The sporting Bull Terrier

The Sporting Bull Terrier



A Book of General Information

Valuable to Owners, Trainers,

Handlers, and Breeders

of Bull Terriers

By EUGENE GLASS

Editor of
THE DOG FANCIER



ILLUSTRATED
Published by "The Dog Fancier,"
Battle Creek , Michigan , U. S. A.



This Reprint Ebook Version Is Published with an Original Cover Design and an Original Foreward. Thus, in part is copyrighted 2004 by PIT BULL CLASSICS PRESS .

Legal Disclaimer: Pit Bull Classics Press does not in any way condone animal cruelty or illegal activities. The books are all in the Public Domain and are reprinted for historical and entertainment purposes only. Additionally, The training, pit fighting, breeding nor any other methods or actions portrayed in this work do not reflect the beliefs of Pit Bull Classics Press; however, we do support freedom of speech.

This book offered by Pit Bull Classics Press is an eBook reproduction of the complete and original version of The Sporting Bull Terrier by Eugene Glass, originally published in 1914 and now in the public domain. This eBook edition published with an original cover design and an original foreword, is not sponsored or endorsed by, or otherwise affiliated with, Eugene Glass or his family and heirs, or any other person or entity.






CONTENTS

HISTORICAL

THE STANDARDS

BREEDING AND CARE

TRAINING FOR THE PIT

THE TRAINING MACHINE

THE SPRING-POLE

TO CHAIN-BREAK A DOG

RULES OF THE DOG PIT

TRAINING FOR RAT-KILLING MATCHES

EAR-CROPPING

HINTS ON HANDLING IN THE PIT

DISEASES AND TREATMENT

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A KENNEL



HISTORICAL

The origin of the Pit Bull Terrier, sometimes called the Sporting Bull Terrier, is similar to that of the English (bench show) Bull Terrier, both of whom are supposed to be the result of a cross of the old English Bulldog and the White English Terrier, with perhaps some Pointer thrown in, later. In the case of the bench show dog, it is necessary that it be pure white in color; although it is seldom, even to this day, that each one in a litter from pure white parents is solid white. The brindle and black of the old Bulldog seems to linger and crop out unexpectedly in the offspring. Those with markings, not eligible to dog show honors, have from time to time been trained to compete in rat-killing contests, and used for bear, badger and raccoon baiting, and also for contests in the pit.

Although dog fighting is an illegal sport, hundreds of persons in all parts of the United States and Canada are at the present time very much interested in it. It has been a popular sport in the larger cities for a century; but for the past several years has been tabooed by the authorities and efforts are constantly made to prevent or stop the contests. However, a well bred and game pit dog is considered a valuable asset, not only to the sporting fraternity, but to the fancier and breeder as well. Pit contests are becoming less frequent every year, owing to the punishment the dogs are liable to receive in the pit and which the humane individual wishes to avoid. But the fighting qualities of these dogs are usually dwelt upon when offering them for sale, more to appeal to the owner's, pride in the possession of a "good one" than for any actual service in the pit that is expected of the dog.

Many owners and breeders of Pit Bull Terriers have an aversion to professional dog fighting, but never fail to extol the gameness in their dogs. This fighting quality is a prominent characteristic of the Bull Terrier, and an owner of one of these dogs, whether it be of the pit or bench show type, knows that as a companion and guard dog he has the best on earth, and when out for a walk, with his happy dog by his side, feels, and shows in his every expression and carriage, perfect confidence in the dog's ability to take care of itself, as far as any other dog is concerned.

Back of this is the reason so many breeders, in their advertisements in dog journals, enlarge upon the fighting qualities of their stock. Should occasion arise, through argument or otherwise, for the possessor of one of these dogs to demonstrate or prove his dog's gameness in a contest, he wants to have the goods to do it with, and the probabilities are he will buy from a breeder who advertises such stock. The advertiser must be able to back his claims for his clogs; hence the pit contests.

These Bull Terriers with brindle and black markings, which were forced into the pit dog class, have been bred heavier and more powerful in build than the bench show type, and in some cases receive a special training for pit purposes; hence, the Pit Bull Terrier. However, notwithstanding the claims of many breeders of the pit variety, he does not naturally possess one whit more gameness in his make-up than does his pure white brother. Take two dogs of equal weight, one a strictly bench show type and the other a "dead game" fighting dog, and the chances are just as good that the show dog will win in a fight as that the pit dog will, and in many cases his gameness is greatly superior to that of the trained fighter, who perhaps loses in that respect by an outcross or some fault in rearing or early training.

The Bull Terrier, whether pit or bench show type, is an ideal dog as a companion, guardian, or vermin destroyer He possesses great powers of endurance, fearless courage and a wonderful hardiness of constitution. These dogs make remarkably faithful and reliable companions and watch dogs; they are exceedingly handsome to look at, of affectionate disposition, easily taught many useful and pleasing stunts, and delight in the extermination of all sorts of objectionable vermin.

Referring to Bull Terriers in England, Mr. Theodore Marples, a well known writer and editor of Our Dogs, says:

"The misty records and data of the origin of most breeds of dogs applies to a great extent to the Bull Terrier, whose creation cannot be distinctly traced, but which was at least given an impetus when bull-baiting and dog fighting were made illegal pastimes in 1835. The appetite of the populace, and also the gentry—not forgetting the undergraduates of Oxford and Cambridge—for a more vicious form of sport than obtained in these days was not, of course, extinguished with the abolition of bull baiting, which sport was largely substituted by dog-fighting, badger-baiting, etc., the former of which was, of course, carried on clandestinely. For this description of sport a different type of dog was, of course, required to the Bulldog,—viz., a dog with a longer and more punishing jaw, and more agility, yet game and powerful. For this purpose the Bulldog was crossed with the Terriers available in those days, which were more or less of a nondescript pattern. This assumption is proved by the color and type of the early Bull Terriers, which were either brindled or fallow-smut in color, —taking after the Bulldog—with strong and Terrier-like bodies and limbs, and heads of fair length and strength, but not the clean-cut long head of the modern Bull Terrier.

Many of the colored Bull Terriers survive to this day; and here I may mention that here is at this moment dawning on the Bull Terrier horizon a distinct desire among admirers of colored dogs to bring the colored Bull Terriers, and more particularly the brindles, up to the level and type of the whites, which, for half a century or more, have held undisputed sway in general public esteem and on the show bench. This is both a legitimate and laudable aspiration, for while I would not for one moment attempt to disparage the smart, clean looking whites, yet, in view of his origin, his avocation and tradition, it seems but logical that there should be brindle and fawn Bull Terriers as well as whites, brindle being a color that is always associated with hardihood, and which is certainly handsome. The dog still retains his pugilistic propensities, which are bred in him and inherent to his nature. He is the gamecock of the canine species, and undoubtedly the finest exponent of the 'noble art' as applied to dogs, which puritans would probably describe as the 'ignoble' art."

THE STANDARDS

Below we publish the standard and points of the bench show White English Bull Terrier, and also the standard of the Pit Bull Terrier; the one which was adopted by the Pit Bull Terrier Breeders' Association.

We are reproducing a few illustrations of the best English Bull Terriers, for comparison with the pit dog type, many illustrations of the latter being interspersed, with brief descriptions of the subjects, throughout these pages.

THE BULL TERRIER STANDARD.

As Approved By the Bull Terrier Club of America .

Head. —Should be long, but with due regard first to type. Skull as nearly flat as possible and widest between the ears. Viewed from above it should taper gradually and merge into the muzzle without perceptible break in the line. There should be a slight indention down the middle, but without "stop" and with as little brow as possible Foreface filled right up to the eyes. Preferably the foreface should have a decided "downness " Eyes, very small, black, set high on the head, close together and obliquely They should be either almond shaped or triangular, preferably the latter. Wall eye is a disqualification Muzzle wide and tapering, but without so much taper as to make the nose appear pinched. Muzzle should be neither square nor snipey, but should present a rounded appearance as viewed from above. Nose broad, wholly black, and with wide open nostrils. Dudley or wholly flesh colored nose is a disqualification. Under jaw strong and well defined. Lips should meet closely and evenly all around, should not run too far back, and there should be an entire absence of "lippiness" Teeth sound, strong, clean, regular and meeting evenly. Any deviation from this rule, such as "pig jaw," "undershot" or "overshot," is a bad fault. Ears when standing erect should not cause noticeable wrinkling of the skin on the head. Ears should be cropped, should be straight and of moderate length. It is important that there be as little cheek as possible, but where it is present it should not be bunchy or prominent, but should merge gradually into the lines of the muzzle and neck.

Neck. —Slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to head and free from looseness of skin.

Shoulders. —Strong and muscular, but without any appearance of heaviness or "loading " Shoulder blades wide, flat and sloping well back.

Back. —Short, strong and muscular. Should be higher at withers than hips. There should be no slackness nor falling away behind the withers, but back should be slightly arched at loin, with loins well developed and slightly tucked. Ribs well sprung, close together and intercostal muscles well developed; back ribs deep. Chest deep from withers to brisket and wide from front to back ribs, but should not be broad as a lewed facing the dog.

Tail. —Short in proportion to the size of the dog, set on low, broad where it joins the body and tapering to a point, should be straight and should not be carried above the level of the back.

Legs. —Should have big, round bone and strong, straight, upright pasterns The whole foreleg should be reasonably straight, but without the stiltmess of the Fox Terrier Thighs somewhat long, with muscle well developed, but without "loading" Hocks short, fairly straight, well let down and should turn neither in nor out as viewed from behind.

Feet. —Of the cat pattern, with toes short, well arched and close together Pads strong and nails short.

Coat. —Short, close, stiff to the touch, and with fine gloss.

Color. —White Markings, although objection able, are not a disqualification.

Weight. —Is not a matter of importance, so long as the specimen is typical.

Faults. —Light bone, round eyes, badly placed eyes , light eyes , domed skulls, butterfly noses , noticeable cheekiness, dished faces, lippiness, throatiness, teeth not meeting evenly, long or slack backs, long, thick or "gay" tails, loose shoulders, crooked elbows, loaded shoulders or thighs, weak pasterns, pig feet, toes turning either in or out, markings.

PIT BULL TERRIER STANDARD.

