26 THE BOOK OF THE Doc. 



CLEANLINESS IN THE HOUSE. 



Whether a dog is an acquisition or not as a household companion very much depends 

 upon his habits of cleanliness ; for nothing can be more offensive than an indoor pet upon 

 whose behaviour no reliance can be placed. In the case of an old dog accustomed to live 

 outside, and who has not been taught in his youth, we fear the inculcation of cleanly habits 

 will be a difficult matter. The whip is the only remedy which can be applied, and its 

 application should be neither light nor meagre. With puppies the matter is usually far simpler, 

 and they soon acquire good manners if once convinced that punishment is the certain result 

 of dirty habits. Before the whip is resorted to, the offender should always be taken to the 

 place where the faux pas occurred, and the enormity of his conduct pointed out to him in 

 stern but not passionate tones. A sound whipping should next be immediately followed by 

 his expulsion from the room, and on his return from out of doors no further notice need be 

 taken of his offence against good manners. After a few repetitions of this treatment the dog 

 will understand what he is punished for, and will gradually learn to avail himself of the 

 opportunities provided by his periodical runs outside. Some resort to the system of spreading 

 pepper on the place where he misbehaved, and rubbing the dog's nose in it, and this is 

 often effective in obstinate cases, but is an unnecessary severity in teaching young dogs. The 

 opportunities for runs outside already alluded to, it need hardly be said, must be regularly given; 

 and it must never be forgotten that a dog cannot, like most animals, void his urine by one 

 act, but is obliged to expel it in small portions and by many separate efforts : much suffering 

 may be caused by forgetting this. Indoor pets should always be allowed a run the last thing 

 at night, and several outings during the day ; else they cannot be expected to be clean, and 

 it is cruelty to punish a dog for what he cannot help. Experience has taught us one thing, 

 which is, that one thorough whipping does more good and less harm to a dog than a series 

 of minor corrections. He remembers it far longer, and in his heart knows he deserved it 

 for something or other, even if he has not learnt what the actual offence is ; but if he is 

 always being scolded and slightly punished, his master soon appears in the light of a perse- 

 cutor, and the dog becomes either permanently cowed, or perhaps turns savage, and thereby 

 unfitted for an indoor companion. 



DOG BITES AND RABIES. 



So many accidents occur in kennels from dog bites that attention may be directed to 

 one or two simple precautions to be attended to if one has the misfortune to be bitten. The 

 application of lunar caustic is universally recommended ; but if this or any other remedy is 

 used it should be applied to the wound at once and thoroughly. It is no use touching the 

 outside of a bite with a little caustic ; the stick must be well worked into the wound, and 

 will cause considerable pain and subsequent inflammation. Often, however, this remedy is 

 not at hand though a stick of caustic is a useful appendage to any kennel and other means 

 have to be adopted. A very common practice is to plunge the injured part in hot salt and 

 water, and keep it there for some minutes ; and this is supposed to draw the poison (if any) 

 out of the wound. Mr. Thomas Scorborio, manager of the Dogs' Home at Battersea, informs 

 us of a remedy which he invariably causes to be applied to any of his attendants who are 

 bitten badly. It consists of a large poultice of carbonate of soda, made into a paste with 

 water and applied to the wound on a piece of linen. It should be kept on the wound about 



