Part 6

Some dogs take kindly to instruction in this regard, others rebel against it. Put a collar on the dog several days before you intend breaking it to chain. Try conscientiously the coaxing process _first_; if it fails, then nothing remains but to drag the dog along till from fear of choking it is forced to follow. Once having undertaken it, _don’t stop till you have accomplished your object_. This treatment should not in stubborn cases last over half an hour, though sometimes heavy and headstrong dogs may require two hours. In the majority of cases after half an hour’s teaching the dog will lead “steady by jerks,” and in a couple of days will become used to the chain. If, however, after a week’s experience it tugs and pulls on the lead, use a slip-noose collar, which tightens as the strain grows greater. Choking off its wind when it pulls hard, it will soon grow weary and act rationally. Should this treatment still prove inefficient, some people resort to the spike collar, which, however, should be used only _with the greatest judgment_. _No_ one ever treated his dogs more kindly than I, yet, though I never had a dog upon which it became necessary to use a spike collar, still, perhaps I _would_ have used one rather than have my shoulder pulled out of its socket by a dog which I took out for companionship. I would use it only as a _last resort_, and then with the utmost caution.

FEEDING.

The dog in its wild state is nearly, if not wholly, carnivorous, but when domesticated becomes omnivorous and therefore thrives best on a mixed diet of bread, meat, and vegetables. Excepting when training or hunting your dogs, a purely meat diet is not desirable any more than it would be for a human being. While its stomach has the power to digest bones, gristle, etc., through the excessive secretions of gastric juices, still it is very easily deranged, and when so affected it may take days for it to resume its normal state; hence expel the thought that any kind of food is “good enough for a dog.”

Avoid giving very much corn-meal, as it is too heating and is not possessed of much strength-giving qualities. Let the diet, whether it is for a St. Bernard or a fox-terrier, be a mixture of meat (boiled tripe and mutton are excellent) cooked till it is in shreds, oatmeal, barley, rice, carrots, bread, potatoes, cabbage, or any other vegetable added so as to make the whole thick, and rendered palatable by a goodly supply of salt. Avoid giving chop, steak, or fowl bones, as they are apt to splinter, and, lodging in the intestines, very frequently cause death. Give plentifully of large, soft bones (such as knuckles), which are easily chewed, as they act as a sort of tooth-brush, and aid digestion greatly. Scraps of all sorts from the table tend _best_ to preserve the dog’s health.

For toy dogs well-cooked rice, finely chopped boiled tripe, _warm_ milk, and _lean_ meat scraps from the table, mixed with vegetables, should form the common diet. As these dogs are very light eaters, they may be fed three times a day, care being exercised that they do not overload their stomachs at any time.

Sweets of all kinds are objectionable. Unlike the human stomach, the dog’s needs much rest; so in the morning feed “just a crumb” and at night let it eat all it desires. A little flour of sulphur or powdered magnesia (a quarter-teaspoonful) now and again will do no harm. Constant and free access to _fresh, clean_ water _must_ not be neglected. As soon as the dog has eaten all it desires, take the uneaten food away, and do not let it remain to be nibbled at during the day or night.

Boiled liver is an admirable alterative, and one good meal of it should be fed _at least once a week_. If you find your dog has no appetite, don’t try to coax or force it, but cease to offer it any food whatever for at least twenty-four hours. A fast of forty-eight hours _will do it no harm_ in such cases, and total abstinence often wards off sickness. Should it be disposed to eat grass or horse-droppings, don’t try to prevent it, as both are nature’s mild remedy for a disordered stomach. In short, feed your dog as you would a human being, and the result will be satisfactory. The feeding of meat does not in any way affect the scenting powers of a dog, nor does it produce worms, distemper, or kindred diseases, as so often stated. Having used the foregoing diet both at home, with my favorite dog, and at my kennels, where I have had as many as ninety at one time, my experience with it for twenty years convinces me that it cannot be improved upon, whether used for a single dog or an entire pack.