As Approved By the Pit Bull Terrier Breeders' Association.

Head. —Of medium length, skull flat and widest at the ears, prominent cheeks and forehead free from wrinkles

Stop. —Well defined, indenture not too deep.

Muzzle. —Square and wide as viewed from the front, presenting a round appearance as viewed from above Under jaw strong and well defined

Lips. —Meet closely and evenly all around, not running too far back with an entire absence of any lippmess

Teeth. —Clean, sound and strong, meeting evenly

Nose. —Black, nostrils wide and open

Neck. —Slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to head, and free from any looseness of skin

Shoulders.—Strong, muscular, shoulder blades wide and sloping back

Back. —Short, strong and muscular, higher at withers than hips, slightly arched at loins, which should be well developed and slightly tucked

Ribs. —Well sprung, close together, back ribs deep

Chest. —Deep from withers to brisket, wide from front to back ribs, not too broad as viewed facing the dog.

Tail. —Short in comparison to size, set on low, wide where it joins the body and tapering to a fine point, not carried over the back.

Legs. —To have large, round bone, and strong, straight, upright pasterns. Reasonably straight without semblance of bow.

Thighs. —Long, muscle well developed. Hocks straight, well let down, turning neither in nor out as viewed from behind

Feet. —Of moderate size, toes of medium length, well arched and close together. Pads strong and nails short.

Gait. —Springy and active, without roll or pace.

Coat. —Short, close, stiff to the touch and with fine gloss.

Color. —Uniform, any color permissible, markings not objectionable.

Weight. —Not important, preferably between 24 and 56 pounds.

Eyes. —Round, black color preferred. As seen from the front they should be situated low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, with corners in a line at right angles with stop. As wide apart as possible to be within the line of cheek as viewed from the front.

Ears. —To be cropped, straight, of moderate length, and should not cause wrinkling of the skin when held erect .

WOODCOTE WONDER.
This famous dog was whelped in England and was about five years old when brought to America . His weight was 5 1/2 pounds, and height 20 1/2 inches. He defeated nearly everything shown against him for nearly ten years, both



in England and America , and won enough championships to crown half a dozen dogs champion. His stud fee was $100, and we print his picture as an illustration of a perfect type of the bench show Hull Terrier, although of late years some of the faddists have been breeding a dog lighter in build and higher on his legs.

CHAMPION VIRGINALIS.

This bitch, whose picture will surely attract your attention [shown at the beginning of this book], died in the summer of 1914. She was owned by Gilt Edge Kennels and was the most typical Bull Terrier bitch, of the bench-show type, in America . These illustrations are published for comparisons between the bench-show type and the pit-dog type. You will notice that many of the latter would make typical show specimens as far as conformation is concerned; but the trouble is that the pit dog fancier is not breeding to standard nor for beauty. For that reason an organization with an accepted, recognized standard is needed for the breed.

THE GAS-HOUSE DOG.



One of the most famous and widely quoted dogs as the foundation stock of Pit-Bull Terriers in America was The Gas House Dog. The Gas House Dog, or to speak more properly, McDonald's Grip, was a brindle dog with white blaze in face, white ring about neck, white breast and paws. He was the property of the late John McDonald, who at the time of ownership had charge of the gas-house stables in Boston , and who died in 1909. Grip was bred in Boston and was always owned there. He was whelped in the early seventies, dying about 1882.

The Gas-House Dog was considered to have no superior in his class at 31 pounds. His most noted battle was with the no less celebrated Blind Dog, which ended in a draw, free fight and wrangle after the dogs had gone nearly three hours. The Blind Dog had previously beaten Burke's Spring, who, though such a good fighter, was a pick-up of unknown breeding, and an utter failure as a stock dog. The Gas-House Dog, on the contrary, was one of the best as a stock dog, and the only dog that could be compared to him in pedigree was McGough's Bob, commonly known as Bob, the Fool.

Sweeney's Fly, dam of Grip, was probably the greatest bitch ever in America . In addition to the Gas-House Dog, she produced, when lined to
Gallivan's Old Prince, the great dog, Thornton 's Pete, who beat Jenning's Croppy, and died immediately after. To the lining of imported Rafferty, she produced Quinn's Tony, who was unapproachable in his time at 23 pounds, and Harrington's Dick, a first-class 19-pound dog. Her last litter was by Burke's Tanner, and but one bitch was saved from it. This bitch had but one litter of certified record, but in that litter was Gallivan's Pup and Gallivan's Young Prince, the dog who sired Turk, who defeated Con Feeley's Jim at Chicago in four hours and fifty-eight minutes. This battle is mistakenly called the longest on record, but Tugman's. Paddy and Lloyd's Toby fought five hours and nine, minutes without a turn or a pickup.

In the summer of 1914, a personal letter from the famous pugilist, John L. Sullivan, advised us that he had purchased a young dog of the GasHouse strain, which breeding he considered the best in America , and referred to the breeders of this strain as John Quinn and the Burke brothers of South Boston , Mass. This letter in "The Dog Fancier" brought forth a reply from Mrs. M. G. McDonald Mahoney, daughter of the owner of the famous Gas-House dog, in which she wrote:

"The one best dog America ever had was raised, trained and fought by Johnnie McDonald of Charkstown , Mass. Just to refresh our friend, John L. Sullivan's memory, I am going to ask him to recall the time, long ago, when he was known as the 'Roxbury Strong Boy,' that he went to Ferrin St, Charlestown, and received a puppy which he placed inside his undershirt as it was a cold day. This, I presume, was his first introduction to Gas-House stock and may recall Johnnie McDonald, who was the donor.

"Now most of the old dog men are dead and gone and real sporting blood getting thin, but my statements here can be verified by some of the old timers still living. I take liberty to mention Tom O'Rourke, Pat. McDevitt, or Con Reardon. In conclusion I wish to congratulate Mr. Sullivan on his choice of stock;—the kin of my dear old playmate, the Gas House Dog, Grip, known to all real sports as the 'one' best fighting dog the world ever knew. Raised, owned and trained by Johnnie McDonald (ever on the square and a gentleman sport), at the Boston Gas Light Co's stable, Commercial St., Boston , Mass. , from whence the name, 'Gas-House Dog.' Out of justice to my late father's memory, believe me, his devoted daughter, May G McDonald Mahoney, 42 Ditson St. , Dorchester , Mass. "

BREEDING AND CARE

The following matter on breeding Pit Bull Terriers (and which will also apply to many other breeds of about the same size and characteristics) is partly from personal experience, but largely compiled from others' opinions and from gleanings from various publications on the subject, thereby combining the cream of knowledge on the breeding and care of these dogs. Blood and breeding have a lot to do with gameness in a litter of pups, but this inherited tendency may be easily nullified by a slight mistake in their "bringing up." A young dog that is fully conquered by an older dog in a try-out, loses confidence in himself sometimes and may never regain it, even when matured.

To develop a puppy physically and give him every reasonable chance to grow and thrive, he should be fed four times a day, and only on a diet which suits his constitution. He must also be exercised according to his constitution. The fact that one puppy thrives on one thing, while another requires something different, means that every puppy in a litter should not receive the same food and treatment, if you are to have healthy, robust puppies.

You cannot breed first class dogs from a good dog and an inferior bitch. Know that your bitch is right in every way and then breed her to a good dog that you are certain comes from a good family of Pit Bull Terriers, dogs that cannot only stay, but can punish while they are there. Breed to a dog that is likely to correct the faults of your bitch and at the same time preserve her good qualities in the offspring. For instance, if you have a light headed bitch, breed her to a heavy muzzle dog, and if your bitch is leggy and light boned, breed her to a good stocky dog with plenty of bone and muscle. But of all things don't forget gameness and fighting ability, and go further and see that this dog transmits these qualities to his pups. Admirable qualities must exist for many generations in order to render their perpetuation highly probable.

But one service, if a complete one, is necessary. Never keep a dog in with a bitch when she is in season. As soon as the bitch is "lined," remove the dog, and it is advisable to still keep your bitch in seclusion for a week or two. It is important that your bitch be not too fat, for if she is, your litter will likely be small in numbers and the puppies inferior. You can usually tell if your bitch is "caught," about the fifth week and from then to the ninth week the abdominal enlargement becomes more and more pronounced.

After reaching maturity, usually in a Bull Terrier at about nine months of age, the female will be "in season," or experience the recurrences of sexual activity generally twice a year, at regular, more or less fixed periods, and though they may be delayed or shortened, they are upon the whole very regular. They are, as a rule, preceded by a short interval of excitement, indicating the approach of a greater change. The generative apparatus forming a connected whole, it is not strange that the activity of the essential organs is accompanied by a corresponding increase in vascularity or blood supply of other parts, so that the external genitals enlarge. There is a visible flow of mucus, to be soon followed by blood. As soon as the ova are mature, the female will accept the male. This is not usually prior to the appearance of blood, but may be before it has disappeared or soon after, generally the latter. The bitch should be allowed to choose her own time for congress with the male.

The whole period of the female being "in season" or "in heat" extends over about three weeks, sometimes longer, and in rare cases less. During the whole of this time it is of the greatest importance to keep the female entirely separate from all dogs, except the one selected for mating.

About sixty-three days after mating, the bitch is usually due to whelp, though a variance of a day or two either way may have no special significance. Usually the prospective mother prefers to whelp in her accustomed quarters, though sometimes a desire for change is expressed. There are many methods of preparation of the kennel in use, and some breeders do not think any change from the ordinary necessary at this time. But a few considerations are absolutely necessary to insure the comfort and well-being of the mother and her family.

In the first place, be sure that the bitch has plenty of room for moving about, so that when the little ones are being born there will be no danger of the mother stepping upon or crushing them when she gets up and lies down. Then scrupulous cleanliness is urgent, to prevent the breeding of worms and the contraction of blood-poisoning. The easiest way to secure this is to have two movable platforms, raised a couple of inches from the floor. These can be thoroughly cleaned and exchanged as often as necessary. The best bedding is clean, dry straw, which can easily be removed and burned.

During the period of gestation the bitch should be allowed to exercise herself as she sees fit; let her roam at her own will, if possible; at any rate, she should have free exercise every day. Feed more than usual, giving plenty of meat, both raw and cooked. If but one meal has been customary, increase to two, and even three, a few weeks before whelping.

