The breed makes but little difference so long as the dog is intelligent and kind.  Mixed breeds and mongrel dogs are often the most intelligent.  A thoroughbred dog will give us more satisfaction possibly than a mongrel because he will make a better appearance.  But at the same time, he is far more likely to be stolen.  There are so many breeds to select from that it is almost impossible to give much advice.  As a rule, the dog we shall like is the one we can get.  The very heavy dogs such as Saint Bernards, mastiffs and great Danes are clumsy and will require outside quarters, as they are too bulky to have in the house.  On the other hand the small toy breeds such as Pomeranians, black and tans and King Charles spaniels and pugs, are too delicate to be a real boy’s dog.  A list from which you may safely select a dog would be bull terriers, Airedale terriers, Scotch terriers, Irish terriers, cocker spaniels, pointers and setters, either Irish or English.  This is by no means a complete list.  I prefer a setter because my first dog, “Old Ben,” was a setter, and he shared in most of my fun from the earliest recollections that I have.  When he died I lost a true friend.  It was the first real sorrow I ever had.

A dog should not sleep in the same room with his owner, but should have a warm dry kennel and be taught to regard it as his home.

Do not make the mistake of overfeeding a dog.  He does not need three meals a day.  One is sufficient, about nine in the morning, when he should have all he wants to eat.  If you insist on a second meal give him a dog biscuit or a bone to gnaw on in the evening.

Keep your dog free from fleas, in spite of what David Harum says that “a reasonable amount of fleas is good for a dog, because it keeps him from brooding over being a dog.”  A thorough bath with carbolic soap and water will rid a dog of fleas, but this treatment should be repeated at weekly intervals to kill the eggs which hatch in the meantime.

Fresh insect powder or Scotch snuff if dusted thoroughly in a dog’s coat will cause fleas to leave.  This treatment should be done out of doors.  A good plan is to place the dog on a sheet or piece of white paper and work the powder well into the hair, especially around his neck and behind the ears.  Be careful not to injure his eyes.

A dog will soon recognize his master, and there is no quicker way to show that you are his master than to enforce obedience when you attempt to make him mind.  Whether a whipping is necessary depends on the dog.  With most dogs a good scolding will be sufficient.  Never whip a dog when you are angry and never overdo the matter.  It is possible to “break a dog’s spirit,” which simply means to make him afraid of you.  A dog so frightened is ruined until you regain his confidence, a very difficult thing to do.  Never cuff a dog with your hand.  Always use a whip or switch.  Let the whipping be a definite ceremony with a plain object in view.