■6 KENNEL SECRETS. 



animal food, or the quantity allowed be only very small, 

 but there be vegetable foods in abundance, then with the 

 latter she will endeavor to make him content, and pos- 

 sibly thrive on them as he would on animal foods. 



But to enter into a discussion of this question is not at 

 all necessary. The dog can safely be regarded as capable 

 of digesting and assimilating vegetable as well as animal 

 foods. Furthermore, a mixed diet now unquestionably 

 best meets his requirements. 



Doubtless, it is universally admitted that animal food is 

 absolutely necessary to the dog ; and it must generally be 

 accepted that a varied or mixed diet is best suited to him ; 

 a fairly good idea of the different substances which should 

 make up this diet also prevails ; but beyond this the ma- 

 jority of owners are sadly wanting. About the required 

 proportion of the various ingredients they know little or 

 nothing, and are singularly prone to be highly generous 

 in the use of vegetable foods and sparing of animal food, 

 whereas it should often be the reverse. They are apt, 

 also, to lose sight of the great difference in relation to 

 %oth quantity and quality which habits of life demand, 

 i.e. between the habits of those that are worked hard, 

 as in the field, and those living lazy, luxurious lives, 

 as house pets and watchers. They moreover make small 

 account of the different requirements by the puppy and 

 the mature dog ; and seem to be still less mindful of 

 the fact that marked individual peculiarities frequently 

 exist. Again, very many of them appear indifferent on 

 the matter of cooking, which oftener than otherwise is 

 imperfect, and in consequence the foods so treated not 

 only fail of their purpose, but, acting as irritants, cause 

 indigestion and other disturbances. Finally, with no 

 small proportion of them combinations of the different 

 foods are mere questions of convenience, they holding to 