Give milk freely, and also raw, beaten eggs. It is customary with some breeders to give a dose of castor oil the day before whelping, to empty the bowels. This, however, is unnecessary, excepting in severe constipation. Normally the bowels will empty themselves during the pains of labor, and the physic is liable to set up a diarrhoea in the puppies. A short time before whelping, a decided change takes place in the bitch. She exhibits great nervousness and frequently shivers, no matter how warm her quarters; she appears dejected, with a disposition to slink away by herself. She shows great concern about her bedding, scratching and tearing it about. These signs usually indicate that the puppies may be expected within twenty-four hours. The disposition to slink away to some retired corner, is attributed by many to a desire on the bitch's part to be alone during whelping.

Companionship should never be obtrusive, and if you remain with the mother, do not in any way interfere with her proceedings unless you know you can be a positive help to her. When the litter is a large one, sometimes if the puppies are taken when they are born and placed in a dry, warm basket, it will keep them out of the mother's way and so save them from the possibility of being trampled on. There should be plenty of water within reach of the mother, and milk also, if she needs it for nourishment. The temperature of the kennel should be kept at 8o° during whelping, and not be lowered during the first few days after the puppies are born.

Of course the best time for a bitch to whelp is during the early spring, for then in a few weeks the puppies can be put out in the open air, which with sunshine, will greatly aid their growth. The early nourishment of the puppies is of the utmost importance As soon as possible after they are born, they should be put to the mother's breasts. Six, or eight puppies are enough for a bitch to feed. If the litter is larger, the others should either be given to a foster mother, or disposed of by drowning. If the latter disposition is made of them, it will be well to wait until the second day, as the weakest ones cannot be readily detected on the first day.

If there be a suspicion that the milk supply of the mother is to be inadequate, means for artificial feeding must be at once supplied. The best way is to give the pups to a foster mother, if one can be obtained; failing that, they should be fed with cow's milk with a small quantity of lime water added. This can be given either with a spoon or with a bottle with a rubber nipple attached, inside of which a small piece of clean sponge has been placed. They will require feeding once every hour and a half during the first week, the time increased to two hours the second week, and to three hours during the third week. Puppies taken from the mother should be kept in a basket, warmly lined, and should be lightly covered during the first few weeks to protect them from draughts.

It is most important that the young dogs should never be allowed to chill; indeed, a chill during the first few days is apt to prove fatal. The little ones can stand a great deal of heat, which fact should never be lost sight of. If cow's milk is used in feeding them, it should be warmed to "blood heat;" if it is too rich for the puppies' stomachs, which fact can be determined by closely watching the intestinal discharges, then the milk requires dilution.

The first six weeks of a puppy's life is its infancy, and as in childhood, the mortality is greatest during this period. Extreme care and watchfulness are necessary during this period, and heat is essential to the puppy's very existence.

If your kennel cannot be heated artificially, then take the puppies into the kitchen, and be sure they are protected from draughts. After the puppies are weaned they must still be kept warm, and not subjected to sudden changes; indeed, vigilance in this regard must not be relaxed until they have attained maturity, for the vital forces of a dog are not perfected until he is a year old, and to keep the blood properly stimulated by artificial heat is necessary.

Puppies should be doped for worms before they are weaned; say when from four to five weeks old, and especially if you think they need it. Feed nothing but milk (scalded) until seven or eight weeks old, toward the last adding a little shredded wheat, graham bread crumbs, etc., in order to accustom them, gradually, to the use of solid foods. An excellent worm remedy for very young puppies is Dr. Clayton's vermifuge in soft capsules, given as per directions. It is a good plan to administer vermifuge once a week regularly when the puppies are from five to ten weeks of age. Keep the worms out, feed lightly, but often. That's the secret of raising puppies.

Another essential is a good dry kennel, with access to a lawn or grass patch, and always in touch with plenty of fresh, clean water for drinking. The danger from worms in puppies may be largely counteracted by administering Pabulum to the bitch during pregnancy. Pabulum is one of the very best preparations we know of for keeping dogs in good condition By its use as a preventative, you need have but little fear of distemper, worms, skin diseases, or ill-health of any kind.

The ability of a bitch to nourish her puppies properly is of the first importance, and it is impossible for a half-stoned animal to do that. The object of feeding is not to fatten, but to strengthen her, and to furnish ample material for the rapid manufacture of bone and muscular flesh in the puppies Give her plenty of meat, it makes her puppies strong.

There is no doubt that many valuable bitches have been practically ruined for breeding purposes by overfeeding farinaceous foods, which, alone, do not furnish enough bone and muscle forming material for the needs of the canine animal economy Excessive fat produced in this way has much to do with the bearing of small litters and undersized puppies Over feeding is as bad as under-feeding, in that it wastes food and injures the dog Extra care should be taken to avoid fermented and decayed foods as parturition approaches, they may gelatinously affect the unborn whelps and even cause abortion.

Never place a collar on a young pup, nor chain him up, unless absolutely necessary Many an incurable case of goiter has been caused by the irritation of a collar, the result of a puppy tugging on a chain If you must chain a young dog up, or while on a lead, use a harness, not a collar How often do we read of a dog slipping his collar, mixing with another dog in the kennel, resulting in the ruination of both dogs and a serious financial loss to his owner

A lead or chain securely fastened to a harness, the other end of the chain snapped in a rung which runs on a strong wire stretched across the yard about six feet above the ground, will not only safely hold your dog but will give him an opportunity to get some necessary exercise Your dogs should not be fought until fully matured sav eighteen months old.

JACK SUTTON.



Jack Sutton, A K C 66348, is a specimen of the Irish Pit Bull Terrier. He is out of Sutton's Molly and these dogs in Ireland are classified as the Murphy strain. They are acknowledged as good pit dogs This dog was for some time at the head of F L Dunable's Kennels of Clay Center, Kans , but has been used for stud purposes only lately, and is at this writing at the kennels of Harvey Peace in Mississippi .
TRAINING FOR THE PIT

There are several systems for training the pit dog for self-defense or prospective battles. We consider the one employed by Mr. L. Bowser and which was published in his "Modern Methods," to be equal if not superior, to any of the others, and with a few eliminations we give it herewith:

This work is for four weeks or twenty-eight days, which is long enough to condition any dog for any battle. In fact, no dog can stand longer training and do well. Experience has proven that with a longer training a dog will become discouraged and train off. If these directions are followed strictly, a dog can, as far as his condition is concerned, fight for four hours at top speed.

I will give each day's work separately. Minor changes may be made by the trainer to suit local conditions, such as bad weather, etc. I give this order for the benefit of professionals as well as for amateurs, for I have had for opponents the best conditioners the country affords, and have yet to meet the man who has shown a dog in as good condition as mine.

I train a dog's bite as well as his wind and strength If he can't beat his opponent to a hold, and bite it when he gets it, he is not worth a bet Any dog that I train is quick to a hold and has the jaw-power to punish.

First Day.

It is to be supposed that your dog is over weight, and is fat and soft. His feet are soft and his toe-nails long. The first thing to do is to clip the toe-nails off, but not so close as to cause bleeding. This will prevent him from tearing them off in his work Then give him a good bath in lukewarm water, and rub him dry. Use one ounce of creolin to every three gallons of water for his bath. His quarters should be warm and well ventilated, but absolutely free from draughts. His bed should be of good, clean straw, and this should be frequently changed.

Now weigh your dog and you are ready for your first morning's road work. Take your dog out on the chain and lead him about four miles. Never lead a dog behind a horse or buggy, as this fills him up with dust and prevents him from emptying out or urinating when he desires On returning, give him a good hand rub, always rubbing with the play of the muscles Then put your dog in his quarters until three o'clock in the afternoon. At that time take him out for a short walk, long enough for him to empty out Then hitch him to the training machine (described elsewhere) for a run of three minutes Then take him for a slow walk until he gets thoroughly cooled off.

Then take him to your training quarters and rub him well with a Turkish towel, following this with a good hand rub as in the morning. Then wash his feet, first with clean water, and then with a wash made of white oak bark steeped in water. This will toughen his feet. Then allow your dog all the boiled water he will drink. Twenty minutes later feed him his daily meal This should consist of about one pound of thoroughly boiled lean beef chopped fine and made into a mush with corn meal. This should be sufficient for a day's feed for a forty-five pound dog

I usually take three pounds of first-class lean beef and boil until soft, leaving about two quarts of the broth on it I then sprinkle in enough corn meal to make a thick mush, stirring the mixture until the corn meal is well cooked. Cool this and you have sufficient for three days' feed

A dog should not be fed more than once a day? Digestion takes place much more slowly in a dog than in most other animals, the food remaining in the stomach for twelve hours and requiring ten hours longer for intestinal digestion

Second Day.

At about 7.00 a m take your dog out on the road for at least a four-mile walk, allowing him to empty out and urinate as much as he desires. When you get back, let him work on the coonskin and spring-pole (described elsewhere) for five minutes. Be sure you time the work with a watch No guess work You must know exactly how long he works, so that you can see how he improves on a certain amount of work Then you are to gradually increase his work as he becomes stronger in wind and limb. When you are done working him on the coonskin, cool him off by walking him slowly. Then take him to his quarters, give him his hand rub, and wash his feet in the white oak bark solution Then give him all the boiled water he will drink, and put him in his quarters until 3:00 p. m.

Right here I wish to say that you should always give your dog, when thoroughly cooled off, all the boiled water he wants to drink all the way through his training. It does not fatten as does unboiled water, and will assist you in preventing your dog from becoming feverish I have seen dogs nearly crazy from a desire for water after fighting for only twenty or thirty minutes. In fact, I have seen good game dogs that when fighting in that condition would rather scratch at a bucket of water than at their opponents.

At 3:00 p.m., after his usual walk to empty out and urinate, hitch your dog to the training machine and run him, say three to five minutes. Then take him for a walk to cool off, and go to the scales Give him the usual hand rub, and wash his feet in the white oak bark solution Then put him in his quarters, first allowing him plenty of boiled water to drink, and feed him twenty minutes afterwards

Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Days.

