The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-21
LateSt Styles
Your Children
By Olive Roberts Barton

I
 Goodness only knows what start ed the name "DOg Days. There are as many explanations for it as there are days, almost. One is that the dog star was in the ascendency. An- other that the sacred dogs of somewhere or other were let lose at this time to ferret out sinners and bite them. But our conception, and nearest to the truth perhaps, is that heat makes dogs mad and that n1id- summer heat is teh worst. S
 All of them are, of course, non- serise. BIlt the last has enough foIn- dation to teach us a few lessons about dogs.
 Dogs are like people. They suf- fer from nerves. If they are sick, hurt or thirsty. they won't be gracious. Neither are we.
 The other day friend shut the car door on her good old dogs tail. He turned at once and bit her. All dogs are tempted to bite, their only defense, when they are suffering.
 Expect Too Much of Pets
 Dogs perspire through their mouths. They do not let off ex- cess poisons through their pores as we do. Long-coated dogs bred for cooler climates suffer extreme ly when the thermometer gets over eighty.
 For some reason or other we expect these poor animals to be far more patient and long suffering than we are. We permit ourselves to kick things when our tempers and nerves explode. But let Chito snarl or Rolf show his teeth and the first thing we think of is rabies. How sillyl
 If we treated dogs half as well as they treat us, on the whole, they wouldn't have to show their disap- prvoal. Teeth and voice are all they have to protest with.
 Too many people who have dogs hSve no business to have them be- cause they haven't the slightest idea about hew to care for them. Or are too lazy to keep them comfort able. Other people have the wrong kind. If @ dog is known to be dan- gerous and too quick to bite, he has no place in any community. But, of course, his testy temper may be due to neglect.
 Give all pets a break this kind of weather. Keep water bowls filled and clean. Feed them the right kind of food. This is easy to learn in this day of liberal literature and propa- ganda; and to those owners who can afford it, one may recommend prepared foods. However this is not necessary if masters take some pains to learn what is dog diet and what is not.
 Don't let children tease Otheir pets. A dog at rest wants to be let alone, not tormened, or tugged at or rolled on. There is limit to good nature, either human or canine,
 Rabies is no myth in itself. There is certainly such 8 thing q hope you have seen the movie about Louis Pasteur), but there is this to say also, that it is far less prevalent in this day and age than thought. However, watch for the quiet dog that acts peculiar ly or perhaps fronts at the mouth. This is not sure symp- tom, because other things can cause frothing, but don't take chances.
 Keep sick dogs segregated. Keep really cross dogs away from chil' dren. Don't let your dog roam at random. Get him a license. Put him on a trolley if he scares others. Don't tie him on short rope in the sun. If you are not sure of him, huzzle him, as is compulsory in many places. I don't like muzzles, but I like children to be safe.
 Dog days are what we make them, largely. Actually I find much of my sympathy with the dumb creature who can't tell us their sor- rows.
 (Copyright 1886, NEA Cervice. Incl