EXERCISE. 105 



hour or so mornings and nights they will generally man- 

 age to keep their systems in fairly good tone. It some- 

 times becomes necessary, however, to put dogs in training, 

 as for shows, coursing, etc., or to give them an unusual 

 amount of exercise for the purpose of restoring health ; 

 in which case the reader will find much to assist him in 

 the part devoted to "Exhibiting Dogs." 



It is an excellent plan to teach a young dog to run after 

 a ball and retrieve it, for ever afterward on occasions 

 when he must be denied his usual stroll his master can 

 by this means limber him up very quickly and at the same 

 time afford him a great deal of enjoyment. Some breeders 

 resort to a piece of dried beef or fresh skin to encourage 

 exercise in the yards, hanging it just beyond the reach of 

 the dogs, and at this many of them will jump at frequent 

 intervals. Some, also, favor exercise by stretching hur- 

 dles across the yards, over which the inmates must jump 

 as they make their way about — a device which recom- 

 mends itself especially with dogs that lack development 

 in their hind quarters. 



There is also the "wheel" and the so-called "tread- 

 mill," which latter is built on the same principles as 

 the power part of threshing and wood-sawing machines 

 worked by horses. Fighting dogs are trained largely on 

 the former and they are also taught to seize and hold on to 

 an empty bag, piece of carpet or the like, which is strung 

 high enough to prevent their legs touching the ground. 

 This gives strength to the jaws, and in fact to all the fore 

 parts and muscles, and so renders the dogs capable of 

 maintaining their hold for a long time once they have 

 fixed their jaws. And they who have bull terriers, for 

 instance, would do well to give them a part of their exer- 

 cise in this way. 



While dogs are out for exercise their owners or care- 



