624 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



chance of getting four good dogs if you leave but five with 

 her than if you leave eight. 



From this time until the puppies are weaned, feed her 

 plentifully; three times a day is none too often. Remem- 

 ber you are feeding many mouths, and very greedy ones at 

 that. After about six weeks take her away from the 

 puppies, but do not move them, as any change is likely to 

 give them cold; and allow her to be with them for an hour 

 or so each day, to draw off what milk she may have left, and 

 that she may clean and care for her family. 



When the puppies are eight weeks old, they may have a 

 run in the open air, of about an hour, each clear day; and 

 even at this early age they had better make the acquaintance 

 of the clippers. Shave their feet, because if they get them 

 wet they dry more readily if the long hair is cut off, and 

 so avoid colds or distemper; shave also their faces, as, in 

 my opinion, it strengthens their eyes and keeps them from 

 weeping. 



From this time on no particular treatment is necessary. 

 Keep them dry and clean, with a plentiful supply of food, 

 but give them no milk that has not first been boiled, on 

 account of worms, to which parasites these dogs seem 

 peculiarly susceptible. 



When about five months old, if it be summer, give them 

 their first entire clipping, and cord and brush their coats as 

 best you can, but do not be discouraged if they do not 

 seem to cord as they should; that will come later, and 

 indeed but few Poodles attain a really good coat until two 

 years old. 



Pay particular attention that the coat does not felt into 

 thick wads along the brisket and under the ears. If these 

 are found, they should be carefully pulled apart, beginning 

 next the skin, and separated into cords of the proper size 

 (about one-fifth of an inch in diameter), and twirled 

 between the finger and thumb until they lie apart. 



Go over the entire coat, and you will probably find many 

 locks composed of two or three cords joined together 

 throughout the greater part of their length, but with the 



