Pugs cannot stand heating foods any more than Yorkshires, which agree with them in doing better upon boiled rice as an addition to meat to make needful bulk, than upon any other farinaceous food. Next to it in value comes wheat meal; oatmeal and Indian corn meal will surely bring skin disaster. Lean meat, underdone for choice, fish, and chicken, may be varied to make the meals, with a small amount of the needful staple as bulk.
Toy spaniels in general are not difficult dogs to deal with. They are faithful and extremely affectionate dogs, and the Blenheims make good country pets, having often a considerable amount of sporting instinct, even when they come of stock which has been kept for show only for many years. The Marlborough Blenheims are, of course, examples of the sporting Blenheim, though they are not correct in show points; and there is no reason why one of these dogs, toys though they be, and fit to win, should not be a good little country companion. For towns, white long-haired dogs are not to be recommended, because of the occasional washing, which is a vexation alike to dog and owner. The colouring of the Blenheims is very taking, and one with all the show points, spot on the head included, is sure to be admired; but toy spaniels, as a race, the Jap and Pekingese excepted, are very much in the hands of professional exhibitors, and but seldom now seen as pets. The black-and-tan King Charles is inclined to be rather a silly dog, pretty enough, but not "brainy"; a loving little thing, but unintellectual--such, at least, is my experience of him. The faults of both breeds are generally too much leg, long heads and noses, instead of the big round skulls desired; small eyes, and curliness--the latter a direful mistake. The Prince Charles, or Tricolour, is the King Charles over again in three colours--black, tan, and white; and the Ruby is, as its name implies, all red; rather scarce, this is, to my mind, the prettiest of the toy spaniels. All are very susceptible to damp and cold, and should be carefully dried, especially as to the feet, after being out in rain or mud. They are sweet dogs in skin, and seldom smell "doggy"--a great virtue.
Maltese have a good many friends. These are the oldest of all lap dogs, and a good specimen, with perfectly straight hair--which is, however, but seldom found--is really a thing of beauty. They should be treated like Yorkshire terriers, except that some of the ever-recurring tubs may be avoided by dusting flour or violet powder (pure starch) into the coat and well brushing it out again. They are often spoiled by brown noses, which are a great handicap, and also by the brown marks caused by running of the eyes, which are a great disfigurement in a white dog. Here I may break off to remark that these marks would also spoil white toy Poms, but for the fact that white toys of that breed are scarce. Breeders have done their best to get them, and a good many small ones--under 6 lbs.--have been bred, but the tiny whites shown are generally deficient in some point. Of toy whites, over 6 lbs. and under 8 lbs., there are now many, and good; especially in a certain west-country kennel; but some of the best are dangerously near the limit of weights.