The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-25
DOG NOTES
Bv PETER BOGGS

49, ~
By PETE
DOG BRINGS HOME DYNAMITE
Dogs bring home all sorts OF
things, but when it is a stick
of dynamite laid at the front door,
an investigation is in order. So
when Roland Skerratt, of Croton-
vile, N. Y, opened his front door
~recently and discovered his dog
playing with a stick of dynamite,
he thought it best to call the local
police and with their help to
ascertain where the dog found SO
dangerous a plaything.
The dynamite stick was gently
taken from the dog and put in a
safe place while a search was in
stituted to see if there were any
more sticks around the house. A
Thorough investigation disclosed
none and the police departed.
Early the next morning the dog
was see running around the yard
with another stick Of dynamite.
Again the police were called. This
time, after an almost all
day search, they found that the
dog had uncovered the dynamite
i'm a nearby field where it had
evidently been buried or mislaid
by a construction company that
had done some blasting in the vi
cinity a few years ago.
WHY DOGS TURN AROUND
Why do dogs turn around two
or three times before they lie
down? For years before they we're
civilized, dogs we're creatures OF
the wild. existing as best they
could. Many of their actions today
are throW-backs to that era. For
example:
A dog buries a bone because
his ancestors buried food they
killed, after eating what they
wanted, so that other dogs
wouldn't find the remains. Later,
they would return a n d finish it.
These same ancestors would turn
around to mat down the stiff
grasses and brush for a bed when
ever they wanted to rest O" s'een.
They also turned around for an
other reason. They were testing
the direction of the wind and al
ways lay so that the wind blew
directly at their nose, bringing to
their highly-developed sense OF
smell the odor of any approaching
enemy. Regardless of where youl
dog is going to lie down, nine
times out of ten he will turn
around once or twice before doing
so. This habit has been handed
down through the ages.
WHERE HE MUSNTN'T LIE
Winter time is rheumatism
time in the dog world. More dogs
become infected with lifelong
rheumatism during these months
than during all the rest of the
year. 1t is not the cold weather
that gives it to them. Dry cold is
the enemy of rheumatism and
many other diseases.
It is the chilly dampness that
works havoc on dogs-the damp
ness that is SO prevalent in winter
in many sections of u country.
Dogs running or walking on icy,
wet surfaces are not harmed, as
a general rule. But, if they lie
down on sodden ground and
perhaps go to sleep there, then
trouble is likely to start.
1t is also true when a dogs legs.
stomach and coat r drenched
from the soggy winter weather
and he spends the night in this
condition, though in a dry kennel
or indoors. 1t is as if you should
90 to bed, dressed in wet, clam
my clothes, letting them dry SLOW
ly on your body. Another cause
of winter rheumatism comes from
permitting your dog to sleep In
the cellar or on a stone or con
crete floor in a house or garage.
Keep him out of the cellar
If he sleeps in the garage, or on
anv other mineral flooring, rig up
a platform of wood, several
inches high, with air-space be-
tween it and the floor and put his
bed on that. All these are simple
precautions and they will prolong
your dogs life.
NEW DOG LAWS?
There is a movement afoot
in some states to pass
statute patterned after an
English dog law that has met
with hearty approval abroad.
If the groups are successful IN
having their sponsored legislation
passed, judges in some states Will
have the power to deprive anyone
guilty of cruelty to a dog OF the
right to own one. The court may
fix the period of time during
which the guilty party may not
own or harbor a dog. In England
the Judges usually are very
severe the length of sentence
being normally from ten years to
life.
SITES ON EYES
In certain sections of the coun-
try there seems to be an epidemic
of a minor eye trouble In dogs.
This trouble can best be described
as a sly forming on the eyelid. Ii
your dog develops this trouble,
treat the lid with warm boric ACID
congresses until the sly comes to
a head and breaks. Then apply a
one per cent yellow oxide ointment
to the lid twice a day for q week.
Your druggist can supply you with
this ointment.
THE QUESTION BOX
Question: II have Just had my