Puppies from time of weaning up to six months of age should be fed _four_ times daily, from six to nine months three times, and after that age feed same as grown dogs; they too thrive best on diet as already described. Fresh raw minced meat is good, especially for puppies; it strengthens them and tones the stomach. Give freely of fresh milk and buttermilk, especially the latter, as it keeps the stomach sweet.

When puppies are about three weeks old they should be taught to lap scalded milk (sweetened a little) by gently putting their noses into it. They will instinctively lick it off, and after a few lessons will soon lap eagerly. This is always a great relief to a nursing mother, especially where the pups are vigorous or the litter large. A little bread or rice added when they are about four weeks old will do them a vast deal of good. Remember always, if you want strong, healthy dogs, that as puppies they should be fed nutritious food.

Bitches in whelp and while nursing pups should be fed on a soft or mushy diet, such as soups, porridge, etc., as it produces more and better milk, and often prevents fevers.

If you accompany your dogs to a show, and they are not accustomed to the usual food given there, it is always best to give them scraps from a neighboring restaurant, as some dog-biscuits cause excessive purging. There, too, they frequently become very nervous, lose their appetites, and often take cold, resulting in fevers; so it is not a bad scheme during a show to give your setters, for instance, one grain powdered quinine twice a day (smaller or larger dogs in proportion) during the entire show and for some days after it is over. It has been tried with most beneficial results.

VALUE OF EXERCISE.

All dogs, whether large or small, should have exercise, and plenty of it, in order to aid digestion, keep the heart and lungs in good action, and thereby insure a good appetite. Puppies, as is natural to them, take plenty of exercise; but it is when they are grown up that care should be taken that they do not become sluggish and so pave the way to obesity, which tends to affect the coat, digestion, and general appearance. The small varieties will generally of themselves keep “on the go,” but mastiffs, setters, and such other large dogs are not always disposed to move about much of their own free will; hence make them the companions of your walks. It is twofold in its good results: it makes you understand each other better, and does the dog no end of good. Bitches in whelp should have plenty of gentle exercise.

WASHING AND GROOMING.

Do not wash your dogs too often, as it removes the natural oil and consequently the gloss, which is so much desired. Careful and _daily_ brushing with a dandy-brush, followed by a rubbing down with mittens made of chamois leather, will keep a dog’s coat in wonderfully fine condition and _for a long while_. The hound gloves are found to be of great value with smooth-coated dogs, such as Great Danes, pointers, bull-terriers, etc. In the long-haired classes use a brush with one-and-a-half-inch bristles, and a comb with teeth very short and wide apart, not unlike a barber’s comb. When washing, best results are attained with _pure_ Castile soap, and after rinsing off the dog then using the _imported_ German green soft soap. The latter seems to restore the gloss, is better than using eggs, and does not leave the hair so dry. _Don’t_ wash your dog within two hours after feeding, and when you do it, _do it as quickly as possible_, using _lukewarm_ water. Exercise the dog freely _after_ it has been well dried. Towels made of salt-sacks are the best for drying purposes.

Great care should be taken in washing Yorkshires and toy spaniels, as, their coats being soft, they hold the dampness even after they appear to be thoroughly dry. The best and safest mode is as follows: Place the dog in a little foot-tub of lukewarm water deep enough to reach to its elbows, and cover the body with soap-_suds_, _never_ putting the soap on the coat. With a soft hair-brush of long bristles brush the hair with the suds, always brushing from the center _downward_, thus reaching all parts of the body, _including the head_. When the dog is cleaned gently force all the suds and water out by smoothing the hair as instructed in brushing, then lift it into another tub of clean lukewarm water and with a soft sponge rinse well. Stand the dog on a table, envelop the body in a soft towel or cloth, and gently press the hands over it until the water and moisture are all absorbed by the cloth. _Never_ ruffle or rub the hair; simply smooth it.

Now with a comb of short and widely separated teeth comb out the hair, and with about three brushes, always kept dry by being laid before the fire, brush the hair till it is perfectly dry. Then lay the dog before the fire, where it will be _very_ warm, thus insuring it from catching cold. Such prominent breeders as Senn, Burkhardt, _et al._, dry their dogs in an oven made especially for the purpose.

