170 FEEDING OF DOGS. 



fore, should be cut into fine pieces, and mixed with the 

 soaked raspings. When raspings cannot be procured, meal 

 or biscuit may be substituted. The mixture, it is evident, 

 may be made to contain more or less animal matter, by in- 

 creasing OT lessening the proportion of paunch, or other 

 kinds of meal may be substituted ; but the author is disposed 

 to think that tripe is, of all animal substances, the purest 

 food, and tends least of all to make a dog foul and gross. 

 When likewise it is intended, or wished, to make the mix- 

 ture either more nutritious or more enticing, the offal or in- 

 testines of chickens and other fowl may be procured from the 

 poulterers, and boiled with the tripe. Of all substances in 

 general use, except horse flesh, the entrails of chickens is that 

 most eagerly sought after by dogs; and it is one which 

 fattens them faster than any other. For the convenience of 

 persons resident in London, it should be noticed, that the 

 venders of ready dressed sheep heads sell the trimmings as 

 dogs' food, and they form an excellent one. 



Sportsmen in the country use various mixtures for food, 

 and it is very often, in retired situations, a difficult matter to 

 find proper substances for this purpose. In some kennels 

 meal and milk are used, and dogs will thrive on them during 

 the season they do not hunt ; but, when they are strongly 

 exercised, this food is not sufficiently nutritious. All the 

 meals of wheat, barley, oats, and rye, are used for this pur- 

 pose ; but it is no difficult matter at once to decide, that 

 wheat meal, when it can be procured, is to be preferred ; for 

 it is much less likely to produce mange and a heated skin than 



the others. 



Barlevmeal and oatmeal are most frequently given, and are 

 each sufficiently nutritious when mixed with either milk or 

 broth; but they have certainly some tendency to produce a 

 red itching skin when constantly used ; for which reason a 

 portion of potatoes should be mixed with them. Potatoes, 

 even without meal, will be found to form a good food for 

 dogs who are not wanted for very active exertion : they are 

 cooling, and, when mixed with milk or buttermilk, are suffi- 



