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THE DOG IN HEALTH. 



EXERCISE AND OCCUPATION. 



The dog still retains, in most breeds, the activity that 

 is characteristic of the group to which he belongs — the 

 carnivora. 



He no longer, it is true, seeks prey, but he naturally 

 hunts some form of life by inherited tendency, and man 

 avails himself of this to train the dog to various kinds of 

 hunting, to watching, guarding, etc. 



Exercise and occu])ation we couple together, because 

 the former is best secured with the latter, since it naturally 

 follows that the sort of development, both physical and 

 psychical, which adapts him for the intended use must be 

 best. Apart altogether from this, however, dogs, like 

 other animals, indeed much more so than most others, re- 

 quire exercise to keep them in health. We can not dis- 

 regard with impunity any animal's ancestral or inherited 

 tendencies. To do so is to overlook the true nature of the 

 animal. So that if a dog can not be taken to fields or 

 woods, he should l)e given the opportunity somewhere not 

 only to walk, but to romp freely. Exercise should be pleas- 

 ant ; the dog must have some opportunity to gratify his 

 instinctive tendencies, or exercise will be so destitute of the 

 element of occupation or interest that it will accomplish 

 but a small part of its purpose. To lead a dog out by a 

 chain is better than no exercise at all, but it is at best but 

 a poor substitute. To keep any dog constantly chained is 

 simply downright cruelty. The yard should always, when 

 at all possible, allow of moderate exercise and freedom. 



In only exceptional cases will a dog take too much 

 exercise in a yard, however large. But, even with the 



