Accidents and Operations. 4 



in cover work, they are usually removed. For my pa 

 I never in any of iny own dogs interfere with them. 



If they are to be removed, it should always be accor 

 plished when the animal is very young ; their excisi( 

 being easily effected with a sharp pair of scissors, fii 

 dividing the skin, and the dew-claw being drawn to 01 

 side before it is detached, in order that the skin may afte 

 wards cover the wound. But if the operation is performs 

 a day or two after birth, these precautions are not nece 

 sary— they can be simply snipped straight off. 



CROPPING. 



Youatt observes :" This is an infliction of too muc 

 torture for the gratification of a nonsensical fancy ; an 

 after all, in the opinion of many, and of those, too, who a: 

 fondest of dogs, the animal looks far better in his natur 

 state than when we have exercised all our cruel art upon hin; 



Blaine, on this subject, wisely remarks : " Nature gai 

 nothing in vain ; some parts being intended for use, ar 

 some for beauty. That must, therefore, be a false tas 

 which has taught us to prefer a curtailed shape to a perfec 

 without gaining any convenience by the operation." 



i^iaij^/^w, however, unfortunately, in this as with mai] 

 other matters relating to the lower animals, steps in an 

 countenances what is to all intents and purposes an act ( 

 wanton cruelty, and until she is overruled we can only rel 

 on those, and I trust there are yet among us many sue! 

 who prefer Nature to a piece of silver gained throug 

 creating an imperfection in her work, to gratify the taste c 

 a whimsical or fashionable Judge. 



It does not appear to have entered into the minds of thes 

 wiseacres, that one great function of the external ear is th 

 protection of the more delicately arranged internal structuri 

 Have they ever observed a long-eared dog enter a rabbil 

 hole } Does he scramble through the sand with his ear 

 full cock } A negative answer should suffice. 