After the dog is thoroughly dried, brush it, let it run about the house for an hour or so, and then let it rest on a _linen_-covered cushion, which is far better than velvet or plush, as the coat does not adhere to it. A very little fine oil in the palm of the hand rubbed over the coat will generally restore the gloss after washing.

FLEAS.

The bane of a dog’s existence is fleas. They are especially troublesome to puppies, worrying them till they become fretful, causing them to irritate the skin and tear their coats through scratching, seeking relief from itching. In addition, where fleas are particularly numerous on a dog they will often so affect it that its appetite is impaired and its digestive organs affected by worriment.

Carbolic soaps will kill these pests, also destroy the hair if constantly used; therefore the greatest permanent relief is found in using a powder. The best results can be attained by taking the dog into the yard or street, dusting it thoroughly with P. D. Q. Compound Powder, rubbing it well into the skin, when both fleas and nits will cease to exist. It is not injurious either to the dog or its hair, and if used on furniture or carpets will prove equally efficacious.

KENNELING.

If you desire to kennel your dog out of doors, _remember always_ that it can stand almost any amount of cold, _provided_ its kennel is _clean_ and _dry_ and elevated about six inches above the ground. The elevation allows a free circulation of air and prevents the bottom of the kennel from getting damp and remaining so. The boards should be tongued and grooved so as to shut out all drafts. Provided always with clean, dry straw, the dog will thrive. Foul and damp bedding produces mange, rickets, distemper, rheumatism, etc. If possible avoid keeping the dog on chain, as it frets and irritates it and is very apt to sour its disposition.

PREPARING A DOG FOR EXHIBITION.

To show a dog “for all there is in him,” its coat should be in perfect condition, free from all dead hair, and in the form as called for in the standard pertaining to its special breed. The body should be round, the ribs well covered; and in sporting and large specimens the muscles should be well developed and hard. Where two exhibits about equal in points of conformation come together in the judging ring, the one shown in the best “condition” will receive the blue ribbon. Grooming in the smaller breeds is generally “nine points” toward conditioning.

TREATMENT OF THE DOG IN SICKNESS.

In sickness the patient should _always_ receive the very kindest treatment and be spoken to very gently. Rough or harsh handling is peculiarly hurtful where affections are of a nervous character.

When exhaustion is very great, and the patient absolutely refuses to eat, soft, nutritious food should be forced down the throat by first placing it in the mouth, then closing the jaws gently yet firmly, and softly rubbing the windpipe with the hand, thus causing the patient to swallow. Strange to relate, almost any sick dog will eagerly eat meat which has been masticated by its attendant. Warmth and perfect quiet are great factors of a complete and early recovery.

When convalescent the patient should have soft, nourishing food (beef-tea and rice, etc.), and whenever meat is given it should be hashed or cut as fine as possible.

A little port-wine can _always_ be given in this description of food with beneficial results. Food should be administered in small quantities and at short intervals.

BRUISES, SPRAINS, ETC.

Spirits of turpentine ” hartshorn Laudanum Rape-oil

Mix equal parts of above, forming a liniment, and anoint parts affected. Where an abrasion exists, touch it with friars’ balsam, and rub liniment _around_ the broken skin, _not on_ it.

BURNS.

Use equal parts of linseed-oil and lime-water, applying it freely and as soon after the accident as possible.

CANKER OF THE EAR.

Internal canker is an inflammation of the lining membrane of the passage to the ear, accompanied sometimes with suppuration, and when of long standing has a most offensive-smelling discharge. A mangy affection of the ear is often confounded with, or supposed to be, an external canker.

SYMPTOMS.—The ear is very red, inflamed, and heated. The dog continually scratches it, shaking the head as if to remove something from it. After syringing the ear well with warm water and Castile soap, use the following remedy twice daily, holding the dog’s head sidewise on the lap and gently pouring a little into the ear.

