ZTAe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
279 
I’AUT 111. 
DocKiNC Tub Taii.. -At nhout tlio 
fifth or sixth day in the jniiipies' exist¬ 
ence comes the most nnpleasant part oi 
the whole dof? business, excepting perhaps 
jiarting company with a dog to which you 
biive become attached. 'J’hat is the dock¬ 
ing of the tails. Of course, it is a bar¬ 
barous practice, and some day, when we 
become civilized, will not he tolerated, 
still less demanded, but as things are to¬ 
llin' it is really humane for the breeder to 
do it while the pups are young and the 
bone of the tails comparatively soft, and 
the feeling not acute, rather tiian to ship 
the dogs with long tails to be cut off later 
by the purcha.ser, when it will cau.se real 
suffering. As a matter of fact the pups 
feel it very little. Scissors are generally 
used, but the writer prefers a sharp chisel 
and a mallet. Hold the pup firmly -with 
fine hand, the little extended tail over a 
block with the other, and have an a.ssistant 
out off about half the tail with one sharp 
blow. Take the pups one at a time and 
out of the mother’s sight, and give each 
one back to her as the operation is done. 
])on’t bandage or juit anything on the tail 
it will bleed but little, and the mother 
will take care of it. And by the way, it 
is a general rule not to bandage or treat 
in any way minor cuts or wounds on a 
dog. A dog iiractically never gets blood 
)(oisoning, and his own licking of an in¬ 
jury is the best treatment it can receive. 
A really powerful disinfectant is often 
dangerous, too, as it may be poisonous, 
and injure a dog either by his licking it 
directly, or by his scratching and then 
licking the iiaw. lauive minor cuts alone. 
Mbdk’AL Tkkatmk.xt. —It is the usual 
rule to give a young pup a worm remedy 
on general principles when he is weaned. 
I'erhaps this may be good practice, but 
the writer does not do it. and has never 
had a i)article of trouble. Promiscuous 
dosing on general jirinciples is lU'ver to be 
lecommended—it often upsets digestion 
and makes trouble. However, if there 
should be any signs of worms there are 
lots of good proi)rietary renu'dies on tli^t 
market. It is esjieciiilly desirable to 
watch out for this in the case of puppies 
thiit eat voraciously and keej) thin. The 
«ilher gr(*at bane of dog raising, distemper, 
is .something that needs the i)rompt atten¬ 
tion of a first-cla.ss veterinary or human 
)diysician. It is a straight infectious dis¬ 
ease contracted from other dogs or from 
infected quarters, and the best ti’eatment 
for it is an anti-toxin treatment adminis¬ 
tered by h.vpodermic. However, there is 
little risk of this if strange dogs do not 
come on the jdaco, and ordinary care is 
taken of sanitation. 
Coi.on OF Px’lU’lES.—Perhaps before we 
leave the question of ])ups it is well to re¬ 
mind the novice that the Airedale pup 
bears vf'ry little resemblance to the adult 
dog. I'lie pups are almost solid black, 
with a silky sealskin-like coat, and their 
eyes, when first open, are blue. It is not 
at all unusual for purchasers to think 
they have been swindled, and even the 
breeder himself may sometimes suspect a 
bar sinister in the pedigree. The writer 
had an unjdeasant expericuice with one 
customer who at first declined to acceiit 
a pup from the express company on the 
grounds that the pup was not an Aire¬ 
dale but a “hound.” Finally, after much 
writing and telegraphing, he accepted it 
umh'r protest, and after writing a num¬ 
ber of abusive letters. However, after 
five or six months had gone by I had the 
satisfaction of receiving an apology, the 
)iurchaser writin.g that the dog was a 
beauty, and that he was more than satis¬ 
fied. 
Tkaining. —As for training the writer 
has had very little experience. The dogs 
are natural watch dogs and vermin- 
killers, and with simply a little personal 
attention they are ideal companions. The 
greatest factor in training a dog for any 
purpose is the develoiiing of his general 
intelligence, and this is best accomplished 
by keeping him with you just as much 
ns possible both indoors and out. Give 
him your companionship and attention, 
and he will understand you and love you. 
