SPORTSMEN, FARMERS, &C. 6§ 



and water after the day's sport. I have 

 found my error, and am convinced that it 

 is a wrong practice. I never altered my 

 method until three years ago. A game- 

 keeper in Suffolk, seeing that a boy was 

 washing my dogs* feet with strong salt and 

 water, (his name was Cooper,) said to me : 

 " Sir, I think you do wrong to wash your 

 dogs' feet in salt and water, at this early 

 part of the shooting season, (it was the first 

 week in September,) at this time, sir, when 

 the ground is uncommonly dry, and as hard 

 as a rock. If you will feel their feet, you 

 will find there is a considerable degree of 

 feverish heat in the dogs' feet, from hav- 

 ing hunted all daj^ on hard and dry ground. 

 A dog, sir, in such weatl^ter, should have his 

 feet suppled and comforted. As long as 

 the ground is dry and hard, I always wash 

 my dog's feet with warm soap and water, 

 and clean them well, particularly between 

 the toes, and balls of the feet ; this com- 

 forts his feet, allays the heat, and promotes 

 the circulation in the feet. In the more 

 advanced period of the season, when the 

 ground is very wet, then salt and water 



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