Goulard’s extract of lead ½ oz. Glycerin and carbolic acid ⅛ ” Olive-oil 2¼ ”

Shake the bottle well before using. Relief should follow almost immediately.

COLDS.

SYMPTOMS.—Chilliness, shivering, languor, dry, hot nose, accompanied by a thin discharge from the nose.

If the patient is not attended to _at once_ the complaint may lead to distemper and fevers.

Use Fever Mixture, and keep patient warm.

COLIC AND INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS.

To discover the difference between colic and inflammation of the bowels, press the hand along the belly, and if the movement gives relief, the probable trouble is colic. If pain attends the pressure, it is probably inflammation. In these two cases, my advice is to consult a veterinarian _at once_. The symptoms of both affections are evidenced by the dog standing with arched back and feet drawn toward one another, or crouching with belly on the ground. Inflammation is generally of slower development than colic.

When a dog is affected with colic it is often shown when it is apparently in the best of health and eating well; it is seized with spasms, causing it to moan and howl. The causes are about identical with inflammation of the bowels.

As soon as convinced that colic is the cause of the trouble, give _at once_, to a dog of, say, 25 pounds, _not_ quite a teaspoonful of the following in three tablespoonfuls of milk or gruel: compound spirits of sulphuric ether (Hoffman’s anodyne) and tincture of opium, _equal parts_. If relief does not immediately ensue, repeat the dose in half an hour.

After permanent relief, give Purgative Mixture, once a day for three days. (See Inflammation of the Bowels.)

COUGHS.

Cough is a symptom of disease rather than a disease in itself, and arises from different causes, differing in character as do the diseases which it precedes, viz.: in the common cold the cough is slight and humid; in bronchitis, hard, dry, and frequent; in inflammation of the lungs and pleurisy, short and suppressed, accompanied with great pain; in asthma, hard and wheezy, followed by vomiting; in distemper, husky and hollow.

For the common cold or cough use either Cough Remedy No. 1 or No. 2. The first is especially good for affections of the respiratory organs.

COUGH REMEDY NO. 1.

Powdered ipecacuanha 6 grains ” opium 6 ” Compound squill pill 24 ” Powdered gum ammoniacum 24 ” ” licorice 24 ” ” rhubarb 12 ”

Make into 24 pills. Dose for 25-pound dog, one pill night and morning.

COUGH REMEDY NO. 2.

Elixir paregoric ½ oz. Syrup of squills 1½ ”

Give 1 teaspoonful for dog of 25 pounds every six hours.

CUTS, WOUNDS, ETC.

As soon as the cut stops bleeding, which is accomplished either by holding the parts together with the fingers or by use of a lint bandage, wash the wound thoroughly with warm water so as to remove all foreign substances. Then apply with a soft brush a dressing of friars’ balsam, which will form a sort of crust over the wound, keeping out dust, dirt, etc., and allowing the wound to heal quickly.

The sewing up of a wound is a very easy affair. Pass the needle through the skin on one side of the wound from the _outside_ inward, and through the corresponding part on the opposite side from the _inside_ outward. Draw the lips of the wound together gently, and tying the silk thread in a strong knot, cut off ends close, so that the dog cannot bite them. Each stitch must be tied _separately_, and should be about half an inch apart. If possible the dog should be muzzled, not only during the operation, but for several days afterward. The wound should be constantly washed with the following:

Carbolic acid ½ oz. Glycerin 2 ” Water 32 ”

In bandaging a wound, saturate the cloth with a mixture of equal parts of camphorated oil and friars’ balsam.

DIARRHEA MIXTURE.

Powdered chalk 3 drams Aromatic confection (powder) 2 ” Powdered gum acacia 1 dram Tinct. opium 1 oz. Oil cassia 8 drops Tinct. catechu 3 drams Sp. sal volatile 2 ” Water sufficient to make 8 oz.

Dose for a young puppy of the _small_ breeds, ½ teaspoonful; 1 teaspoonful for puppies of the _large_ breeds, and 1 to 2 tablespoonfuls for grown dogs, according to size of the breed. Repeat every three or four hours till relief is obtained or till purging ceases.