Same as second day in every particular except to increase the dog's work on the coonskin and spring-pole in the morning and on the training machine in the afternoon, say about two minutes each day. Care should be taken not to increase the dog's work too fast, however. If he can't stand two minutes' increase a day, don't give him quite that much Be sure not to overdo matters Remember that we are only getting him ready for his hard work.

Seventh Day.

Same as on the preceding day, except that when you bring your dog back from his morning walk, add my fishing-pole exercise to those already indicated. Take a strong fishing pole about eight feet long, with a rope about three feet long on the end, to which a coonskin is securely tied. Let the dog try to get a hold on this coonskin, but do all you can to prevent him from doing so But you must keep the coonskin close to the ground, so that he will not have to leap in the air after it Teach him to snap at it and to turn quickly for a hold . Give him about two minutes of this exercise, and then let him work on the spring-pole as before.

Eighth Day.

Continue as on the preceding day, increasing the dog's work as already indicated. If your dog has done well, he should by this time be able to run the training machine for eight to ten minutes without being very much fatigued However, the trainer must use his judgment on this point. Take care not to distress your dog by overwork. By this time he should begin to get over his soreness.

Ninth and Tenth Days.

Road work, then the fishing-pole or the spring-pole, whichever the dog seems to like best, for ten or twelve minutes Do a lot of hand rubbing. In the afternoon hitch the dog to the machine, and then put him away, caring for him as before indicated.

After you have put your dog in his quarters for his rest, never allow him to be disturbed It is hard at times to refuse the request of friends to lead him out or permit them to go to his quarters But it is better that he should not be annoyed You are training a dog for fighting, so don't make a "society man" out of him.

Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth Days.

Same as on the tenth day, but with a gradual increase of work, say a couple of minutes more of each exercise per day

Fifteenth Day.

Give the dog his morning walk and care for him afterwards as I have already instructed, but do not give him any pole work at all. At 2 .00 p m , hitch him to the training machine and run him ten minutes (by your watch) . Then turn him around and run him five minutes (by your watch) in the opposite direction Now don't guess at the time. Use your watch. When you unhitch your dog from the machine, wash his mouth out with cool boiled water. Then give him ten or fifteen minutes' work on the fishing-pole and spring-pole. Then put him away, caring for him as previously instructed, except that his food should be changed on this day It is probable that by this time your dog is at, or a trifle below weight.

Get a first-class piece of lean "round" or "rump" steak, and broil it till medium well done. Add four slices of well-browned toast. Chop the steak and toast up fine, mixing them well, and feed cold. A forty-pound dog should have from three to three and a half pounds of steak at a feed, and it should be cooked fresh for him every day. This is to be his feed until he enters the pit. If he is above weight, cut his feed down a little; if below weight, increase it. The trainer must exercise his own discretion on this point. However, be sure to keep your dog strong.

Sixteenth Day.

No work in the morning except the usual four mile walk and the usual care afterwards. But at 3:00 p.m., hitch the dog to the machine and give him twenty to twenty-five minutes' work, half the time in one direction and the other half in the opposite direction, always under the watch. Should the dog's mouth get full of saliva while he is working, stop long enough to sponge it out with cool boiled water. Then give him ten to fifteen minutes' stiff work with the coonskin and fishing-pole. After this cool him off and give him a sponge bath with alcohol, and then hand rub him till dry. His feet should be washed every day with the white oak bark decoction Water and feed him as already directed. From now on your dog must have his alcohol bath every day, to prevent him from catching cold and getting sore

Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Days.

Same as on the sixteenth day in every particular, except that the dog's work should be increased several minutes each day. From the twentieth day on be sure to strengthen your dog's bite and his jaw-power by exercise with the fishing-pole and the spring-pole.

Twenty-First Day.

Morning walk and care afterwards, as before indicated At 3:00 p. m., exercise with the training machine and the spring pole.

The dog should now be able to run the machine for twenty-five minutes and work on the spring-pole and fishing-pole for fifteen or twenty minutes without becoming very much exhausted or losing his speed to any great extent.

Twenty-Second Day.

Give the dog his morning walk and care for him afterwards as usual Then, at 2: 00 p. m , work him on the training machine and the poles; but don't jump him any more If he can, by this time, run the machine twenty-five or thirty minutes and work at the poles twenty minutes, he will be in condition to go four hours in the pit So all you have to do now is to keep him where you have got him and get him near weight Always give him good care after work, following the instructions previously given

Twenty-Third Day.

Give your dog his usual morning walk, followed by good care. Then at three in the afternoon give him thirty to thirty-five minutes' work on the machine and twenty minutes on the poles/ He must now take hard work, for if he can't work hard and stand up under it, he will not be able to stand up under the strain of battle in the pit.

After his exercise care for him in the usual careful manner, except that it may now be desirable to change the hour of feeding Feed the same feed and the same amount as previously indicated, but if you expect to fight at night (say, the dogs are to enter the pit at 10:00 p.m.) you should feed your dog one hour later each day than the day before, so that on the night of the battle he will have had his last feed at ten o'clock on the night before, or just twenty-four hours previous to entering the pit In this way you bring your dog empty into the pit, which is essential to his success in the fight.

Twenty-Fourth Day.

In the morning, long walk with the usual care afterwards, and in the afternoon stiff work on the machine and poles.

I talk to my dogs a great deal in all my training work You will find that it pays to do so You can encourage the dog very much in this way And then when your dog is in the pit, you can be of very material assistance to him, for he will at times expect your approval and will look and listen for words of encouragement, and he will respond to your words in a manner that will surprise you Often I have noticed a dog that I have trained glancing up to me for approval or help, and he would apparently understand me and do as I advised This is indeed a very important matter You can't overlook this part of the training and win

Don't forget to give your dog good hand tubs and his alcohol bath daily

Twenty-Fifth Day.

Long walk in the morning and good stiff work on the machine and the poles in the afternoon Let him work on the poles until he is tired Take care of him, both in the morning and in the afternoon as previously directed If your dog doesn't eat good, beef tea will be found beneficial in building him up and keeping him strong

Twenty-Sixth Day.

Long walk as usual in the morning, followed with the usual care, but only a medium amount of work in the afternoon on the machine and poles You must now begin to slack up on the dog's work Give him first-class attention, caring for him exactly as previously instructed.

Twenty-Seventh Day.

Begin with the usual long walk m the morning Then give your dog a little less work in the afternoon than on the previous day, if possible, but if he is hard to keep to weight, you will have to give him more work. At all events, don't cut down his feed in order to lessen his weight. Better give him work and feed than to let him be without food and idle. I have found that an unusually long walk helps a great deal to keep a dog to weight, and this is probably the best way to do it, for there is no danger of over-work in this plan. Care for your dog in other respects as already suggested.

Twenty-Eighth Day, or Day of Battle .

Give your dog a long walk in the morning, so that he can empty out thoroughly. Water him and care for him as on other mornings, but omit the hand rub, or at most rub only lightly. Be sure to walk your dog to the pit, if practicable, but if not practicable give him a walk long enough to allow him to empty out before weighing. When he has been weighed give him three or four ounces of strong beef tea. I find this much superior to anything else that has ever been used in this place You should carry a bottle of beef tea to the pit with you, and when you get a scratch pour a swallow or two on your dog's tongue. It will serve both as a drink and as a stimulant.

In the pit try to keep in such a position that your dog can see you. When he is in a tight place get as close to him as you can. Your presence even will stimulate him. If he is in need of rest, and is not being hurt, try to keep him quiet until he has recuperated; and then, when he shows he is ready, help him with words and looks of encouragement.

Now, if you have followed these instructions carefully and intelligently, you should have your dog in as good a condition as it is possible for human skill to make him.

If you cannot give the time to train your own dog, by all means know the man you hire, and be sure he is above being bribed.

KING PADDY.



King Paddy was bred and owned by L. A. Swineford of Ashland , Ohio . He was whelped April 16, 1909; weight on chain, 40 pounds; brindle in color. He is of the family of Delihant's Paddy, and won first prize at the Cleveland ( Ohio ) Fanciers' Club Show in 1913. The Pit Bull Terriers had no class, consequently he, together with his son Kelley and his half-sister Queen, all competed with English Bull Terriers. They each came out

of the judging ring with a blue ribbon (first prize). Mr. Swineford says of Paddy: "King Paddy is an ideal dog for guard duty and is the best natured fellow in the world, but will invariably take hold of a dog if the opportunity presents. One of his most important engagements took place when he was two years old, when he stopped four dogs in an afternoon, and the four were Pit Bull Terriers of ability. He is the sire of many winners, both in the pit and show ring.

COLBY'S PINCHER AND TIGE.

Among the prominent Pit Bull Terriers of the last decade Colby's Pincher and Colby's Tige may be mentioned. The names of these dogs appearing in present day pedigrees are heralded as of exceptional value, and Pit Bull Terrier history will record their owner, John P. Colby, of Newburyport , Mass. ,as one of the leading and most successful breeders in America . Pincher was a 75-pound dog and said to be the best known catch-weight dog in New England, as well as one of the largest game dogs in America . Mr. Colby says Pincher killed or stopped over twenty dogs and never met a dog that could stay with him forty minutes. He was a close descendant of Turk, Pilot and Danger.

Tige was a wonderful sire of game dogs, and was himself considered the champion 35-pound dog of America . His greatest battle was over the Connecticut dog, Captain, lasting three hours and twenty-seven minutes, near Hartford , Nov. 26, 1898, Tige being the winner.



THE TRAINING MACHINE

The Training Machine is sort of a one-section skeleton merry-go-round, and is made with an upright post, 4x4 inches, eight feet long, with a 1 1/2 inch gudgeon on each end to play in the top and bottom sockets. Bolted about two feet from the ground end of this 4x4 are two arms about 12 feet long, made from 2x4 stuff and spreading to about nine feet apart at the outer ends, with a brace from one to the other six feet from the 4x4, and a wire near the ends Two other braces are attached to the 2x4's about four feet from the upright post and nailed to the same two feet from the top, making the machine quite rigid.

The gudgeon on the bottom end of the 4x4 plays in a round hole in a hardwood plank which is staked to the ground The top socket of hard wood is held in position with guy-wires The track for the dog to run in, at the outer end of the 2x4's, should be thrown up like a circus ring and covered six or eight inches with sawdust or tanbark, as the dog's feet should not touch the ground, and the outer end of the machine should be about twenty inches above the ground or track. Wet the sawdust or tanbark often at first until it becomes packed, and if it works out from under the dog's feet while he is running, replace it promptly.

