The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-05-10
DTY0UR CHILDREN
By Olive Robsrss esrsen
sl5ly lz lIfz LINK, nz

one of the children In the fam. fly was bitten by q dog not Iong
 |, who have championed dogs always, have not changed my views about their safety or desirability as pets, as almost everyone thought would after the catastrophe.
 But 1t may be wise to talk dogs at this season of tho year and talto n sensible and serious view of the situation, and consider all the why's and wherefores of risk.
 Tn the first place, there are dogs and dogs. Each variety orsbrecd is produced for certain need. Breed- CTS can do anything to change physical characteristics of dogs. from pointing their noses to short ening their legs. When Sootties ran too much to torso and short legs, and found their poor little bellies scraplng the ground, the kennel masters went into huddle and said: "We must put an inch or so on their legs" So they did. 1 have no doubt that if dachshunds were bought by the yard we would have them looking like one of the new trains, of reptilian proportions, and with no resemblance to the canine species at all.
 Picking the Breed
 In other words, anything can be done to change physical character. istics of dog.
 And almost anything can be done to direct mental characteristics, too. Some dogs arc suitable for hunting, others for police duty xA Atknea fAR A0fa WhaRa special training schools that devel- op those inbred characteristics to an amazing degree; dogs to load the blind, dogs for herding, dogs to show of In clrcuses. There Is no limit.
 The mistake many parents make in choosing dogs for pets Is in se- iecting breeds.
 Hunting dogs, field dogs, watch dogs, ali need room to run. They do not understand mauling by chil- dren. They cannot bo coopod up in q house, or tied on q trolley in tho yard, or fonced In on a tw0- by-four lot. AS a rule, too, such dogs have peculiar trait of look ing to one muster for orders. How natural this Is. If he wore trained to take orders from others, ho H any mans dog.
 TO him thnt he acknowledges as master he will be faithful unto death, but to others, beware.
 Many fathers buy such dogs from preference and then expect them to adapt themselves to the domestic environment absolutely foreign to their dispositions. It cannot Do dono. Usually something happens.
 What Pet Go Choose?
 Whore there are children, n pct should be chosen for his guitnbil- ity. There are many breeds who thrive on family life. These arc tho ones I should choose as pets for tho youngsters,
 A monRreI would have to provo his dosirabllIty ns a mixer before I would give him house room with the baby, or indeed any child. ilko dogs, but like children bet. tor. We cannot afford to take risks.
 Children must learn 10 treat animals kindly. Half the accidents that happen are due to mistrent- mont or neglect. When n dog bites or snarls it is often morely do. .en"e' H ""ppyt Hoih", uobp Wou fod and waterod and kept clean, won't bite--unless, ns l say, he is n complete misfit to his surround. ings, or Is abused.
 I think children noed pots. But first of all thcre must bo room for thom. If all things age unfnvor. nbio to dogs happiness, then don't have ono at all, because hc will get nervous and touchy and it won't be his fault if one day he forgets himself so fnr as to lny opon leg or q hand.