CHAPTER II 



THE DOG IN THE HOUSE 



Of any beast none is more faithful found, 



Nor yields more pastime in house, plain, or woods, 

 Nor helps his master's person, or his goods, 



With greater care than doth the dog or hound. MOLLE. 



N selecting a dog for the house there is ample scope for 

 choice according to the conditions under which the animal 

 can be kept. The first consideration for an owner is as 

 to what accommodation he can give his dog, for there is a 

 vast difference between a city flat or home, and a country- 

 house, where unlimited liberty can be given the pet of the household. For 

 a city dog give preference to something of moderate size, even the smaller 

 toy dogs, though setters or pointers do very well, if fancy runs in that direc- 

 tion. Anything large, such as a St. Bernard, mastiff, great Dane, or the 

 heavily coated dogs, had better be left out of the question, unless fancy is 

 imperative for one of those breeds. Terriers are good for the house, pro- 

 vided moderation in feeding is exercised, for they are apt to eat too much, 

 and a fat-laden terrier is an eyesore to any person who likes to see a dog as 

 he should be in the way of condition. 



Heavily coated dogs are better avoided for the reason that the process 

 of the annual shedding of coat is a prolonged one, and it is impossible to 

 prevent the falling coat from attaching itself to carpets, rugs, or anything 

 upon which the dog lies. Still another reason is, that during this long 

 process of shedding and then awaiting the coming of the full coat the dog 

 does not look his best, and a house-dog should, like its owner, be fit to be 

 seen by company at all seasonable hours. 



Having decided upon the dog that is most satisfactory to please indi- 

 vidual fancy and the accommodations of the home, the next question is, 

 what to do for the animal when it arrives. If the dog is to be the property 

 of any member of the family in particular, it is well to allow that one to 

 attend solely to the unpacking or receiving the newcomer. Dogs are, as a 



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