GENERAL DIETARY. 75 



But while, as a rule, it is advisable that two meals each 

 day be allowed, under some conditions the number can 

 properly be limited to one and food be given at night 

 only. And on the whole this custom seems best for 

 sporting dogs while in the field, for were they fed morn- 

 ings and soon afterward started to work, during their 

 hard runs digestion would go on slowly if indeed it did 

 not stop altogether, and the food in the stomach, decom- 

 posing and acrid in consequence of being too long retained, 

 would cause gastric and intestinal irritation and diarrhoea. 

 Consequently one meal a day — a hearty one — after their 

 work has been done should be the rule with them. 



But in this matter, as in all that pertains to the care of 

 the dog, there must be judgment displayed, and the same 

 based on a thorough knowledge of individual peculi- 

 arities, habits, etc. For instance, greyhounds are light 

 feeders and one meal a day is quite enough for the 

 majority of them. And yet there v/ould be no good 

 reason for denying members of this family a snack in 

 the morning had they been habituated to it and seemed 

 the better for it. 



Again, assuming that a bitch has been accustomed to 

 one feeding a day and is in-pup, manifestly two meals will 

 be required during the early weeks of gestation, also a 

 light luncheon as the end is rapidly approaching. 



In a word, whether there should be one feeding daily or 

 two or more feedings depends largely upon existing cir- 

 cumstances, and these considered intelligently a mistake 

 would scarcely be possible. But to the question. Are 

 three feedings a day advisable under ordinary conditions 

 for other than toys.'' the answer is emphatically No ! For 

 dogs fed so often become dull, sluggish and indolent, and 

 unfit for any special purpose. 



The daily amount of food required also depends upon 



