The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-03-23
WOMAN DOG TRAINER.
How n Bright Yankey Girl 10 Earning
a Good Income.

Good Income.
There is money in small dogs for any
woman who will cultivate the fash
ionable and not too finely bred species,
according to the simplest rules of ca
nine hygiene. This is the opinion of a
girl who has q small dog farm in her
fathers back yard, and is making it
pay. She began three years ago by
rescuing a batch Of fat puppies from a
watery grave, simply through tender
ness Of heart, and, when the orphans
were thrown on her hands, volunteered
to find them homes when they arrived
at months of discretion.
ut was a big bar sinister somewhere
in their pedigree that made them worth
less to their original owner" she ex-
planned when telling about her expert,
ment, but l saw they we're develop
ing into very fair specimens of middle.
class for terrierhood, SO l gave them
the advantages of a decant education.
I don't think their rearing cost me a
cent. Some nice large dry goods boxes
made suitable kennels; I fed them with
milk and kitchen scraps, aid because
out of pure affection for their race /
had them properly locked, collared
and named, and gave them a plain,
solid education in department suitable
for house animals. At the end of three
months 1 didn't give them away. 1
sold every one of the four at $25
apiece to women who were willing to
pay that price for dogs possessed of
good habits, sound digestion, sweet
temper and showing some pretty
tricks like mine.
THAT stroke of luck put ideas into
my head especially when my front
door bell vas besieged by women anx-
ious to buy up any more darling little
beauties like those I had just disposed
Of. I merely increased my row Of dry
goods boxes, picked up here and there
any likely looking puppies l could lay
hands on and find I can sell them, di.
rectly their educations are finished, at
a very large profit on my original in
vestment.
First of all I select for my dogs
capital names, cultivate stout consti-
buttons, sweet, cheerful tempers, car
fully break them to the leash, ~inculcate
perfect health habits, train them to
understand children and strangers and
teach every one a few pretty tricks. OF
course it takes time and patience and
a genuine love of the dog itself to cul-
tivate these excellent habits and va
ried accomplishments, but really the
outlay is small and every dog 1 sell
turns up at his future mistress door
in collar and ribbon neck bow, but all
Of them are not fox terriers.
'I both breed and raise Yorkshire
and Scotch terriers, dinmonts, water
cocker and King Charles spaniels, a
few pugs, an occasional poodle and a
great many dachshunds. These are
what l call the standard small dogs,
easy to raise, readily trained and al
ways in fashion. The big dogs are too
expensive to board, and are not
nearly 80 clear or salable as their
mailer brethren, while the dogs of
purely aristocratic strain and rarities
l never invest in. Now and then l
will take a high, born puppy and raise
and educate him for his owner, and
since my dog experiment is proving 30
profitable I am trying my hands on
cultivsting cats for the same market.
Just now I am testing a litter of
charming Maltese kittens, bringing
them up with my puppies. 1 got the
whole batch for q song, as an ordinary
cat is not sought greatly after these
days, and the average fine Maltese
T6bby or Tommy does not command
at most more than eight or ten dollars.
Still / expect to be repaid for my eff
forts a. training them &c mousers,
gay pets and dainty house compan-
ions, and any woman with a proper
love of animals can do all that I have
done. The capital invested need not
be over $25. Any good veterinary's
book will give her all the technical in
formation wanted, and patience with
personal attention are the other reQui,
sites to success in this interesting little
industry. As to %disposing of the ami
mails when old enough and properly
trained / can only say I never knew the
clever, lovable small dog born into
the world that there was not always