32 THE FOXHOUND 



getting in to her. I have known some remark- 

 able feats of both, and have heard of some 

 more incredible ones. 



It is neither necessary nor wise to serve a 

 bitch as soon as she is willing to accept service; 

 one week from the first appearance of discharge 

 is the proper time and two services forty-eight 

 hours apart are as good as half a dozen. The 

 period of actual heat is about ten days, though 

 this is often exceeded or decreased in duration. 

 There is little truth in the saying of nine days 

 coming and nine days going out. The average 

 length of service is fifteen minutes, and the dog 

 should be removed instantly, never being left 

 with the bitch after service. 



If the bitch forms a messalliance, a prompt 

 injection of weak solution of bichloride of mer- 

 cury will have the desired effect. Never take 

 a bitch's word for it that her heat has passed, 

 but keep her close for several days after she 

 has denied the soft impeachement. Occasion- 

 ally a bitch, though fully in heat, refuses to ac- 

 cept service. In a case of this kind she should 

 be muzzled and forced to accept only, how- 

 ever, in positive and unmistakable cases. Ex- 

 cessively fat bitches show impaired powers of 

 reproduction and frequently fail to breed or 

 will have small litters with sickly pups. 



The best conformation for brood bitches is 