It is best to train them as “one-man 
dogs": let one person do all the feeding, 
training and playing, and don't encourage 
tliem to make friends with strangers. If 
you call a young dog to his meals and then 
feed him yourself he will siwn get into 
the habit of coming whenever he hears 
your voice, and if you tal': V) him and 
give him an occasional ]»at cn (he head ho 
will soon literally dog your footstejis. If 
you want a watch dog don’t scold him for 
barking sometimes when j’ou don't hap¬ 
pen to see just what he is ba>-kii'.g at—re¬ 
member Balaam and his ass. lu house- 
biu'aking don’t expect too much of a v<‘ry 
young pupi)y. The easiest way is to 
bring him into the house only for a little 
while at .a time and then keep your eye on 
him constantly. Then he can be punished 
immediately after his indi.scretion. and he 
soon understands; it does little good to 
punish him an hour or two later. Never 
punish a dog while in a temper, if you 
cannot keep your temper don’t keep dogs. 
.\.nd never cuff a dog over the ears; it 
may cause deafness. As a matter <pf fact 
the Airedale is highly intelligent and .se:i- 
sitive, and practically never needs real 
punishment; a sharp word or a pretense 
at punishment will usually accomidish as 
much as a whipjdng and will not lireak 
l.'s .spirit. 
The Hog’.s Knx'c.VTiox.— As for train¬ 
ing dogs for hunting, sheep-herding, etc., 
the writer has had no experience. If one 
has (he time and the knack, and always 
the patience, it would doubtless be a very 
good investment, for such dogs would un¬ 
doubtedly bring good prices—but who 
could bear to part with a dog after giving 
him this training'? It would be like sell¬ 
ing a child or a friend. I’ersonally, the 
writer believes that in his case, at least, 
where time is limited and there are other 
things to do, if pays better to sell the pups 
as weaned at moderate prices, rather than 
try to turn out a more finished and edu- 
(■at('d product at a higher price. There i.s 
a pretty steady and active demand, ami 
to move pups quickly it is policy in our 
case to sell at compabatively low prices, 
usually ,$10 and .$15, but we have some¬ 
times let females go as low as $5, and 
Sometimes prices run up to .$50. A con¬ 
siderable number of sales arc effected 
through former customers and their 
friends, but when these do not take care 
of the business resort is had to advertis¬ 
ing in either the local paipers or The R, 
N’-Y. From time to time experiments 
have been tried in advertising in journals 
supposed to reach a class of jteople of 
large means, but generally with unsatis¬ 
factory results. Terms are always cash 
in advance, and the pups are shii>ped 
(■'.•atc'd by exprt'ss. We always give a pup 
a royal bamiuet before ho starts on his 
journey, and unless he is to be on the road 
for some time we make no provisions for 
r('eding or watering en route In the case 
of long distance shipment.s, as a shipnnuit 
made a week or so ago from Albany to 
Florida, we build the crate with a hinged 
slat that can be readily opened, pnt a 
collar on the dog so he can be easily held, 
and enclosed in the cx’ate a 'water-pan and 
some feed, marking on the crate a request 
to fet'd and water. So far we have never 
had the least troxible in shipping, and the 
dogs appear to be uniformly well careu 
for and treated. If shipping in hot 
weather make the crate pretty open to 
give lots of ventilation ; in cold weather if 
is well to build the crate to give more pro¬ 
tection, and remember that the law as 
well as humanit.v makes it obligatory fur 
the crate to be high enough for the dog to 
stand erect in it. 
New York. oii.bekt m. tucker, .jr. 
