26 KENNEL SECRETS. 



Although liver is nearly as deserving of prejudice as 

 pork it frequently appears before dogs, and doubtless it is 

 accountable for many mysterious attacks of diarrhoea, for 

 it is one of the richest of foods and as difficult of digestion 

 as it is rich. Considering which only an occasional and 

 ^sparing use should be the rule. 



As for what are known as " lights," some writers recom- 

 mend them, yet a person would not be likely to feed them 

 to a house pet more than once, for they give the breath 

 an intolerable stench, which can be accepted as unmis- 

 takable evidence that decomposition occurred and advanced 

 far before the stomach completed its task. 



In the giving of raw meat there are certain precautions 

 to be observed which are well worth considering here. 

 The dog commonly " bolts " the food placed before him 

 largely because there is little if any necessity for him to 

 do otherwise, but accustom him to foods which require 

 mastication and the assistance of the saliva, and he soon 

 shows that he has sense — or instinct — enough to know 

 that he must chew them before he swallows them. In 

 feeding raw meat the facts are often ignored that dogs 

 have teeth for cutting and tearing, and that if the same 

 are industriously used on this food it will be converted 

 into a form favorable for digestion. As a consequence 

 the erroneous practice of giving it to them in pieces but 

 little smaller than the fist is a common one ; and to this 

 can be attributed many of the digestive disturbances 

 of which breeders have occasionally complained and for 

 which they have blamed the food. 



It ought not to be necessary to urge that raw meat for 

 dogs, old and young, that are fairly healthy and have good, 

 sound teeth should when possible be put before them in a 

 form which will make it necessary for them to cut, tear 

 and crush it before it can be swallowed ; or in other words 



