322 GENERAL TREATMENT. 



cases in which it signally fails to produce any effect what- 

 ever, or where the effect is the reverse of what is desired. 

 Assuming that there is no fault on the part of the operator, 

 that the kindness offered is genuine and judicious, such ex- 

 ceptional cases that resist the power of kindness almost 

 invariably indicate the existence of some kind or degree of 

 moral or mental perversion or defect : the animals in ques- 

 tion are either idiotic, imbecile, or insane. Non-response to 

 the influence of kindness may, no doubt, be attributed to 

 singularities of constitution, moral, mental or physical ; to 

 eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, or individuality ; but it is not 

 the less to be regarded as a morbid and exceptional pheno- 

 menon. 



Man's kindness to domestic or other animals in disease 

 or health, unfortunately, even when his intention is to do 

 good, when benefit is earnestly desired, and he makes every 

 effort thereat in accordance with his preconceptions, is not 

 always judicious, and therefore not always beneficial. 



In the first place, it may be, and is often, overdone : it is 

 injudicious in its excess. For instance 



1. The Arab or military horse may be so much made of 

 that its sense of personal importance leads to the acquisition 

 and display of airs, affectation, pride, or vanity of a kind, or 

 to a degree, that may become troublesome, if not also danger- 

 ous, to man. 



2. The pet dog of the luxurious boudoir is proverbially 

 fractious and ill-natured, while it indulges sometimes also in 

 dangerous, vicious biting. 



3. Even the timid tame hare becomes impudent in 

 attracting its master's notice, in assertion of its supposed 

 claims on his time and attention. Jealousy, exclusiveness, 

 or selfishness are here, as in so many other cases, the result 

 of too much petting, too great indulgence. 



Favouritism of all kinds, shown by man to his domestic 

 pets, is in fact apt to produce the same kinds of evils as in 

 children to evoke jealousy, envy, covetousness to provoke 

 revenge, to wound feeling, to beget peremptoriness in de- 

 mand or command, to produce sulkiness or surliness. 



Over-petting, then, over-indulgence, apparent or intended 



