The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-03-17
IN A DOG NURSERY.
A QUEER BUT THRIVING eUSl-
NESS IN CHICAGO.
How CANNES are Cared for While
Their Owners Go Shoppins--
Treatment for the ILL., Baths and
Manicure

Day nurseries for dogs are recent
innovations. They were wholly un-
known until fashion prescribed pugs
and poodles for street companions
and parlor ornamentation. Over a
dingy basement door on Wabash ave-
nue. near Hubbard Court there is the
single word Dogs" 1t is l.. +.
Whitman's dog nursery. Every
pleasant morning carriages drive
down the avenue and stop at the
door. From each an elegantly dressed
lady alights with dog in her arms.
Sometimes IL is dressed in the height
of fashion, with blue-and-gold
blanket and bells, and sometimes it
wears only silver collar. The lady
trips down the steps and deposits her
pet in one of the little wire cages
which occupy one side OF the room.
Mrs Whitman locks il i'm and prom
ises four or five times that il will be
well treated. When the lady has bid
the poodle an affectionate farewell
she goes on downtown TO do her
shopping. No checks are given out,
because Mrs. Whitman has such a
remarkable memory for dogs faces
that she can tell instantly il she has
ever seen il before or known it's
owner. The wrinkles i'm pug's nose
are to her as much distinguishing
feature as is the color Of eyes in men
or women.
When the lady drives back Mrs.
Whitman has Fido all ready to bark
his mistress glad salutation and
sniff in her pockets for the chocolates
which she has almost certainly
bought for her pet. There are many
women who could as well leave Fido
at home, but they dislike being sep
arated from him SO long, or else they
fear that he will get into draught
and catch cold, so they bring him
down TO the day nursery, where he is
certain Of good care.
Big dogs are also brought to the
nursery every day, many by young
sporting men, and on busy day the
little room presents lively appear
ance. There are big dogs, little
dogs and medium-sized dogs, black
dogs and yellow dogs and dogs Of no
particular color. They are all we'll
bred animals, and each one of them
insists on making it known by an ex-
hibition of his best vocal efforts.
Every one OF the little wire cages oc-
cupied by the ladies dogs is neatly
lined with brussels carpet and fitted
up to suit the tastes OF the most fas-
tidious Of the canine species. The
big dogs have comfortable quarters
under the window The walls Of the
room are covered with pictures OF fa-
nous dogs, and there is a magnifi-
Gently mounted st. Bernard in one
window. Dog medicines and dog
foods occuy the shelves on one side,
and collars, blankets and the medals
of many IA bygone exhibition are
strewn everywhere. 1t is a veritable
dog paradise.
Mr.. Whitman is dog physician.
He does nothing but treat canine dis
eases, and ne is well paid for it, too.
Dogs are brought TO him with almost
every conceivable disease, and he has
his little bottle OF medicine for every
one. He says that dogs have TO be
treated just like men, only good
deal better. Indigestion and grip
are the most prevalent troubles. A
lady brought her pug to the nursery
yesterday. His head Topped discon-
solately to one side, and the lady $
eyes were full Of tears. She thought
Fido would die. Mr.. Whitman was
not slow i'm diagnosing the case.
ItTon ,,,t,oh ,,ia - ba cold
The lady went away, and when she
returns at the end OF week Fido will
have been dieted and tonicked until
he is as gay as ever.
Then there are hives, mango and
all sorts Of fever. Mr.. Whitman lays
his two fingers on the dogs nose and
looks at its eyes and tells promptly
what the matter is. He says he has
treated dogs for nearly every human
ailment but corns.
They ought 10 be doctOred," he
says, just as much as men, because
they can't tell us how they are suf-
fering. 4 dog knows as much as
good many men, anyway. ! think
they d all be talking before now il
they wern't afraid they'd be put to
work. -
The nursery is also a hair-cutting
and manicuring establishment, and
Mrs. Whitman has complete dog
bath house i'm the rear Of the nursery.
The ladies' pugs don't run around
much, and their claws grow so long
that they scratch themselves, and
Mrs Whitman has TO trim and polish
them of. IT is "A neat job and re-
quires no little skill. The poodles
are clipped as regularly az man gets
his hair cut The dog is set up on a
high stool. which serves as a barber :
chair, and his shaggy hair is trimmed
away. He usually enjoys it first
rate. After the job is finished he is
treated to a genuine shampoo and he
comes out feeling like a new dog.
Some ladies have their poodles treated
TO a bath every week, and IL costs ex-
actly the same as a bath for a man.