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What Shall We Do Now? |
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then will do them good, but small bones are very dangerous, as they splinter and may kill or seriously injure the dog.
Young dogs are almost sure to have distemper, and if a puppy about six or eight months old is depressed and quiet, and his eyes look inflamed, you should put him away by himself at once, sew him up in thick warm flannel, bathe his eyes with cold tea, and attend very carefully to his diet. It will be difficult to make him eat, but you must coax him and even pour strong beef-tea or milk down his throat, for if he does not eat he will have no strength to fight the disease. Tripe is the best food for him if he will take it, but try everything to tempt him, and give him as much as he will take. When you take your patient for a walk (and he will need exercise) do not take him where he may meet other dogs, for distemper is very infectious. Put an extra coat over him, wrapping it well round his throat and chest. Distemper is a fever, and the risk of chill is very great ; it means inflammation of some sort from which the dog being weak is not likely to recover. It is always best to call in a veterinary surgeon when a dog shows symptoms of distemper.
If your dog is a terrier there is no end to the tricks you can teach him. Always begin by teaching him to " trust," for it is the foundation of his training, and he will learn it before he is two months old. Do not keep him " on trust" for more than a second or two at first, but gradually make the time longer, until he will let you leave the room and not touch the biscuit until you return. Then you can teach him to die, and waltz, sing, ask, box, and beg. Treat him always with patience and firmness ; be quick to reward but never give in to him. You will, of course, bear in mind the character of the dog in teaching him tricks. Dogs of dignified nature, such as St. Bernards, mastiffs, Great Danes, and deer-hounds, for example, you would not labour to transform into performers. The best dogs of all for teaching elaborately are poodles,
Do not overdo your mastership. Remember that a dog needs much liberty and independence to develop his individuality, and an |
Distemper,
Tricks for dogs.
What is due to dogs. |
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