108 THE DOG IN HEALTH. 



must be recognized by all who would understand the man- 

 agement of dogs. 



Starchy foods if given in excess tend to digestive de- 

 rangement (fermentation, etc.) and favor skin disease. 

 Meal in excess is unduly exciting, and will also cause in- 

 flammation of the skin and other disturbances. Milk 

 alone and uninterruptedly is too bulky, and enfeebles the 

 digestive tract. 



A mixed diet, in proper proportion and properly 

 cooked, will suit most of the conditions under which the 

 dog is kept better than any other. Cakes or biscuits made 

 of the entire wheat, ground moderately fine, make good 

 food, and may at times be fed dry to advantage. 



The question of quantity is of very great importance. 

 Experience shows that the tendency is usually to overfeed. 

 The result is digestive troubles, an undue taxing of all 

 those organs that get rid of the waste or poisons of the 

 body, with numberless reflex disturbances which in the 

 dog, for reasons to be explained later, generally express 

 themselves on the skin. 



But the quantity must vary not only with the breed 

 and size of the dog, but, above all, with his surroundings 

 and the amount of exercise he gets. 



A dog that is worked to the fullest extent may proba- 

 bly nearly always be left to be his own judge as to when 

 he has had enough of food. But under any other circum- 

 stances this would scarcely be a safe rule for all dogs. 

 Some are gluttons, and would constantly be out of condi- 

 tion if fed as much as they would eat. But a pack of 

 hounds hunting daily will scarcely eat too much even the 

 most ravenous dogs being able to use up, in the long-con- 



