hest. 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.

Tricks for Dogs

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 labor to
transform into performers. The best dogs of all for teaching
elaborately are poodles.

What is Due to Dogs

Do not overdo your mastership. Remember that a dog needs much liberty
and independence to develop his individuality, and an enterprising
puppy learns more by observation and experience in a week than a
pampered lap-dog does in his whole life; he learns self-reliance, but
he will always run to his master or mistress in any real difficulty,
and you who are his master or mistress must be wary not to
misunderstand or disregard him, for he needs sympathy and love, and if
he does not get them he either becomes cowed and stupid or a
ne'er-do-weel.

Buying Dogs

If you wish to buy a dog, the best way is to get the catalogue of some
big dog show, and find the address of a well-known breeder of the kind
of dog you wish to have. If you write to him and tell him exactly what
you want he will probably send you a suitable puppy at a fair price.
If you think of buying through an advertisement, have the dog on
approval first. Another objection to buying a dog at all casually is
that you will not know either his temper, which is generally
inherited, or his age. In all cases it is best to buy puppies and
train them yourself. This means a good deal of trouble at first, and
takes time and patience, but the younger the puppy the easier he is
to train. The best age is about five weeks old. With constant
attention day and