rather short, but very 

 compact, and higher at the loins than at the shoulders, 

 thus producing the roach or wheel-back formation, as in 

 the greyhound and bulldog. The fore-legs are straight, 

 big, and muscular ; the feet rather small, round, and com- 

 pact ; and the coat profuse, hard, and rather shaggy, but 

 quite free from curl, the underjacket being very dense and 

 sealskin-like. All old English sheep-dogs are not born 

 tailless, but the majority are, and those which are not 

 usually have their caudal appendages removed in early 

 puppyhood. The usual colours are blue, grey, and grizzled, 

 either self-colour or mixed with white, the average weight 

 being about 60 lbs., and height 22 to 24 inches. 



Bone. — Most dog-breeders seek for a liberal amount of 

 bone in the fore-legs of their dogs, as a heavy-boned animal 

 is naturally stronger in his limbs, and more calculated to 

 get through hard work than one whose fore-legs are slender 

 and weak. Hence the necessity for providing puppies with 

 such food and exercise as will assist in the development of 

 bone. (See Feedingy Rearing Puppies.^ 



Bones. — All dogs derive both pleasure and benefit from 

 being given bones to gnaw ; but it should be a care of their 

 owners to see that all the bones are of such a size and 

 description as not to be injurious to them. Small, hard 

 bones, such as those of poultry, game, or rabbits, are 

 particularly dangerous, as if pieces with sharp edges are 

 swallowed they are apt to cause internal injuries. On the 

 other hand, large bones with not too much meat on them 

 will amuse a dog for hours, and are useful in the way of 

 promoting the secretion of saHva, and thereby assisting 

 digestion. If more than one dog is in the kennel there is 

 always a prospect over a fight when bones are served out, 



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