CHAPTER I. 

 BREEDING. 



^KINCIPLES OF BBEEDINQ. — AXIOMS FOR THE BREEDER'S USE. — CROSSINQ 

 AJST> CROSSED BREEDS.— IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH IN BOTH SIRE AND 

 DAM.— BEST AGES TO BREED FROM.— IN-AND-IN BREEDING.— BEST 

 TIME OF TEAR.— DURATION OF HEAT.— MANAGEMENT OF THE BITCH IN 

 SEASON.— THE BITCH IN WHELP.— PREPARATIONS FOR WHELPING. — 

 HEALTHY PARTURITION.— DESTRUCTION OR CHOICE OF WHELPS AT 

 BIBTH. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 



The principles upon -which the breeding of the dog should be 

 conducted are generally in accordance with those necessary for the 

 production of other domestic animals of the class Xa.nmcdia^ 

 remembering always that it is not safe to argue from one class 

 of animals to another, because their habits and modes of propaga- 

 tion vary so much as to interfere with the analogy. Thus as the 

 pigeon, in common with other birds, does not rear her young with 

 the produce of her own body to the same comparative size as most of 

 the individuals of the class Mammalia^ the mother has not so much 

 more to do with the process than the father, as is the case with the 

 bitch, mare, and cow, etc., where the quantity and quality are to 

 be taken into the calculation. Hence, in selecting a sire and dam 

 for breeding purposes among dogs, the bitch is most to be con- 

 sidered for many reasons, one being that she usually continues the 

 property of the breeder, while the sire can be changed each time 

 she breeds ; but the chief argument in her favor is founded upon 

 the supposition that she really impresses her formation upon her 

 progeny more than the dog docs. This, however, is a vexed ques- 

 tion in natural history as well as in practical breeding, but from 

 my own experience I think this is true of the bitch. Many horses 

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