CHAPTER V. 

 REARING OF PUPPIES. 



Assuming that the bitch has successfully 

 whelped and all goes well, there is practically 

 nothing to do beyond seeing that the mother is 

 well fed, in which good meat, and where there 

 is a good sized litter of pups, a liberal supply of 

 milk and oatmeal gruel, is furnished. In case 

 the mother's supply of milk is inadequate, then 

 a foster mother must be obtained, or the pups 

 brought up on a bottle. If a bottle, then a 

 small one, kept scrupulously clean, with a rub- 

 ber nipple that fits easily without compression. 

 The pups must be kept perfectly warm, away 

 from draughts, in a basket lined with flannel, 

 and fed the first week every hour and a half 

 day and night, every two hours the second week, 

 and three hours in the third. I find that good, 

 fresh cow's milk, diluted one-quarter with warm 

 water, is the nearest approach to their natural 

 food. After three weeks they can be fed less 

 frequently with a spoon, and can readily be 

 taught to lap up the milk. Where it is practi- 

 cal, it is always advisable to have two or more 