THE SPRING-POLE

The Spring-Pole is constructed with a sapling about sixteen feet long and four or five inches at the butt, tapering to one inch. This pole is placed at an angle of about forty-five degrees, resting in a strong notched stick or limb driven into the ground, and the butt of the pole being staked to the ground at the right distance to give the proper angle. The sapling should be of hickory or some other wood with a good spring.

Put a pulley on the small end and get fifteen feet of one-fourth-inch rope, which may be run through the pulley and fastened at the butt end of the pole. Attached at the other end of the rope and suspended two or three feet from the ground is a good coon hide, well sewed together. This can be raised or lowered at will by means of the pulley. The dog will soon learn to fight it, and you can pull him up clear from the ground, if desired. This spring pole will develop jaw-power wonderfully.

TO CHAIN-BREAK A DOG

Usually dogs are chained a few hours at a time and then let loose. This, people say, is "to get them gradually used to it," but it never does. When one gets ready to chain-break a dog, the dog should be chained up and left chained until it will gladly follow when led. This is the one secret of chainbreaking; to keep the dog chained until it learns that the chain is the one way of escape from that tiresome place and then it will not only like the chain, but beg to have it put on so it can go for a walk, and this love for the chain remains after the dog has its liberty.

When a dog is first chained do not allow anyone to sympathize with him and tell him he is a "poor fellow,"and that it is "too bad;" he understands the tone if not the words; just take it as a matter of course, say "hello" to him as you pass by, and of all things do not let his antics be laughed at. After he is thoroughly convinced that the chain is his only means of going for a walk or going out of doors, it can be removed quietly while he is eating; if desired to have him loose a portion of the time, let him find himself loose without knowing how.

Another good plan in teaching a clog to lead, is to attach a piece of wood on the end of the lead and let the dog drag it around. This will accustom the dog to the chain.

PRINCE BURKE, JR.





Prince Burke, Jr., A. K. C. 79525, was a pure white 50-pound dog, and said to be the best son of the famous old Prince Burke who was one of the

most successful pit dogs in the country. The Burke strain was one of the best and was closely related to the Gas-House dogs. Prince Burke, Jr., was for a long time at the head of the Kirksville ( Mo. ) Bull Terrier Kennels, owned by B. F. Lamkin. This dog, with Mr. Lamkin's bitch, Lioness, has produced some of our really good dogs.

RULES OF THE DOG PIT

POLICE GAZETTE RULES.

(As published in "The Dog Pit.")

• To be a fair scratch in turn fight.

• Both dogs to be tasted before and after fighting, if required.

• Both dogs to be shown fair to the scratch. Both dogs to be shown head and shoulder's between each second's legs.

• Both seconds to deliver their dogs fair from between their legs, from beginning of fight to the ending, and not to leave their corners until the dogs are fighting.

• A time-keeper to be chosen in the pit; half minute time to be allowed between every fair go away; twenty-five seconds for sponging; and at the expiration of that time the time-keeper shall call, make ready; and as soon as the half-minute be expired, the dogs to be delivered, and the dog refusing or stopping on the way to be the loser.

• Should either second pick his dog up by mistake, he shall put it down immediately, by order of the referee, or the money to be forfeited.

• Should anything pernicious be found on either dog, before or after fighting in the pit, the backers of the dog so found to forfeit; and the person or persons holding the battle money to give it up immediately when called upon to do so.

• Either dog exceeding the stipulated weight on the day of weighing, to forfeit the money deposited, and the dogs to be weighed at the place of fighting.

• Should any police interference or any disturbance in any way, the referee shall name the next place and day by day until the fight be at an end.

• Both dogs to be washed in their own corners in warm water, with soap, soda, and if required, rinsed off with lukewarm water.

• The toss for washing, whichever may lose shall bring in the dog and wash him, and after being pronounced clean and dried, then the other dog shall be brought in at the expiration of five minutes and washed in the same water, each handler to produce two clean towels, which shall be exchanged by each party.

• If both parties cannot agree on place of fighting, then the stake-holder shall name the place.

• Should the authorities interfere, or prevent or stop a battle, the referee, if he be appointed, or else the stake-holder shall have full power to name the next time and place of fighting.

• On the referee ordering the dog's men to make ready, the handlers must hold their opponent's and let them loose Afterwards the attendants handle their own dogs, but under no circumstances shall the attendants handle and let go their own dogs until the signal "let go" is pronounced.

• In all cases of interference by the authorities, if the dogs are to fight at stipulated weights the referee shall have full power to insist on the dogs being again weighed and the said weighing shall take place if possible within thirty minutes before the time named by the referee.

• Should there be any after interference the referee shall insist on the dogs again being weighed day after day, and neither shall be allowed to exceed the weight their owners agreed to fight at.

• The bets to follow the stakes in all matches and the referee's decision to be final

BOWSER'S RULES

• To be a fair scratch in turn fight.

• Both dogs to be shown fair to the scratch.

• Each handler to show his dog full head and shoulders between his legs, and not push or shove his dog, and not leave their corners until the dogs are fighting.

• A time-keeper to be chosen at pit side. Half minute to be allowed at each scratch. At twenty-five seconds the time-keeper shall call in a loud voice, "Make ready," and at the half-minute mark, "Let go." The dog refusing or stopping on the way over to lose the battle.

• The parties to choose a referee before the dogs are weighed in or washed It is the duty of the referee to see both dogs weighed in and washed clean, and if requested by either party he is to thoroughly search the man that is to wash his opponent's dog, to see that he has no poisonous drug concealed in his clothes to use on the dog he is to wash; also that he has no hypodermic syringe to use on the dog he is to wash

And it is also his duty to thoroughly search the man that is to carry the dog to his corner in the pit for any poison or any syringe, or anything that might do the dog an injury. And it is the further duty of the referee to have a clean towel and have both handlers wipe their hands clean just before their dogs are turned over to them to let go.

• Both dogs to be washed clean in warm water with soap and Gold Dust; to be rinsed off with clean warm water and rubbed dry with clean towels furnished by the opposite parties, when he is to be wrapped in a clean blanket that is furnished by the opposite party and immediately taken to his corner in the pit by the man that has been selected The dog's handler or owner can go with the dog to see that no harm is done to him.

• The first dog to scratch shall be decided by the fighting; the first dog to turn his head and shoulders from his opponent is to lose the turn and must scratch first. This is to be decided by the referee Then they scratch in their turn until the battle is decided.

• When the dogs have broken apart and are not in holds, either handler may pick up his dog if he can before either dog catches hold again; if either dog catches hold again, he must put him down fair or lose the battle.

• Either dog exceeding the weight stipulated in the articles at the time to weigh in, is to forfeit the money deposited.

• Parties to toss coin to determine who shall wash first, each party to furnish two clean towels and a blanket.

• No dog to scratch to a dead dog, the living one wins the battle.

• The bets to follow the stakes, and the referee's decision to be final.

• Should the police interfere, the referee to name the next meeting place

• Should either dog get fanged during the fight, the handler of the fanged dog shall make it known to the referee, and if he finds that the dog is fanged it is his duty to allow the handler of the dog to try and unfang him; if he can't, they must be separated and the dog unfanged, when the dogs must be taken to the center of the pit and let go not more than two feet apart.

• No sponging shall be allowed, and no towels or anything else taken into the pit by the handlers except a bottle of drink for his dog and a fan to cool him with. The handlers must taste their dog's drink before the referee to show that it contains no poison.

• If the handler of either dog is seen to take anything from any one on the outside of the pit, he is to lose the battle Each party shall have the right to put a man in his opponent's corner to watch the handler. Should he see the handler put anything on his dog he may appeal to the referee, and if the referee finds anything on the dog he is to lose the battle.

• Should either handler leave the pit with his dog before the referee renders his decision, he is to lose the battle.

• The handlers shall be allowed to encourage their dogs by voice or hands, but should they use foul, dirty methods, such as saving their dogs from hard falls or keeping the other handler away from his dog, or in any other way act unfairly, the referee must decide the battle against him.

SOME OLD ENGLISH RULES.

• Both the dogs to go to scale, neither dog to exceed a certain weight, on penalty of losing the battle money. Color to be named in the articles if required. Time-keepers, two umpires and referee to be chosen agreeable to both parties in the pit. The pit to be from ten to twelve feet square, with white scratch marks or scratch corners, say about two feet size in opposite corners, termed scratch marks.

• The dogs to be tasted or tried if any pernicious rubbing or faking the dogs. If so, by the direction of the referee the dogs to be thoroughly washed clean, or by his decision to forfeit all claim to the stakes; the dogs to be tasted and tried before and after setting-to if required, to be decided by the referee; two buckets of clean water to be mixed and toss for choice in the pit.

• To toss for choice of corners and each dog to be loosed in a fair style by their seconds The dog that makes the first fault—that is, that goes away first—to be the first to scratch, or go in, providing he is picked up at the time of his first fault or go away, then each dog to scratch in turn alternately, no matter which makes the fault or go away After the first go away each dog to scratch in turn, the dog that scratches last to be declared the winner.

If either dog be so distressed as not to be able to mouth the other, but to go to the opposite scratch, the dog whose turn it is to go in must go all the way across without stopping.

To constitute a fair go in, his fore feet must touch the opposite scratch.

• Neither seconds to touch either dog, or behave unfair to either dog or second in the pit If so, by the appeal and decision of the referee to be disqualified, either second throwing his dog across the pit to be deemed foul Stamping on or near the dog's head to be deemed foul If picked up in a mistake to be put down again and fairly fought out Unless if picked up intentionally foul, to be decided by the referee.

• To constitute a fair go away or picked up, both dogs to be free of each other, both their heads and fore feet from the other; the second of either dog to watch minutely, to pick his dog when he moves away as above.

If while picking up either dog should catch hold of the other, the second to put his down again and fairly await for a fair go away and pick up. This rule to be strictly adhered to, and if any dispute arises to be appealed to the umpires and referee, and the referee's decision in all such appeals, right or wrong, to be binding on all occasions. None but experienced judges should undertake such unthankful offices, and to be agreed to by both parties.

