Selection of the Dog 



orders, as indicated by poor appetite and diarrhea, 

 are very common in caged dogs. Such a condition 

 is difficult to correct and is frequently fatal. The 

 dog should not be accepted if he shows the slightest 

 tendency toward loose bowels. 



Breed Characteristics. — ^The importance of the 

 breeding depends upon the sort of dog desired and 

 the amount of money to be expended. Naturally 

 the scrub dog would show no signs of good breed- 

 ing, and the price must be correspondingly low. 

 In well-bred dogs the value increases in proportion 

 to their fitness as specimens of the type. It is very 

 difficiilt for anyone not acquainted with the prevail- 

 ing market prices of the particular breed to de- 

 termine a fair value of a dog in question. The 

 amateur when paying any considerable amount for 

 his animal would do well to employ some one ac- 

 quainted with the breed to help in the selection. 

 Otherwise it will be necessary for him to make an 

 exhaustive study of the breed from descriptive liter- 

 ature, and by visiting the dog shows. He must 

 obtain a working knowledge of the points of value 

 in the type which he desires, but he must remember 

 that no perfect dog has yet been bred and therefore 

 he will find faults in all. The ability to choose the 

 one in which the faults are of the least consequences 

 will show to what extent he has studied his dog. 



Disposition and Manners. — ^The disposition of 

 the pet dog is a very important characteristic. Ugly, 

 snappy dogs are not desirable around the house. 



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