268 REARING. 
absorption of water in the meal, become converted into about two 
quantities by weight of pudding to one of cooked meat. Even 
this proportion of flesh is a large one for growing dogs which have 
not much exercise, but those which are “at walk” or which have 
their liberty in any situation will bear it. Most people prefer a 
much smaller proportion of meat, especially for hounds, pointers, 
setters, and spaniels, which depend on their nose, this organ being 
supposed to be rendered less delicate by high feeding. From long 
experience in this matter, however, I am satisfied that, while the 
health is maintained in a perfect state, there is no peesaion to fear 
the loss of nose, and that such may be avoided with the above diet 
I am confident from actual practice. At the same. time, it must 
not be forgotten that all dogs so fed require a great supply of 
green vegetables, which should be given once or twice a week 
during the summer, without which they become heated, and throw 
out an eruption as a proof of it, the nose also being hot and dry. 
Green cabbage, turnip-tops, turnips, nettle-tops, or carrots, as well 
as potatoes, may all be given with advantage boiled and mixed 
with the meal and broth, in which way they are much relished. 
Greaves, bought at the chandler’s, and consisting of the refuse 
of the fat melted to make tallow, make a very common article for 
flavouring the meal of sporting dogs of all kinds. Beyond this 
they have little value, but they certainly afford some degree of 
nourishment, and are not altogether to be despised. They are 
boiled in water first till soft, and then mixed with the meal to 
form the stirabout or pudding. With oatmeal they form a good 
food enough for pointers and setters, as they are not so heating 
as flesh. 
The quantity by weight which is required by the growing puppy 
daily of such food as the above is from a twelfth to one-twentieth 
of the weight of its body, varying with the rapidity of growth, 
and a good deal with the breed also. Thus a 12-Ib. dog will take 
from five-eighths of a pound to a pound, and a 36-lb. dog from two 
pounds to three pounds. When they arrive at full growth, more 
than the smaller of these weights is very seldom wanted, and it 
may be taken as the average weight of food of this kind for all 
dogs in tolerably active exercise. 
Spratt’s or other meat biscuits are now in very general use for 
