DOGS! THEIR MANAGEMENT. 183 



very aged animals with beautiful mouths ; but such 

 sights, for the reasons which have been pointed out, are 

 unfortunately rare. The teeth of the dog, however, may 

 be perfectly clean and entire even at the twelfth year ; 

 and it is no more than folly to pretend that these organs 

 are in any way indicative of the age of this animal. 

 They are of no further importance to a purchaser than 

 as signs which denote the state of the system, and show 

 the uses to which the animal has been subjected. The 

 primary teeth are cut sometimes as early as the third 

 week ; but, in the same litter, one pup may not show 

 more than the point of an incisor when it is six weeks 

 old ; while another may display all those teeth well up. 

 As a general rule, the permanent incisors begin to come 

 up about the fourth month ; but I have known a dog to 

 be ten months old, and, nevertheless, to have all the 

 temporary teeth in its head. The deviations, conse- 

 quently, are so great that no rule can be laid down ; and 

 every person who pretends to judge of the dog's age by 

 the teeth is either deceived himself, or practising upon 

 the ignorance of others. 



Strong pups require no attention during dentition ; but 

 high-bred and weakly animals should be constantly 

 watched during this period. When a tooth is loose, it 

 should be drawn at once, and never suffered to remain 

 a useless source of irritation. If suffered to continue 

 in the mouth, it will ultimately become tightened ; and 

 the food or portions of hair getting and lodging between 

 it and the permanent teeth, will inflame the gum, and 



