THE TREATMENT OF WHELPS 49 



flesh ; they should also have plenty of milk ; nor 

 should the puppies be taken from them till they are 

 able to take care of themselves i 1 they will soon learn 

 to lap milk, which will relieve the mother. The 

 bitches, when their puppies are taken away from 

 them, should be physicked ; they should have three 

 purging-balls given them, one every other morning, 

 and plenty of whey the intermediate day. If a bitch 

 bring only one or two puppies, and you have another 

 bitch that will take them ; by putting the puppies 

 to her, the former will be soon fit to hunt again : 

 she should, however, be physicked first ; and if her 

 dugs be anointed with brandy and water, it will also 

 be of service. The distemper makes dreadful havoc 

 with whelps at their walks, greatly owing, I believe, 



[ l It is most important to keep the pups healthy until they are ready 

 to go to their walks, and it is as well to employ a boy to spend his entire 

 time in looking after them. At a month old they will begin drinking 

 milk if the boy takes a little trouble in tempting them, and the bitch will 

 thus have her task made easier. When the pups are ten days or a 

 fortnight old they should be put in movable kennels and taken on clean 

 ground, the bitch being allowed to roam where she lists, but the pups 

 may be kept in with a wire run. As soon as the pups will lap readily 

 they should be fed three times a day, and soaked bread or biscuit added 

 when they will eat it. A lad fond of animals will do this work better 

 than a man, with the occasional supervision of the huntsman. The dew 

 claws may be removed at about a month old, a sharp pair of scissors 

 being used for the purpose. Each litter should be marked in the ear 

 with a different letter or number in Indian ink, so that there will be no 

 confusion when they come back from walk. The best plan is to use 

 a letter and number together, and thus by changing the combination 

 several litters can be marked with one or two letters. This, when done 

 properly, makes branding unnecessary. When the pups are about eight 

 or nine weeks old they should be sent out to walk ; but before going 

 they should be dressed with a mixture of yellow sulphur and lard in 

 equal parts, adding about four teaspoonfuls of turpentine to a pound of 

 sulphur. Unless the pups look well when they go out you cannot expect 

 them to be in good order on their return.] 

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