• PREPARATORY WORK. 1 47 



Of course there are yet other diseases that might be 

 acquired at shows but the liability to them is so small it 

 ought not to deter any one from exhibiting his dog if 

 desirous of doing so ; and the two singled out — distem- 

 per and sarcoptic mange — have been discussed at consid- 

 erable length that the reader may know the pure and 

 simple truth and be able to judge understandingly of the 

 extent of the danger threatened at such exhibitions. 

 That it is generally greatly over-estimated is a very unfor- 

 tunate fact, for every dog that seems good enough to win 

 honors should be allowed to try ; moreover, upon the num- 

 ber of entries depends much the public interest, and the 

 greater the latter the more profitable breeding. 



The writer will endeavor to influence favorably this 

 train of conditions with a few practical hints, and he 

 urges that if they are carefully observed, mature dogs 

 while at shows will scarcely be in greater danger of infec- 

 tious diseases than when at home in their kennels. 



The average exhibitor having decided to enter his dog 

 at once sets about putting him into "condition" to appear 

 at his best. There are two ways of doing this, and they 

 may be said to point due east and due west, for they are 

 distinctly opposite — one being right and the other wrong. 

 Unfortunately the latter is by far the more popular, and it 

 consists of drugging and gorging. Yet as far as form 

 goes, the only legitimate way to put a dog right is to rely 

 upon hygienic and dietetic means. And when there has 

 been a considerable falling off, very generally three or four 

 months is required to do this work well, while with most 

 dogs that are in fairly good condition six weeks is none 

 too long a time for it. 



Where the candidate for honors is badly "off," being 

 under weight, out of coat, and with muscles soft and 

 flabby from disuse, it is well to start in with a dose of 



