Your Dog and Your Cat 



condition of the dog and is evidence of the care it 

 receives. In certain debilitating diseases the hair 

 becomes coarse, dry, rough, and lusterless. In pup- 

 pies suffering from digestive disturbances, worms, 

 rickets, and distemper, the coat becomes unthrifty. 

 This condition is seen in old dogs affected with 

 malignant tumors, malnutrition, and chronic febrile 

 diseases. In all skin diseases the hair loses its tone 

 and starts to fall out. In healthy animals if the 

 hair is given proper attention it is bright, glossy, 

 soft, and full of tone, but if neglected or improperly 

 cared for, it becomes dull, harsh and brittle. 



Description of the Coats. — ^There are three types 

 of coats, determined by the length of the hair and 

 its texture. These are: (i) The short-haired or 

 smooth-coated dogs, such as the Boston Terrier; 

 (2) the wire-haired, such as the Airedale, and the 

 long-haired, such as the Collie. 



Short-haired Coat. — ^This is made up of short, 

 straight hairs of equal length which lie smoothly 

 on the surface of the skin. In texture it may be 

 either fine or coarse, but never as rough and harsh 

 as the wire hair. The finer and shorter the hair 

 the greater is its gloss. Such a coat requires a 

 minimum amount of care to keep it in shape. Ex- 

 cept where the color is white it does not need 

 frequent bathing because the dirt can be easily re- 

 moved by brushing. This coat does not have to be 

 clipped and the shedding process is short and not 

 especially annoying. The dog's appearance is 



18 



