14 DISKA5ES or DOGS. 



important factors, and unless saoh are to be found, no one can long 

 keep dogs in health. It was commonly thought at one time by 

 those who had the care of dogs, that any odd place in the garden was 

 good enough for a kennel ; but modern teaching has done much to 

 destroy that erroneous impression, and fanciers of to-day are fully 

 alive to the advantages of a good kennel. 



A suitable locality having been decided upon, and the drains 

 made, the form of kennel may next receive consideration. Where a 

 south or south-west wall exists, and it is desirous of erecting a 

 permanent structure, there are no better buildings than the ranges of 

 lean-to kennels and yards made by such firms as Spratts, Boulton 

 and Paul, Barnard, Bishop, and Barnard, and a few others. Such 

 a range is shown at Fig. 4, and may be said to be fairly typical of 

 those sold by the firms named. As will be seen, it consists of thi-ee 

 houses and yards, with a passage along the back. The yards are 

 fitted with iron fencing, and 2ft. of corrugated iron are placed at the 

 sides. The range illustrated (Fig. 4) is for terriers, but such can 

 be built to suit any variety of dog. The floor of such a range should 

 be of some non-absorbent material, and should slope in the direction 

 of the drain, which must be properly trapped. Such a range is well 

 ventilated from the top, warm, and very easily cleaned ; while one 

 of the principal advantages it possesses is that there is no need for 

 a chain and a collar, and thus in the case of a show dog there is no 

 risk of the coat suffering from the constant rubbing. 



Further improvements on the old style of kennel available that 

 may be enumerated are reversible water-troughs, so that they can 

 be fiUed from the outside, and disposed at such a height that they 

 are not likely to be fouled ; and folding day and night sleeping- 

 benches. The top floor of this bench is made to fold up, and thus 

 the bedding material is kept not only neatiir but also cleaner and 

 drier. The lower bench only is occupied during the day. The 

 only objection to these sleeping-benches is that some are made with 

 battens, and the dogs are liable to get their feet between. In the 

 most modern benches, however, the battens are replaced by boards 

 freely perforated. Usually it will be found advantageous to take 

 out the straw on each fine day and expose it to the air and sun, 

 but taking great care that it is never returned to the bench wet. 

 There is, by some kennel-men, an objection raised to the corrugated 

 roofs, on the ground that they are cold in winter and hot in summer. 

 This may be got over by having an inside wooden lining, or by 

 having a thatched roof provided. 



It would be a decided advantage if the owner of such a range oi 

 kennels aa that illustrated, possessed an enclosed field or paddock 