When the seconds pick up their dogs, to go to their respective corners and wash and sponge then dogs' mouths One minute to be allowed for time, the time-keeper to call out aloud at forty-five seconds, "Hands out of the pit " At fifty seconds, "Get ready " Both dogs to be shown a fair head at the scratch At sixty seconds, call, "Time," let go, the time keeper to observe, "It is your turn to go in," naming dog and master.

• Each party to be allowed a friend agreeable to both parties to be a silent observer in each corner but to be kept a respectful distance from either dog, water etc If any unfair chicanery on either side is suspected to be decided by the referee.

The Dog Pit

Dimensions of circular pit —Twenty-four feet round, eight feet in diameter, thirty inches high, when the boards are straight.

Dimensions of square pit—Eight feet square thirty-six inches high, with a border of three and one-half inches wide, of Virginia pine, the boards grooved.



MR. W. S. SEMMES.

On another page will be found an illustration of Mr. W. S. Semmes of Sardis ,Miss. , and his famous dog, Jack. Mr. Semmes is one of the best known fanciers of Pit Bull Terriers in America and has owned, bred and fought many good dogs. He is in the game purely for the sport and the pleasure he derives in breeding and owning top-notchers. Three of his best dogs are Semmes' Jack, Semmes' Colonel and Semmes' Dolly. The picture of the Colonel will be found in Mr. Semmes' advertisement on another page of this book, and Dolly in Dr. Williams' page advertisement. He sends us the following descriptions of the three dogs mentioned:

Semmes' Jack was a 55-pound dog. Mr. Semmes called him the champion of North America at the weight. He was a combination of the Gas-House and Burke's imported Rafferty dog; was imported from W. J. Farren of St. John , N. B., Canada . Jack was a terrible punisher, in fact, old time dog men claim he was without doubt the greatest fighting dog of this age. He killed Farren's Tim in 47 minutes, killed Powers' Bob in 49 minutes, licked Poole's dog of Decatur , Ala. , in 16 minutes, stopped Rowdy of New Orleans, who had been expressly brought from Brooklyn, N.Y., to defeat him, in 18 minutes, stopped Faulkner's Duke at Tallahatchie in 27 minutes. Was open against all comers for any amount for four years without a taker.

Semmes' Colonel, 42 pounds in condition, was a son of Big Jack out of East Port Mollie, a Burke bred bitch. Colonel won a national reputation when he killed Green's Jack of New Orleans in 42 minutes. Green's Jack, after he killed Bowser's Crib in a fight lasting three hours and thirty-five minutes, was justly entitled to be called the best in the country. Colonel lost in St. Louis on a foul. Semmes' Dolly, claimed by her owner as the most perfect type of Pit Bull Terrier in the country, was sired by Lattimore's Dick, who won several times around Canada and was killed in his last battle in Boston . Dolly was darned by Harley's Dolly, the champion 22-pound bitch of Canada and the United States, having won her title by defeating Rogan's Mollie, who had previously held this title.

DR. PORTER'S ANTISEPTIC HEALING OIL

For cuts and sores on your dog we know of nothing better than Dr. Porter's Antiseptic Healing Oil. This may be procured at any drug store, in 25-cent and 50-cent sizes, or may be had from the manufacturers, the Paris Medicine Co., of St. Louis , Mo. Although this is not advertised as especially for dogs, a great many dog fanciers are using it very successfully for cuts, wounds, sores, canker and all sorts of skin diseases on their dogs. As a household remedy for cuts, burns, sores, etc., on the human body it has no superior, and no family should be without it. Its prompt application to a cut prevents any possibility of blood-poisoning.

TRAINING FOR RAT-KILLING MATCHES

For Fox-Terriers, Black and Tan Terriers, and

Small Bull-Terriers, or any Rat-Killing

Dogs or Bitches.

Speed is the main thing to train for, but the dog's bite should also be trained, so that he will be a sure killer. A fat dog is generally of little account, as he possesses neither speed nor wind. However, I will give my method for taking off fat and producing speed, at the same time developing the bite. Ten days is plenty of time to condition a dog for a short ratting contest.

For the first day's work give your dog a run of five minutes on the training machine (described elsewhere), following this with the fishing-pole work for about the same time. This will be enough work for the first day, as you must get the inside fat off the first thing. Feed your dog lightly once a day. Give him cold boiled water to drink This will aid in reducing his weight. After all, that is the main purpose in the training, inasmuch as the lighter the dog enters the pit the fewer rats he will have to kill.

Repeat the work as above indicated for about five days After you have taken off your dog's extra flesh, work him entirely on the fishing-pole and spring-pole. Arrange the coonskin at such a height that the dog's fore feet are off the ground when he has hold of the coonskin Stop the dog as soon as his speed is gone, he has done enough for one work-out You may work him twice a day, if you think it desirable, but if you adopt this plan don't work him too long at a time Occasionally work him on the fishing-pole and coonskin by leaving the coonskin on the ground all the time, pulling it back and forth and around, exercising him to turn and snap quickly, as he will have to do in the rat pit A grass lawn or sandy ground is the best for this sort of work, so your dog will not hurt his feet Keep this work up as indicated till the morning of the match.

RULES GOVERNING RAT-KILLING MATCHES

• Each dog must kill as many rats as he (the said dog) weighs pounds.

• Any dog exceeding one-quarter of a pound over the pounds he weighs is to kill one rat extra, unless otherwise agreed on.

• The name of the owner, the color, name, etc ,of the dog, weight and number of rats they have to kill must be written on separate slips of card and put into a hat or can.

• A referee and a time-keeper to be appointed, with a stop-watch and another person to look over him, the time to be kept by one watch only, and in case of any dispute, the decision of the referee to be final .

• The smallest number of rats are to be put into the pit, a card is then to be drawn from the hat or can, and the number of rats named on it to be announced, and the rat catcher is to make up the number (if any is required) when the name of the owner and of his dog is to be announced.

• The second is to let the dog go when the timekeeper is ready to take the time by anyone that may be agreed on.

• The second is not to touch the dog or rat until he considers the rats are all dead. He is then to pick up his dog and call time dead, the timekeeper to stop his watch and announce the time N B —If the second infringe upon this rule by touching the dog or rats for any purpose, the referee shall adjudge the dog to have lost the match.

• If the owners of any dogs not engaged in the match (but no other person) consider that the rats are not all killed, or that the second has picked up his dog foul—that is, he has taken up the dog before he had bitten all the rats—he is to appeal to the referee, and if he (the referee) considers that he has done so intentionally, the said dog to be excluded N B—if the referee considers that it is not a foul pick up, but that the rats are not all dead, he is to point them out, and if there is any doubt, the second is to tread on their tails, and if they crawl their whole length they are to be considered live rats, and the dog is to be put down again to kill them.

RULES FOR MATCHES

• The owner of each dog to provide, at the time named m the agreement, the number of rats that his dog is to kill.

• Half of each person's rats is to be put in the pit, and then toss for choice of rats; and if the winner of the toss chooses the rats that are in the pit, his dog is to kill the first.

• If one rat catcher finds rats for both parties, the rats (if possible) are all to be put 111 one cage; and the number of rats the first dog is to kill is to be put into the pit, when the parties are to toss for choice of rats, and the same proceedings to be observed as in Rule 2, unless otherwise agreed on. In all handicap matches each clog must kill an equal number of rats to the number of pounds he weighs.

• A five-pound dog to kill five rats; a ten pound dog to kill two rats extra; a fifteen-pound dog to kill three rats extra; a twenty-pound dog to kill four rats extra; a twenty-five pound dog to kill five rats extra, or one rat for every additional five pounds weight.

• Any dog weighing one, two, three or four pounds between any of the above weights, one second of time shall be allowed to the time he kills his quantity of rats in; for instance, a seventeen pound dog kills three rats in fourteen seconds, he is to have two seconds added to his time, because he weighs seventeen pounds, which is two pounds above the specified weight, viz.:a fifteen-pound dog to kill three rats, and so on in the same proportion.

EAR-CROPPING

A Bull Terrier's ears should not be cropped before the dog is six months old, and it is even better to wait until he is eight months. By this time the muscles in the ears have become well developed and the cropped ear will stand erect. Especially is this so where a high cut is desired. We give below Mr. F. G Henry's method of cropping a young dog's ears:

Take a carpenter's saw trestle and on this nail a board about four to six inches wide with a hole cut in the board about two inches in from end of board, large enough to let the pup or dog's head in up to his eyes. Nail this board on tight with the end with hole in it extending just beyond end of trestle Put your pup astride the trestle. Put his nose in hole in board and tie him down tight with strap or any good strong cloth. You then have your pup securely tied and with his ears ready to commence on Get in front of him and pull both ears up straight above his head, with the points of ears perfectly even Hold them with your left hand and take a pair of sharp scissors. Nick them both at one cut as low down on ear as you want to leave them, usually about 2 to 2 1/4 inches on a three months old pup Let go of one ear and cut the other ear off straight across from where you have it notched. Then start at top of ear and cut diagonally down about two-thirds of way of ear with one cut. Have your assistant hold this piece up about its natural position and start at bottom or butt of ear and cut up to where you left off. Trim off all rough edges, put some tannic acid on cut to stop bleeding and go ahead and cut other ear in same way. Now untie your pup, put him in a dark or quiet place and let him alone. Look in at him once in awhile and if an artery is spurting pinch it and put some more tannic acid on that spot; but if he is just bleeding a little don't bother him and let him be as quiet as possible, and then you can wash him up next day, but don't wash ears Let blood dry on them as it helps to stiffen them. In a week or ten days the scab or crust on ears will crack and start to fall off. Then take a little Vaseline and soften scabs and start to pull ears up with thumb and fingers. This will keep them from curling. If the ears are inclined to drop down, take a piece of old kid glove and cut two strips about two inches long and three-fourths of an inch wide. Get some silicate of soda and put this on pieces of kid glove and one end of this on hairy side of one ear. Hold it a minute until it sets, then pull the other ear over and stick it on the other end and hold that a few minutes and it will dry, and then you have the ears fastened to each other over the top of head Put the other piece of kid on top of this, sticking it on the inside or smooth side of ear. Let this remain for a week or two weeks and on removing you will find that ears are all straightened up fine with a little pulling.

