86 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



content to teach a dog obedience, but by patience and 

 perseverance to develop to its utmost the natural in- 

 telligence of the animal. His experience in course of 

 time will tell him that some of his protege's will not be 

 capable of attaining a high level, but he will meet with 

 others which respond to all his care, and in developing 

 whose good qualities the trainer will feel that he has 

 had a well-merited return apart from the many encom- 

 iums bestowed by his confreres. 



The More Common Ailments of Dogs 



We have not space to treat this subject as fully as 

 its importance would justify, but probably if we mention 

 the more common ailments met with in the dog, and 

 capable of being intelligently treated by the average 

 gamekeeper, our purpose will best be served. In this 

 category we include such diseases as Distemper, 

 Dyspepsia, Rickets, Chorea or St. Vitus' Dance, Fits, 

 Paralysis, Mange, Disorders of Kidneys, Heart 

 Disease, Dropsy, Congestion of Brain, Constipation, 

 Diarrhoea, etc. 



It may be more convenient at this period to give 

 some remarks on the ailments of puppyhood, which, 

 as a rule, are simple and not numerous. Many a good 

 puppy is lost from want of a little care. Occasionally 

 it happens that a puppy is born "tongue-tacked," and 

 unable to suck properly, which is only remedied by a 

 " snip " with sharp scissors. The writer also has known 

 a whole litter lost within a week of birth owing to the 



