4 The Management and Diseases of the Dog. 



he is placed. For instance, toy-dogs or house-pets not used 

 for sport do not require flesh-meat beyond an occasional 

 bone and meat-gravy ; bread or plain biscuit with milk, 

 oatmeal-porridge, plain rice-pudding, or potatoes and gravy, 

 with green vegetables once or twice a week, form the most 

 suitable diet for this class of dog. 



For those used in sport or kept on the chain, especially 

 the former, flesh-meat used with discretion is suitable. 

 Paunches or mutton are best adapted ; the former should 

 always be thoroughly washed, otherwise worms or their 

 larvs, which are frequently present, are likely to be 

 swallowed, and develop in the dog into large tape-worms 

 (see chapter on " Internal Parasites"); horse-flesh is heat- 

 ing, causes the animal to smell strong, and is a great pro- 

 ducer of worms. Liver cooked is like so much leather — 

 indigestible and innutritions ; and, from its liability to 

 flukes, which in the dog develop into the taeniae proper, is 

 also objectionable raw. Greaves I have observed frequently 

 give rise to diarrhoea, probably from the amount of tallow 

 often retained, and other foreign matters ^as maggot-skins 

 and mineral substances. 



Sheep-heads, trotters, and ox-noses form a highly 

 nutritious and valuable food, especially for invalid dogs ; 

 boiled down^they form a glutinous jelly, of which dogs are 

 particularly fond. Whichever kind of flesh-meat is used, 

 meal should form the basis, and none is better than the 

 coarse Scotch oatmeal. 



Bones are of great value to the Dog. — The dog has a 

 natural fondness for bones, independently of which they 

 are of great value to him. One should always be allowed 

 at least once or twice a week. They assist in cleansing 

 the teeth and aid digestion. The animal's instinct would 

 appear to teach him this ; for however good and savoury 

 the meal may be, if there be a bone in it, he will imme- 

 diately pick it out, strip it of its meat, if there be any, and 

 store it safely away for after-use. It is best, however, to 