Silicate of soda is the only thing I have ever found that will hold, as the heat of body softens all kinds of glue while heat hardens the above.

A dog never gets so old you can't cut his ears I have trimmed the ears on lots of dogs from four to six years old.

In cutting ears, take your time and don't get excited. It is only a short job at best and you need not be afraid of dog bleeding to death during operation.

By the use of the Ear-Cropping Clamp, sold by "The Dog Fancier," Battle Creek , Mich. , a quicker, more stylish and more satisfactory ear-trim can be made. Use the clamp, and employ a razor to cut with, instead of scissors. By making a pattern from a piece of cardboard, both ears can be cropped exactly alike.

Bull Terriers should never have their tails docked.

Directions for Foot Wash

Get some green white oak bark, say half peck. When cut up in small pieces put five or six quarts of water on it, and let it boil slowly three or four hours. Then stain it in a vessel, and let cool. When it is ready to use it is good for a raw sore and it is cooling It toughens the feet, and does not hurt a dog to lick it. If you cannot get the bark from the tree, you can get the dry ground bark at the drug store Do not cork the jug or jar; it will burst it.

HINTS ON HANDLING IN THE PIT

The following suggestions are given by the veteran handler and trainer, Mr. L Bowser:

Never lose your head enough to get angry. Be a gentleman with your opponent; and be sure to handle your dog m strict accordance with the rules Don't get in a jangle with any one outside of the pit. Attend to your dog Fan him all you can Let him know that you are with him by calling his name, not loud, but just so he hears you, and when you get a scratch, if you have to go, turn your dog as soon as referee orders, "Let Go' This will give your dog time to see the other dog Encourage your dog all the time, and when let go keep it up, encouraging him all you can with voice and hands Don't push him; it will not help him go over, and is a foul.

When it is the other dog's turn to scratch, don't let loose of your dog until the other dog has come entirely across I have seen the other dog stop within a foot of my dog and come no farther, losing the battle When you get a pick-up and get back to your corner, examine your dog's mouth and see if he is fanged Pour some drink on his tongue also and hold his forelegs apart to give his lungs a chance to work easily. Have some parties in your corner with big fans and cool him off all you can Keep all water off of him; it does no good.

I have used, when pitting a white dog, a white suit, and have covered my dog as much as the rules would allow, and sometimes a little more so, to good advantage. When handling a dark dog, I use a dark suit The other dog cannot tell how big the dog is under these circumstances, and if he is not very "game" he will stop, thus losing the battle

Never take your dog out of the pit until the referee has given his decision That's what he is chosen for, and this causes a dispute when you do it.

If you have a good fighter that can punish, and have him all in good shape, don't work for a pickup at all, but let him work until you see that the other dog is getting weak or his wind is gone, and you have won your turn. Then it is the proper thing to try for a pick-up Keep this policy up all the way through the battle.

Should the other dog not start when his handler lets go of him, or should he stop on the way over, pick your dog up in your arms and claim the battle. And do it instantly, for if you hold him on the floor, he may make a start, but if you have him in your arms he can't go any farther, and your claim is good.

If the referee decides in your favor, take your dog and get out of the pit immediately, and don't stop to argue the case with anyone Remember it is usually the cheap guy who starts the argument and creates a disturbance.

Care of the Dog after Battle

After the battle is over it is very necessary to give your dog the best of care, for fear of his catching cold and blood-poisoning setting in Wash his wounds with diluted alcohol (make it one-half water). Then dry him and cool him off well, wrap him in a good, warm blanket, and put him in good, warm quarters. Use Dr. Porter's Antiseptic Healing Oil, or peroxide of hydrogen for two or three days, and he will soon be O K. again

His first feed after the battle should be bread and milk It is well to give him this just after the battle, for he is then in need of both food and drink, not having been fed for twenty-four hours previous to the battle.

Some of the Foul Tricks Used

In washing an opponent's dog the man who does the washing may have a small hypodermic needle or syringe filled with poisonous fluids, and gets it in the tub under the water and injects it in the leg of the dog, and in thirty minutes the dog is helpless. Some have it in the form of pills, and if allowed to get it to the dog's mouth will give him one. If this cannot be done while in the tub, it is done while the dog is being carried to his corner in the pit or while being held there. They also try to get some small bird shot in his ear. This will make a dog crazy after fighting thirty minutes They also try to get cold water over his kidneys when they are rinsing the dog off after washing.

The dope game is a broad field. Every one has the best, and also the best way to use it. Some use a paint, put on from two to three days before the battle, then in the pit, if allowed to sponge during scratches. Some dogs are doped after being washed clean when being dried by using double towels, same as double sponge. With the towels you furnish, give him one at a time He must be searched to see if he is clean, so he cannot put on your dog anything in the dope line

When the dogs are washed, there should be no one but the referee and the man that holds the dog in the tub and the man that washes the dog allowed in the room 01 near the dog

The proper way is to put your dog in the tub, then take him by the muzzle and never let it out of your hands Hold his ears down close to his head for them to wash around ears and neck. See that they don't fill his ears with water, and when your dog is washed, you lub him dry, then wrap him in the blanket they furnish When the man that is to carry him to the pit is ready to take him, you take him by the nose and never let it go until he is in his corner. Then never take your eyes off him while this man has him in charge. Many times this is the man who does the dirty work.

DISEASES AND TREATMENT

The health of your dog is generally assured if proper attention to his environment be zealously maintained. But conditions may arise, indeed, frequently do, which no one could guard against, and the result is derangement of the dog's health, abnormal conditions which we term disease. So, granting the contingency, the manner of meeting it should be carefully studied that serious harm may be averted.

As in the human family, the large majority of deaths occurring among dogs is found in those under a year old And the disease that carries off the majority of the canine race is the contagion known as distemper That this is a germ disease has been clearly proven by eminent specialists like Millais, Dr. Cecil French and Galli Valerio.

A dog exposed to this disease is pretty apt to be affected, unless his vitality is unimpaired and his conditions of living perfect. The Bull Terrier has as good resisting powers as any breed, and if his strength has not previously been exhausted, he will not be an easy victim Pure bred dogs are much more liable to this disease than mongrels, for the evident reason that their lives are largely artificial. A dog raised for show and breeding purposes can no more be allowed to roam at his own discretion than can a court lady be allowed to mix with the common herd. But his artificial life can be so carefully adjusted that he will scarcely be injured by its unnatural conditions.

Excessive in-breeding is a source of much weakness in dogs, and its value is questionable. Nature asserts the same laws here as in the human family. Dogs deprived of full liberty must have stated times for exercise, and their kennel environment must be as cheerful and wholesome as possible.

To guard against this dread disease, two general rules can be laid down: I. Keep your dogs in dry, warm, cheerful, commodious kennels, with plenty of water and good, wholesome food. Give them all the exercise that their active nature demands. 2 Use every precaution to not expose them to the contagion. If the first rule is rigidly observed, you have so strengthened your dog's resisting powers that if exposure to the germ does occur, he is likely to resist it altogether or to experience it in only a mild form.

The complications arising from distemper are more to be dreaded than the disease itself, for if the dog has an impaired or weakened organism, the distemper germ is sure to find it out and begin its ravages there. The general symptoms of the disease are a dry, hard nose, increased temperature, quickened pulse, extreme thirst, and later, discharges from the nose and eyes. In the early stages, careful nursing will effect much more than medicine The patient should be isolated immediately and his quarters made as comfortable as for a human being. A dry, warm bed, plenty of fresh air, water and sunshine should be provided. If he is constipated, the bowels should be opened with a dose of syrup of Buckthorn and sweet oil, one or two tablespoonfuls of each, according to his age. Two or three times a day give a cupful of milk into which has been poured a tablespoonful of strong tea made of sweet fern leaves; the tea will allay inflammation. Feed freely with nourishing food; beef or mutton broth, raw beef minced fine, milk and raw eggs.

If the patient refuses to eat, he should be forced to, if his strength appears to be failing. Be careful not to irritate him, and keep him quiet and scrupulously clean. Watch every symptom carefully, and if your dog was in good health when attacked, he will be convalescent in a few days under this treatment. But convalescence is not health, and this is a critical period in distemper. Do not relax your care and watchfulness until full health is entirely restored.

In case of complications affecting the nervous system, resulting in chorea, no medicine is required, except in severe cases a tonic of cod liver oil, in teaspoonful doses three times a day, mixed in a cup of milk. This, with nourishing food and careful nursing, will bring the patient through all right.

Paralysis following distemper is usually hopeless, unless it be only in the hinder parts, which is usually caused by constipation, and disappearing when the cause is removed.

Mange is a disease that is due to a very small parasite that burrows in the skin, and when properly attended to in its earliest stage, is easily eradicated, but if neglected, the skin becomes so thickened that it is difficult to reach the parasite by any remedy that could be safely applied to the skin of the dog. So to guard against the approach of this disease, your dogs should be examined carefully every week; this can be done by passing the hand over every portion of his body, and if the skin is rough or pimply to the feeling, the parasite is probably at work. Apply at once an ointment made of balsam of Peru and sulphur, each one ounce, with six ounces of lard. These should be thoroughly mixed without heating, and freely applied three or four times a day, and rubbed in gently.

Continue this treatment for a week or so. In cases of long standing, the same treatment may be applied, but the dog should be thoroughly washed with warm water and castile soap to remove all dirt and scabs, that the ointment may penetrate as far as possible into the skin. If the disease does not yield to this treatment, sulphurous acid diluted in six times its bulk of water, may be freely applied once or twice in twenty-four hours, according to the severity of the case. Carbolic acid is sometimes used with good effect as far as killing the parasite is concerned, but its absorption into the system is apt to have some bad effect upon the dog's health. If it is used, three drams to one quart of water is about the right proportion, and when applied should not be allowed to remain more than two or three minutes, when it should be washed off with strong soapsuds.

Among the many troubles to which puppies of all breeds are liable, that of diarrhoea is one of the most frequent. It may be set up—most often, perhaps, is—by worms; or, again, it may be due to the change of food when they leave the dam. But, whatever the originating cause is, the immediate cause is intestinal irritation, set up by foetid matter, which needs to be removed Now, the great mistake many people make in treating this complaint is m giving chalk mixtures, which in reality tend to increase rather than diminish the dysenteric symptoms It is far better to give a mild purge— say a good dose of sweet oil or a little castor oil, which will, as a rule, carry off the whole trouble. At the same time the cause must be inquired into, and, if it be due to worms, a proper dose of worm medicine must be administered, and a careful watch must always be kept afterwards for any sign of a reappearance of the parasites. If, however, the cause appears to be merely the food supply, this should be changed accordingly.

