In a case like this it would seem that animal foods could be largely relied upon as the least likely to fatten, but Yorkshires ought not be given much meat, for it is stimulating and quite sure to heat them up if allowed in considerable quantity; nor is it possible to give the amount of exercise required to obviate this effect and prevent the blood from becoming contaminated with the impurities which result from excess of animal food. These impurities present, the entire system suffers, but in dogs they seem to have a decided preference for the skin. Therefore, once the blood is out of order a bad condition of the skin may follow, the hair will then of course be affected, and when that begins to come out it will fall off rapidly, and the owner of the victim would likely have to wait more than a year, and perhaps two years, before he could show again.

Consequently "lighter" food must be mainly relied upon. But of course some meat can be given, chopped very fine, and what vegetables are allowed should be those that grow above ground, such as lettuce, spinach and other "greens."

While new milk is one of the most bland and least stimulating of foods it is to some extent fat-producing, owing to its cream, therefore if milk is allowed the overweighty it should be skimmed milk or buttermilk, and the latter for choice. But many toys do not seem to like buttermilk, many also will throw it back, consequently where it is refused or not kindly received by the stomach, skimmed milk with a little water added should be substituted. And of this or buttermilk nearly a saucerful might be given for breakfast, and smaller quantities a few times during the day.

It is well to add that although advisable to restrict the quantity of fluids where efforts are being made to reduce the weight by dietetic means alone, without the assistance of exercise, an exception can be made of skimmed or buttermilk because of their stimulant action upon the kidneys, by means of which the slight fat-producing tendency is more than compensated for.

Mutton is less fattening than beef, therefore it is to be preferred in a case like the one under consideration. Rich soups favor a laying on of fat, consequently they must be forbidden. As for starchy foods, the quantity of them for all overweight dogs must be very small indeed, and it would be advisable always to restrict them largely if not wholly to plain biscuits and "white bread" that has been toasted or baked until brown and crisp.

In a word, mutton broth and biscuits, or broth with toast, mutton, a bit of the greens occasionally, and skimmed milk or buttermilk should be the main supports in feeding an overweighty Yorkshire; while for a change he might be allowed "tea sops" - bread or toast soaked in tea - if, like the most of his kind, he seemed to care for them.

Every day he should be put on the scales, and if found gaining in weight either the quantity of food must be lessened or all starchy foods discontinued for a short time; in which event milk, meat and the "greens " must be mainly depended upon. And this diet could be made more nutritious without increasing the fat-producing tendency by the addition of the white of a raw egg to each feed.

In the mean time it would be absolutely necessary to watch his droppings closely, and increase slightly the quantity of "greens" did constipation exist; whereas were a tendency to diarrhoea noted the indications would be to lessen the amount of these vegetables, and perhaps the heartier foods, and feed for a time largely on new milk that had been boiled and afterward fortified by the white of a raw egg and a little boiled flour; while in actual diarrhoea did the milk appear undigested in the discharges spoon feeding with the white of raw eggs, beaten lightly in a little water, should be resorted to until marked improvement had been noted, and one or two drops of laudanum given every two or three hours if absolutely required.

At this point there intrudes a fact which has a special bearing on feeding hardy dogs that must be pulled down in weight. It is, that where a meal is made on one substance alone, whatever its nature - whether animal or starchy - even if that is allowed to some excess the tendency to fatten is less than it would be were the meal made up of several substances and the quantity of all combined was less than that of the one substance allowed. In other words, feed a dog wholly on meats or wholly on vegetable foods and they will not prove as fattening as a smaller quantity of the same foods in combination.

Resuming the consideration of the foods generally required by the most common varieties of dogs out of condition, what has been said of the nutritive value of raw eggs in their entirety may lead to the supposition that there are other fatty foods which would do quite as well as they. But all such foods are not alike serviceable, for many of them in any form are too great a burden to the digestive organs, and, besides, with scarcely an exception they are rendered much less digestible by cooking. Hence of foods that abound in fat, eggs should be used to the exclusion of all others.

But fresh eggs - and they must invariably be fresh are not easily obtained at certain seasons of the year, consequently it is well to inform the reader of another fat that can be called into service if this one is wanting.

Cod-liver oil recommends itself, for it is disposed of with such ease it can generally be taken for months without disordering digestion. And animals to which it is given not only increase in weight but become much richer in blood. Moreover, a nice adjustment of doses is rarely necessary, and if too much happens to be given it has merely a laxative effect.

Commencing with a dose of two teaspoonfuls for members of the largest varieties, one teaspoonful for dogs of about the size of English setters, or one-half that quantity for smaller breeds, the droppings should be watched and an increase made each day until the dose is five or six times greater than at first, provided no effect upon the bowels is noted. And at least two doses can be given daily with the food.

This oil, by the way, should be invariably purchased of druggists of good repute, for from them only is one likely to obtain a pure, refined quality; and as it becomes rancid in time purchasers will do well to buy a quantity sufficient to last for but two or three weeks, and keep it in a cool place while being used.