ANIMAL FOODS. 2^ 



it should be in very large pieces, and preferably attached 

 to bones of good size. And when it cannot be obtained 

 in suitable form it should be cut into small pieces 

 or crushed with a mallet before it is fed out ; or if 

 intended for puppies or for the sick it should always be. 

 minced or scraped. 



It will scarcely do utterly to ignore without comment 

 that ancient idea that meat injures the dog's " nose." 

 Where this food is given intelligently its effect upon the 

 scenting powers is transitory merely and limited solely to 

 the period of active digestion. In other words, after he 

 has eaten his fill of meat, for two or three hours his sense 

 of smell is less keen, but as soon as digestion is well 

 advanced it is restored and just as powerful as before eat- 

 ing. And it can safely be said that a sporting dog might 

 be allowed meat from puppyhood until incapacitated by 

 age and his " nose " would not in the slightest degree 

 fall off in consequence of his diet. But meat will injure 

 this sense if it is given out of proportion to the amount of 

 work or exercise, for then the dog is sure to become 

 feverish and his " nose " as well as his general health must 

 fail him. And where such failure has occurred in con- 

 sequence of meat it has been invariably due to the lack of 

 judgment on the part of the owners — they giving too 

 much of this food and too little exercise. 



The habit of burying meat, so common among dogs, 

 has been the subject of speculation, and two theories have 

 been advanced in explanation. One is, that they do it to 

 ripen it and render it more digestible — possibly, also, 

 that it may acquire a richer flavor. Yet dogs often bury 

 meat that is literally putrid, and the other theory seems 

 the most plausible — that so great is their fondness for 

 this food they will eat it in any form, and, like all animals 

 of the same family, store away and conceal if possible for 



