Rearing Puppies. 139 



he sleeps in a stable, or in an outbuilding, a bed of dry pitch 

 pine shavings, which may be obtained from your joiner or 

 carpenter, are to be recommended, and other wood shavings 

 are preferable to straw. Recently there has been intro- 

 duced to the public very fine shavings for the purpose of 

 bedding dogs called Sanus Litter. This appears to answer 

 its purpose very well indeed, and, moreover, come in handily 

 to pack up bottles and glass, which you may wish to send any- 

 where by carrier or rail. If straw or hay be used for bedding, 

 a little " Sanitas," or Jeyes' disinfectant, scattered thereon 

 keeps all things sweet, and prevents an accumulation of 

 insects. Do not wash your collie often, for too much 

 soap and water softens the coat, changes its texture; and, 

 as a fact, gives it a less healthy appearance than if his 

 cleanliness had been obtained by clean bedding, fresh air, 

 rolling on the grass, or a swim in the river or pond. 



An excellent plan, in rearing your puppies, is to give 

 them in milk, about once a fortnight, a small teaspoonful 

 of magnesia, until they are about four months old, when 

 this may be changed for half of one of the " dog pills " 

 sold by Hind, Chemist, Kendal. The latter, I and others 

 have used on various breeds of dogs for years, with great 

 satisfaction, they appear to give a healthy tone to the 

 stomach, and so the usual attack of distemper is rendered 

 less virulent and dangerous than would be the case had the 

 medicine not been given. 



Worms are a usual cause of death in puppies, and if 

 they do not produce fatal complications they often retard 

 their growth, produce an abnormal appetite, and cause the 

 animal to be ill at ease, and staring and rough in its coat. 

 To prevent this, as much as possible, 10 to 25 grains of 

 newly ground areca nut may be given to the young puppies, 



