CHAPTER II 
Tue Doc 1n THE House 
Of any beast none 1s more faithful found, 
Nor yields more pastime in house, plain, or woods, 
Nor helps his master’s person, or his goods, 
With greater care than doth the dog or hound.—Mo te. 
IN selecting a dog for the house there is ample scope for 
choice according to the conditions under which the animal 
can be kept. The first consideration for an owner is as 
to what accommodation he can give his dog, for there is a 
——————} vast difference between a city flat or home, and a country- 
house, where unlimited liberty can be given the pet of the household. For 
a city dog give preference to something of moderate size, even the smaller 
toy dogs, though setters or pointers do very well, if fancy runs in that direc- 
tion. Anything large, such as a St. Bernard, mastiff, great Dane, or the 
heavily coated dogs, had better be left out of the question, unless fancy is 
imperative for one of those breeds. ‘Terriers are good for the house, pro- 
vided moderation in feeding is exercised, for they are apt to eat too much, 
and a fat-laden terrier is an eyesore to any person who likes to see a dog as 
he should be in the way of condition. 
Heavily coated dogs are better avoided for the reason that the process 
of the annual shedding of coat is a prolonged one, and it is impossible to 
prevent the falling coat from attaching itself to carpets, rugs, or anything 
upon which the dog lies. Still another reason is, that during this long 
process of shedding and then awaiting the coming of the full coat the dog 
does not look his best, and a house-dog should, like its owner, be fit to be 
seen by company at all seasonable hours. 
Having decided upon the dog that is most satisfactory to please indi- 
vidual fancy and the accommodations of the home, the next question is, 
what to do for the animal when it arrives. If the dog is to be the property 
of any member of the family in particular, it is well to allow that one to 
attend solely to the unpacking or receiving the newcomer. Dogs are, as a 
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