DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 153 



brought to accept them ; and to rice, the favorite how- 

 ever great may be the pity he elicits, or however urgent 

 may be his solicitations for a more liberal fare must be 

 :;igidly confined. If, after a few trials, the dog stubbornly 

 refuses such provender, meat must of necessity be given, 

 but it should be of the very best description, and rather 

 underdone. Of this kind, it ought to be minced, and 

 mixed with so much rice or ship biscuit as the animal can 

 at first be made to eat with it ; the rice or biscuit may 

 then be gradually increased ; and in the end the vege- 

 table substance will constitute, at all events, the major 

 part of the support. Water, constantly changed a cir- 

 cumstance too little attended to where dogs are concerned 

 must be the only drink ; the bed must be warm and 

 dry, but airy. Cleanliness cannot be carried to too nice 

 an extent ; here the most fastidious attention is not out 

 of place. Let the kennel be daily cleared, and the bed 

 regularly changed at least thrice-a-week ; straw or hay 

 is better for the dog to sleep upon than cushions or 

 blankets, which, being more expensive, are not so fre- 

 quently replaced. Too much hay or straw cannot be 

 allowed, but, on the other hand, it is difficult to regulate 

 the quantity of the finer articles. In the last kind of bed 

 the animal is often almost smothered, or else he scrapes 

 them into a lump, and lies shivering on the top ; whereas, 

 when he has straw to lie upon, he can either creep be- 

 neath it, and shelter himself when sensible of cold, or ex- 

 pose himself to the air when oppressed by the fever. The 

 sensations being the only guide, it is best to leave the 



