244 

 Largfe dogs, ^vhen washed, may be permitted to run 

 into the stable among clean straw, and which is a 

 very excellent means of^drying them, and, from its 

 v.armtl), a very safe one. It should be remembered, 

 in ascertaining the proper Vvarrath of the water for 

 washhig dogs, that the heat that appears Irifiiiig to 

 the hai.d of a servant always used to dabbling in 

 suds, will scald an animal subjected to no unusual 

 heat. Pearl asiies in moderate quantity mixed with 

 the water are more proper than soap to wash them 

 with, particularly when the skin is foul, and itches. 

 Soap is made from fat and an alkali ; consequently, 

 if moi e fat is attempted to be mixed with the soap, 

 it cannot dissolve it : therefore, as there is much 

 grease or unctuous matter on a dog's hide, so soap, 

 unless hi large quantities, finds a difhculty in mixing 

 with and washing it oft" ; but pot ashes being the ley 

 with which soap is made, this readily mixes \Aith the 

 fat on the skin, dissolves it, and forms itself the best 

 soap for washing. When a dog is placed in water, a 

 desert or table spoonful of pot or pearl ashes may be 

 mixed with a pint of warm water : with this the 

 whole skin should be first rubbed, carefully guarding 

 the eyes from it : when this is done, then wash well 

 with the general quantity of water. This plan is par- 

 ticularly useful where tliere is any mange or redness 

 of the skin, or many tiea,^s ; for by irritating the skia 

 it promotes its removal ; but unless it is done with 

 care, the quantity of pearl ashes had j^etter be mixed 

 with the general mass of water. Washing should not 

 be repeated oftener than every third day, and in 

 common cases three times a fortnight is sufficient. 

 It must, however, be remarked, that in some dogs 



