182 "DOGS: THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



ployed, and the mouth will not be injured. In a state of 

 nature this would be the regular course. The dog when 

 wild hunts its prey ; and, having caught, proceeds to 

 feast upon the flesh, which it tears off; this, being soft, 

 does not severely tax the masticating members. When 

 the stomach is filled, the skeleton may be polished ; but 

 hungry dogs never take to bones when there is a choice 

 of meat. It is a mistaken charity which throws a bone 

 to a starving hound. 



Equally injurious to the teeth, are luxuries which 

 disorder the digestion. High breeding likewise will ren- 

 der the mouth toothless at a very early age ; but of all 

 things the very worst is salivation, which, by the igno- 

 rant people who undertake to cure the diseases of these 

 sensitive and delicate animals, is often induced though 

 seldom recognised, and if recognised, always left to take 

 its course. 



The mouth of the dog is therefore exposed to several 

 evils ; and there are not many of these animals which 

 retain their teeth even at the middle age. High-bred 

 spaniels are the soonest toothless ; hard or luxurious 

 feeding rapidly makes bare the gums. Stones, bones, 

 &c., wear down the teeth ; but the stumps become 

 sources of irritation, and often cause disease. Saliva- 

 tion may, according to its violence, either remove all the 

 teeth, or discolor any that may be retained. The hale 

 dog's teeth, if properly cared for, will generally last 

 during the creature's life ; and continue white almost 

 to the remotest period of its existence. I have seen 



