234 DOGS: THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



have their likes and dislikes quite as strong and as 

 capricious as other animals. Man himself does not 

 more frequently impair his digestion by over indul- 

 gence than does the dog. In both cases the punish- 

 ment is the same, but the brute having the more deli- 

 cate digestion suffers most severely. The dog's stom- 

 ach is so subject to be deranged that few of these 

 creatures can afford to gormandize ; to which failing, 

 however, they are much inclined. The consequence is 

 soon shown. A healthy dog can make a hearty meal 

 and sleep soundly after it. The petted favorite is often 

 pained by a moderate quantity of food, and frequent 

 are the housemaid's regrets that his digestion is not 

 more retentive. He spoils other things besides vic- 

 tuals ; and the more daintily he lives the more gene- 

 rally is he troublesome. It is the variety that dis- 

 eases him. He grows to be omnivorous. He learns 

 to relish that which nature did not fit him to con- 

 sume, and as a consequence he pays for his bad ha- 

 bits. The dog in extreme cases can digest even bones ; 

 a banquet of tainted flesh will not disorder him ; but 

 he cannot subsist in health on his lady's diet. His 

 stomach was formed to receive and assimilate certain 

 substances, and to deny these is not to be generous or 

 kind. 



Gastritis is very common with ladies* favorites. Its 

 symptoms are well marked. Frequent sickness is the 

 first indication. This is taken little notice of. The 

 mess is cleared up, and the matter is forgotten. Thirst 