An Airedale’s Feat 
One morning in Sei)t.omber as I led my 
two .Terseys to the back field some dis¬ 
tance from the house, my Airedale that 
accompanied me, flushed a flock of phea.s- 
iints, most of which were yomxg and of 
.•ibout the size of pigeons, I tied the 
cows in the clover and started for home 
without giving more thought to the birds, 
when my dog surprised me by appearing 
at my side with a young pheasant in her 
mouth. She had surprised the bird be¬ 
fore it had time to leave the grmind <ir 
had been agile enough to .si'ize it in the 
air as it started to fly. As I spoke to 
her she dropped the bird at my feet. I 
couldn't scold her, although .she ha<l 
broken the laws of the State that protect 
phea.sant.s. Of course this feat might be 
dune by a dog of some other breed prob¬ 
ably it has been—but it was (piite iin 
exhibition of agility and should euiint une 
for the Airedales. w. ir. iiu.SE. 
Not a ‘‘bargain sale,” but the most remarkable offer ever made by 
any reliable manufacturer of Poultry and Stock Regulators and Remedies. 
We are making it no-w—at tremendous cost to ourselves—in order to give you positive, 
practical proof of the real merit of our goods. 
We want you to give Pratts Preparations a rigid, working test, right on your own farm with 
your own poultry and live stock. Thus we can prove to you, finally and conclusively, 
that it will pay YOU to use them regularly. If we did not have full confidence in our 
preparations, did not know that they would give satisfactory results IN YOUR HANDS, we 
would not dare make this offer. 
Run a comparative test if possible. Handle some fowls and stock the Pratt way—the rest 
in the same manner as before. Then note the difference in results. When you see that 
your fowls and live stock are healthier and more vigorous, do better work, are moie pro¬ 
ductive, pay bigger profits when you use 
Pratts Standard Preparations 
For Poultry and Live Stock 
you will be convinced because you will have the evidence right before you. The results 
of the test will carry conviction better than all the arguments or promises we might 
present. If you really wish to know how to increase your profits, just try this plan now. 
Take the signed coupon and 50c to any Pratt dealer —there is one near you—and he will 
give you your, choice of either assortment of Pratts Preparations as stated in the coupon. 
Each assortment has a retail value of $1.85, but now costs you but 50c. We stand the 
greater part of the cost, since we credit the dealer with $1.35 for each coupon returned to us. 
This Oifer Good Only During February 1917 
and each household is entitled to use but one coupon. Good only in the United States and Canada. 
The sroods you will receive are standard packages taken directly from the dealer’s stock. 
We have been in business nearly fifty years and have never before made such an offer. 
'»■ It may never be made again. Your big opportunity is NOW!^ See your dealer at once. 
PRATT FOOD COMPANY, Philadelphia Chicago Los Angeles Toronto 
America’s Pioneer Manufacturers of Guaranteed Poultry and Stock Regulators and Remedies 
THIS 
COUPON 
IS WORTH 
Assortment No. 1 
Poultry Regulator 50c 
Disinfectant 35c 
Powdered Lice Killer ' 50c 
Roup Remedy 25c 
"White Diarrhea Remedy 25c 
YOU 
Total retail value $1.85 
Assortment No. 2 
Animal Regulator 50c 
Poultry Regulator 50c | 
Disinfectant 35c ! 
Powdered Lice Killer 25c 
Roup Remedy 25c I 
Tota" retail value $1.85 j 
To Any Dealer in Pratt Food Co. Products— 49 
This is your authority to deliver to bearer, upon receipt of this coupon 
properly signed and 50c in cash, Pratts Preparations—either assortment 
No. 1 or No. 2 as listed herewith—to the value of $1.85. This offer is good only 
during February, 1917, and but one assortment is to be furnished each house¬ 
hold. Forward the signed coupon to our Philadelphia office and wc will 
credit you $1.35, Good only in the United States and Canada. 
Assortment No. 
Buyer’s Name_ 
Goods received (dale). 
Address. 
NOTE: Pratts Preparations are put up in packages of ■ 
many different sizes. The larger are more economical. { 
The “best buy’’ in Poultry and Animal Regulators is 25 lb. 1 
pails or lOO lb. bags. j 
: 
Dealer’s Name. 
Address. 
