CHAPTER III. 



GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF DOGS. 



HAVING got his dog comfortably housed, the next duty of the owner is to see to the 

 internal arrangement and comfort of his kennels. Suitable benches have been provided, but 

 as yet no allusion has been made to the bedding which should be supplied on them. Hay 

 has been recommended, but there is a particular and great objection to it, on account of its so 

 easily working into the coat of a long-haired dog. From an economical point of view also it 

 is far less preferable than straw, which as a bedding for all sorts of dogs is unsurpassed. We 

 have found wheaten straw superior to oaten when it can be obtained, as it lasts longer, and is 

 more comfortable for the dogs to lie on. 



Many breeders of the larger and hardier varieties seldom, if ever, give their dogs anything 

 to lie upon but bare boards, either from motives of economy, or in the belief that bedding is 

 injurious to their coats. The latter objection is certainly a fallacy, as considerably more harm 

 is likely to befall a dog's appearance if he is deprived of a warm' and comfortable bed, than if 

 he is snugly benched and a good night's rest ensured. The wooden bench shown in Fig. 4 

 should always be provided with the ledge round the front side, so as to prevent the straw 

 falling off, which it is very apt to do when the dog makes himself comfortable in bed or 

 leaps from it on to the ground. 



Many persons are partial to pine shavings for bedding, and we have used them satisfactorily 

 ourselves when straw has been unprocurable. The chief virtue of shavings appears to lie in the 

 amount of turpentine which is contained in them ; and it has been stated that no fleas or other 

 vermin can exist in a kennel where shavings are constantly in use as bedding material. This 

 opinion is at least exaggerated, for we have found that fleas are to some extent proof 

 against these shavings, though no doubt the odour of the turpentine is very distasteful to 

 them. Of course, in the case of large kennels in neighbourhoods where straw is very dear 

 and shavings cheap, it would be impossible to ignore the advantages of the latter ; but they 

 seem to break up and get dusty so soon, besides being hard and uncomfortable to the dogs, 

 that we cannot recommend them to be supplied to show dogs, at all events on the eve of 

 an exhibition. Some breeders, again, use sawdust on their dogs' sleeping benches ; but this 

 practice is a thoroughly bad one. Such bedding gets into the ears and eyes of the dogs lying 

 on it, and causes them great annoyance, if not absolute suffering. In addition to this, the 

 trouble of getting sawdust out of their coats is very considerable. It is, no doubt, very good 

 for the floor of the kennel, but has no recommendation whatsoever as an article of bedding. 



Some dogs require a renewal of their bedding much oftener than others, but on no account 

 should it be left in longer than a week ; and before the clean straw is placed on the bench, the 

 latter should be thoroughly well cleansed, and, if necessary, scrubbed out with a hard brush. 



During the hot summer months bedding is quite an unnecessary luxury for most breeds, 

 even when their kennels are out of doors. In fact, very few dogs will consent to lie on straw 

 if the weather is very warm, and will rid themselves of it if supplied them by scratching it 

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