Show MOST U S DOGS EARN THEIR KEEP I 1 perform useful chores chorea for their owners in country and in town in the eyes of most persons dog spells pet yet by far the largest number of americas dogs earn their keep by rendering useful services for their owners according to the gaines dog research center new york city by way of proof it need only be pointed out that of the nations estimated dog population of almost eleven million live with families in rural districts on farms ranches and in small smal I 1 towns here for the most part they I 1 have their special chores such as I 1 keeping an eye on the sheep bringing in the cows keeping watch on the home premises etc chores which would otherwise take up the time and energy of a member of the family or the hired man the essential usefulness of the dog in american life can be demonstrated in another way dogs 1 are usually classified in six distinct groups sporting hounds working terriers toys and dogs american kennel club registrations over the years show the numbers in the three first mentioned groups definitely kept for useful purposes to be about twice those of the other three classifications As a matter 1 of fact it is the exceptionally large number of hunting dogs within its borders that is responsible for north carolina with its approximately 0 dogs being the t h e leader in dog population among all the states this is not to imply that dogs not included in the so called working and hunting classifications are not useful A dog is a dog whether a tiny chihuahua or a huge st bernard and is capable of performing many useful tasks taught J him by his master in addition to providing joyful companionship I 1 selfless devotion and other qualities associated with the dog through the ages but whatever a dogs contribution to his owner he occupies a unique position as a me member of the family this is highfi highlighted in a survey made by the country gentleman the study showed that when a dogs health needs looking I 1 after the father of the family attends to it in 44 per cent of the cases the mother in 38 33 the son in 23 and the daughter in p 10 per cent from these figures it is is evident that in many families more than one person is responsible for I 1 the dogs welfare the same holds true in the matter of feeding the mother is responsible for feeding the dog in 73 per cent of the cases the son in 27 per cent the father in 24 and the daughter in 22 per cent |