Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-18
THE OWNERSHIP OF A DOG.
How to Rear n Healthy Puppy and How
TO MIKE Him Happy.
written for the Dispatch)

(WrlttPn LOT ilt IlSBilNh.'
Hamerton says: II thank Divine Provi-
dence for having invented dogs. and re-
gard that man with wondering pity who
can lead dogless life
There are two sides to owning dog
the dogs duty to his mistress, and the
MISTRESS duty TO her dog. The dogs
mart is. with a few exceptions, faithfully,
generously, nobly done.
But the other side is very dlterent.
Carelessness and cruelty are common, ana
even among people who really love their
dogs there is neglect OF many thlnss,
simple in themselves. that is the cause OF
much needless suffering, and great deal
of cruel kindness
If YOU don't care enough about dog
10 take a little trouble for him. don't
keep one.
If YOU do, then get as good one as you
can afford And get him young. 10 be
sure. il saves trouble to buy fuli-groWn
dog. but he Will not be likely. at least,
for some time TO care for you as much
as one you have trained yourself.
Get the kind of dog that suits your
condition In lie.
Don't shut a st. Bernard, or a grey"
hound. or a wild. Irish setter in little
city plot; don't take up with a silly pug,
II YOU can have n clever terrier.
| say buy the best you can afford. DO
not believe people who talk or the superior
intelligence of mongrels. There are GOOD
mongrels, sometimes. but in choosing a
dog for better. for worse. 1t Is well TO get
one who is a pleasure and pride. He
NAV have the beautiful uginess or the
bulldog. or the elegant beauty of the
setter, perhaps, on the whole, there Is
no dog so beautiful as a good setter; or
the wiry grace of the terrier; but he must
be good of his kind.
Suppose then, that you get a pup about
two months old. You Will probably have
10 nurse him through distemper, but he
will love you all the better for that
/. Food-About this opinions are as va
rious as the people who hold them. one
dog.rnan gives his dogs milk and another
regards milk as rank poison. one Swears
by dog biscuit and another considers them
trash, but the fact remains that many Il
delicate dog keeps we'll OH biscuit who
cannot eat ordinary food, and they are
certainly very convenient.
LIME WATER.
IL YOU give your puppy milk. always
add TO II a spoonful OF lime water. ana
put lime water into all the water that
he drinks. You will soon learn mat
worms are the great curse OF puppy ex-
istence. II you can keep your pup clear
of worms he will have a good chance
for his life. but let them once get hold
Of him, and hard and doubtful will be
the struggle. Lime water in his food is
IL great preventive.
a pup must be fed often, certainly three
times a day, must mot be allowed TO
overeat himself, and should be watched
10 see if his food suits him.
lie must eat no candy, another dog
curse nor sweets OF any kind, nor fats.
He may have a big bone with next TO
nothing on 1t, TO amuse himself and cut
his teeth on. but no small bones that he
can chew up and swallow. He play have
saucer of bread and milk. His bread
should be soaked In water and squeezed
dry. This removes the yeast which Is
injurious. He should have no meat at
present. but he can have a little soup or
gravy on his bread. and dog biscuit.
Food can be prepared in this way: Get
q sleeps liver and broil till tender. take
81 out. and add to the broth enough Indian
meal, Italian polenta is best. tsome use
oatmeal or graham), boil until thoroughly
done. chop the liver fine. and stir in.
When cold ii should be quite stiff. Vege-
tables. beets. or onions. may be added.
Avoid fat like the plague and veal is
very bad. Dogs, like people. have peculiari-
ties. and cannot all be treated alike. A
slice of meat that will make no impress
sion on one. Will cause another to have
fits. And then again. food depends very
largely on the amount Of exercise taken.
We must always have fresh. clean wa
ter at hand.
A PLACE TO LIVE.
This. also, is largely an individual mat
ter. The happiest and healthiest pups are
not reared in satin-lined baskets in hot
rooms' Neither are they subjected TO cold
and exposure. one extreme Is as bad as
the other. A little King Charles needs
more warmth than a little setter. That
true: but II the little setter stays out
in n freezing-cold kennel. his growth Will
be checked. and he viii not be the dog he
might have been.
My dogs kennel was q wooden boy
open at one side. but with a board about
six inches wide nailed across at the bot
tom. plenty OF soft hay inside and a
piece OF carpet hanging from the top
like a curtain. In that he was warm ana
cosy on the coolest night, In a room with
out fire.
II you keep your dog In kennel out