188 HUNTING DOGS. 



a rcarcitv of tliem, fat ''puppj dog'' being with 

 the paimch of the reindeer considered a regular 

 "Delmonico-' dish. The average usefulness of 

 tlieir existence is about 6 to 8 years, the old dogs 

 following the same road as fat puppies, after 

 their usefulness has seen the limit. Fall bred 

 (logs are best. Alaskan dogs are larger and 

 heavier and the same rule applies to Labrador 

 species, but as thej are of mixed breed, lazier 

 and require more food they are only used to ad- 

 vantage where they belong — at home. 



As a rule, they exist, breed and sleep in the 

 open, the soft side of a drifting snow bank being 

 a luxury, especially if it drifts about them up to 

 the muzzle, and it is only vacated when danger- 

 ous. They seek the warmest spots they can find, 

 a rope coil, rag or paper, or even a tin can to 

 lie on, in preference to ice or hard snow. Fail- 

 ing in this, they will dig a hole in the soft snow 

 and bury themselves in this, lying one on top 

 of the other in bitter weather. The best of 

 Arctic or Polar dogs, while they withstand cold 

 to surprising degree, nevertheless, suffer with 

 the cold and danger of freezing, especially in 

 winter time Avhen food is scarce or frozen and 

 snow serves to quench thirst, a wet foot or crip- 

 pled limb being the first to suffer. In bitter 

 weather I have seen them roll and run to main- 

 tain circulation. They huddle together, shiver- 