Worms in young dogs is a very frequent ailment, and if your pups become affected, feed them all the sour milk they will eat. When kept clean and fed properly the trouble will scarcely become serious, and lobbered milk will surely bring forth the parasites. If the puppy is afflicted in large numbers, withhold the meal at night, and give him a pan of sour milk in the morning. Among the most common symptoms of worms are a hot, dry nose, unusual appetite, bloated abdomen, dry and staring coat, an offensive breath and a hacking cough.

For worms in young puppies one of the very best remedies extant is Dr. Clayton's Vermifuge in soft capsules, and the liquid vermifuge or worm pills are effective in older dogs. We are glad to recommend the Clayton remedies for any of the many ailments of your dogs. You will find the list of remedies in Dr. Clayton's advertisement in this book.

TIGER JIM



Tiger Jim, whose photo is reproduced herewith, was one of the best dogs of his day and was an inmate of the Bourbon Kennels of Louisville, Ky., Mr. Rubel purchasing him when Jim was a puppy, from Mr. S. C. Meddick of Ovid, N. Y. Tiger Jim was a solid tiger-brind1e, handsome, well made from nose to stern, and about as game a dog as ever entered a pit. He was winner of several battles, the last one being at Cincinnati , Ohio , March 23 1908, when he killed Denny in one hour and fifty-four minutes Mr. L Bowser trained Jim for this battle and he says it was the fiercest fight he ever saw Jim died eight days after the battle. The Bourbon Kennels have contained some of the best pit dogs of the day, among them being old Champion Dan (whose picture will be seen in Mr. Rubel's advertisement in this book), Turk, Pilot, Paddy Prince and others.

RED PADDY



Red Paddy was a 35 pound dog owned by Dr. R P McComb of San Francisco, California, and was not only a handsome individual, but a five-times winner in the pit Dr. McComb inherited his fancy for the breed from his father, who was a prominent official in Wisconsin The kennels now located in San Francisco are modem and commodious.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A KENNEL

The following article is a description of a kennel suitable for the convenience of twenty-five dogs and as many puppies first should be considered the location This should be high and dry, a side hill giving the best results so that excessive rains will not form pools of water in the kennel yard Select your site and stake it oft ten rods square Get cedar posts nine feet long set them in the ground three feet, one rod apart, taking special care that corner posts are firmly anchored Dig a trench from post to post eighteen inches deep. Next get some No. 12 galvanized wire, lay this in trench and staple to each post, drawn tight with wire stretcher After this wire is drawn tight all around the yard at bottom of trench, then stretch the second wire just two inches above the lower wire, then the third, and so on until you have nine rows of wire two inches apart Next throw the earth into the trench, leaving the top wire exposed By taking this precaution you may rest assured that your dogs will never trouble you by digging out of the kennel yard Now get forty lods of good, lehable kennel fencing, which should be six feet high, and a two-inch mesh Fasten it to the posts firmly, the lower wire meeting the top wire previously fastened from post to post.

The foundation of the kennel building should be next considered. This should be of stone, 18 inches thick and three or four feet high, 16x60, which will furnish ample room. Have an opening at each end of the wall, two by three feet, to allow the dogs to run in during hot days or stormy weather. Next lay the joists, then the studding, which should be six or seven feet high. Have a good pitch to the roof. Before putting on siding or shingling, get some good building paper, covering all sides and roof. For this purpose there is nothing finer made than "Cobot's" sheathing, a superior building paper, two layers of paper between which is woven eel grass, one-fourth of an inch in thickness. This paper will keep out heat as well as cold, is germproof, and cannot burn on account of the salty nature of the lining Place this on roof boards before shingling if a thorough job is wanted. Next put on your siding. Have three windows on each side, 30x60 inches, with two sash that will slide by each other, which are much handier than ones that raise. A well-lighted kennel is much more healthful than a dark one. Have door at each end of the kennel. Have a brick chimney built at each end of the kennel. In summer time you can use the chimney in cook room with short length of pipe; in cold weather you can run a stovepipe the full length of the building to the other chimney, which will warm up the interior at no great expense while the food is being cooked. Next put up a partition at each end of the building 10x16 feet, one to be used for cook and wash room, the other for office. The floor on the wash room should be built on a slant to allow all water to run away freely.

You will now have a space of forty feet between office and cook room which will be used for kennels or stalls for the dogs as follows: On each side of the building from office to cook room make a solid bin or box of matched flooring three feet high and four feet wide; the framework of this stall should be of two-inch strips one inch thick; have them cut three and four feet long, nail firmly at corner, one of each size; this will form a square; now draw a line from one end of room to the other on each side near wall; this will line up your framework perfectly. Nail one end of the frame to each studding, the other corner to the floor; now proceed to put on your matched flooring. Nail the front solid, the top should be on hinge to get at the dogs and clean out easily, so only nail firmly the first two boards near the wall, then have the balance of the top work on hinge. Now divide this long stall into small compartments by placing a partition of matched flooring at every second studding or four feet, the studding being set two feet apart; have the top sawed across every four feet so that each stall will have a separate door at top. which will give you ten separate stalls on each side. Now have an opening cut through the siding, 12x18 inches, for a door in each stall, opening into the yard; have this at one end of each stall instead of at the center, so your dogs can lay away from the doorway in case of heavy winds or hot or cold weather. In winter weather for day protection have a common grain sack or carpet tacked on inside over the door to keep out cold and severe draughts For night protection a dog should have even more than this, for a dog, like a human being, enjoys comfort at night. For this purpose the simplest and best method is to have a sliding door on the outside. This should be made of matched flooring, four inches wider and longer than the opening, and have this door made so it will slide easily up and down by placing a screw eye on top to which is fastened a good heavy cord, having this cord pass up and over a pulley through a hole into the building, so that the door can be raised or lowered at will from each side of the building. After the stalls are made you will have a large room, 40 feet long and eight feet wide, where you can keep a sick clog, or bitches in season, or use it as a store room for crates, etc One side of the kennel and yard should be kept for matured dogs, the other for puppies and bitches in season, or for bitches with pups In order to protect pups and bitches in season, get some wire fencing and divide off one side of kennel yard same as their stalls, nail one end of fencing firmly to building, or to a post set at building, and have this fencing go straight out to the post at outside fencing, which composes your main kennel fence. This will give you ten separate yards that are four feet wide and about forty feet long, sufficient for the puppies until they are old enough to go in the main yard with the matured dogs. Bitches kept in an enclosure like this are absolutely safe from stray stud dogs, neither can they get out, as has been the source of much annoyance to many owners of bitches in season.

Do not neglect to place eave troughs on the building, and have a large tank to catch the water so that you may always have a good supply of soft water for washing the dogs. The handiest tub to wash dogs in is made of clear pine boards, 14 inches wide, 6 feet long Make the box tight and paint it. With a box like this you can work all around your dogs in washing. Place this tub near the tank, have the tank elevated, so that after washing you can give the dog a good rinsing from the tank, which should have a faucet and short piece of hose at the bottom. Remember that the kennel yard should be plowed up or spaded over about once a month; this will keep the soil in a sweet and sanitary condition Do not forget that a dog likes to lie under the spreading branches of a shade tree, and that it will add to their comfort to have a generous amount of trees set in the yard as well as a row around it. For this purpose there is not a handsomer or more thrifty, fast-growing tree than the Carolina poplar, not the tall, lanky Lombardy poplar, which is an eye-sore and nuisance. The Carolina poplars can be secured from any nursery at from 15 to 25 cents each when ten feet high; these will make large trees in three years The kennel yard should not be complete without a good water supply, or a pump or well, so that the dogs can have a fresh drink several times a day. An earthen dish of good size is best for this, and have it sunk in the ground to keep the water cool. If convenience is wanted and small expense not objected to, it would be well to have a one-inch pipe run from the pump to each of the yards leading to each dish, at the pump you could have a connection that would fill each dish independently, or fill all at one time, this would avoid the bother of carrying water in a pail to each dish.

An excellent kennel for one dog can be made from an old kerosene barrel, which should be burned out to do away with the disagreeable smell before using This can be done by placing a handful of shavings at the bottom of the barrel and setting them on fire. After the oil has been burned off the inside, turn the barrel over with open end to the ground, which will smother the flames. If you give your dog an ordinary box for a bed, it is a good plan to line it with tar paper, which will act as a disinfectant and also have a tendency to make the place uninhabitable for fleas and other vermin A piece of carpeting should be placed at the bottom of the box for the dog to lie on.

A Good Sleeping Box

Hardening your dogs is a precaution against disease. Dogs naturally accommodate themselves to changes in temperature, if gradually exposed. The sudden change from the house to the yard on extremely cold days is a shock, but sleeping and laying in the open develops the coats and reinforces the constitution, stimulates the appetite and makes a vigorous, resourceful dog. From 60 to 100 cubic feet of damp-proof kennel, set up dry, in an unexposed place, makes a suitable sleeping quarters without any artificial heat. It should be built of two layers of matched sheathing with a layer of paper between A sloping roof hinged at back so it may be lifted for cleaning, by raising the entire roof, no portion of the interior will be inaccessible A double acting door, raised eight inches or so from the base, will keep out draughts and will permit the dogs to enter and leave without catching in the bedding Ventilation should be amply provided by 1 1/2-inch holes bored through near the upper ends The entire box should have a super-structure to keep snow and rain from the roof and drain well over the side opposite to where the dog enters A sub-floor underneath will keep it dry Dogs soon learn the workings of the doubleacting door hinged at top and will seek shelter when they want it and likewise go into the open when tempted to exercise Only one precaution is necessary the care of the bedding, which should be clean oat or rye straw, free from dust and absolutely dry For older dogs mats can be placed over the straw Cost of box, including painting and hardware, lumber and labor,$5.00. Lumber pan be cut to size at mill.

Advertisements from the Book

Excellent read, good historical book