112 THE DOG m HEALTH. 



ercise, which latter has been assumed throughout in the 

 discussion of this subject. 



Again, with very hard-worked hunting dogs a break- 

 fast has only proved in some cases a source of indigestion 

 and diarrhoea. But, in any case, dogs should never be 

 hunted or violently exercised just after a meal. It has 

 been proved that in such cases food may remain for 

 hours undigested in the stomach, the animal's energies 

 being used up, especially by the muscular system. 



Dogs may be allowed such exercise as they will them- 

 selves take in play just after a meal, or veiy soon after, at 

 all events. 



The feeding of toy dogs, on account of their delicacy 

 of constitution and unnatural mode of life, requires special 

 care. Meat must be sparingly given, yet not absolutely 

 withheld. Milk and its various preparations with eggs, 

 may be well substituted, with stale bread, biscuits, etc. 

 When only a single dog is kept, as is perhaps usually the 

 case, table scraps make an excellent fare, given twice a 

 day in moderation, but avoiding rich gravies and pastry 

 except in small quantity. In the large majority of cases 

 the family dog is fed too often and too much, and were 

 it not that he is generally a hardy mongrel, the results 

 would be more frequently manifest in skin disease and 

 other troubles. Rice is an excellent staple, when well 

 boiled, for toy dogs that are poor feeders. 



When dogs are allowed many bones of a kind that 

 can be masticated and swallowed, they ai'c apt to become 

 constipated, owing to the excess of lime, etc., forming in- 

 soluble soaps in the intestine. 



Errors in feeding are responsible for more derange- 