DISTEMPER.

There are three kinds of distemper, viz., of the head, of the lungs, and of the bowels. Good nursing is nine points out of ten for conquering this fell disease.

SYMPTOMS.—Mucous discharge from eyes or nose, or both, dry, hacking cough, general lassitude, diarrhea of very offensive odor.

_Do not try to treat the patient_, for, unless you are an M.D. or have had a long experience with the disease, you will probably make a sorry mess of it. Until a veterinarian arrives, keep the patient quiet, warm, out of all draft, feeding only beef-tea with brandy added. Do not give solid food under any circumstances. Bear always in mind that this disease is most contagious, and, to prevent it from spreading, the patient should be quarantined from all other dogs, the farther off the better.

Dr. T. G. Sherwood, a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgery, 127 West Thirty-seventh Street, New York, inoculated four of the author’s dogs, and the result was satisfactory beyond all expectation, as other dogs not so treated quickly succumbed to the disease.

As distemper is about equivalent to pneumonia or inflammation of the lungs in human beings, the reader will readily understand how useless it would be for a layman to try to treat these diseases.

FEVER MIXTURE.

Powdered nitre 1 dram Sweet sp. nitre ½ oz. Mindererus spirits 1½ ” Wine antimony 1 dram Water (distilled) 4 oz.

Dose for 25-pound dog, 1 tablespoonful every four hours in a little gruel.

INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS.

The main causes of this affection are irregular, improper, or stale diet, irritation caused by some hard, indigestible substance in the stomach, exposure to cold or wet, and a blow, such as a kick.

SYMPTOMS.—Feverishness, nose hot and dry, shivering, distended belly, and scanty or highly colored urine. As this sickness needs scientific treatment, call in a veterinarian _at once_. If, however, you desire to try to relieve the dog awaiting his advent, proceed at once to give injections of thin oatmeal gruel or soap and lukewarm water, each containing about one ounce of castor-oil. Continue these injections every fifteen minutes till relief is given. The utmost gentleness must be used in this procedure, the patient being coaxed to rest on its side while the injections are being administered.

In order to prevent a recurrence of the trouble, give the Mild Purgative No. 1, and after the danger is past, then Tonic Pills No. 1. (See Colic.)

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER.

Use Fever Mixture, preceded by Mild Purgative No. 1.

LOTION FOR EYES.

Extract belladonna ½ dram Rose-water 4 oz. Wine opium 2 drams

℞ and use as a lotion.

In affections of long standing use:

Sulphite of zinc 12 grains Tinct. belladonna 1 dram Wine opium 2 drams Rose-water 4 oz.

℞ and use as a lotion.

LOTION FOR SORE FEET.

Tinct. arnica ½ oz. ” matico ½ ” ” opium 1 ” Acetic acid ½ ”

Mix with 1 quart distilled water and apply freely.

Where inflammation is very great and the feet are swollen, first apply a poultice of bran and boiled turnips, equal parts.

MANGE.

Mange as applied to animals is the same as itch in human beings, being beyond question caused by a parasite burrowing into the skin, resulting in the falling out of the hair, and sometimes in an exudation of an offensive-smelling pus, itching to such a degree that the patient scratches continuously.

There are two varieties of mange, viz., sarcoptic and follicular, both of which are contagious to animals, though very rarely to human beings. The first variety shows itself in little red spots, which exude a sort of pus, and these will spread over the entire body unless checked. Follicular mange is less irritating than the sarcoptic, but gives off a very offensive pus. This variety is generally very stubborn before yielding to treatment.

Provided the affected parts are not raw, rub well into the skin (twice daily) for three days a lotion of equal parts of benzine and sweet-oil. This will destroy the parasites. Then for a week apply daily the following, rubbing it well into the skin:

Milk sulphur ½ oz. Antimony ½ ” Whale-oil ½ pint

Purgative Mixture (Mild) should be given twice a week for at least three weeks.