AGE FOR BREEDING — AIR 



fourteen years old may be regarded as a very old one, 

 though cases of a still greater age having been reached 

 have been recorded. 



Age for Breeding. — As a rule it is not desirable to 

 breed from a dog before he is eighteen months old, or 

 from a bitch until she has reached the age of two years ; 

 that is to say, until the sexes have become matured. 

 This custom does not, however, suggest the fact that 

 members of the canine race are not capable of repro- 

 ducing their species at far earlier ages, indeed there are 

 known instances of puppies having been born to parents 

 neither of which have reached the age of twelve months. 

 There are occasions also when it is wise to breed from 

 quite a young bitch, as some animals seem to shoot up, 

 and not to furnish as they ought, and in such cases if 

 they bear a litter of puppies they mature better. In the 

 case of big-headed breeds, such as bulldogs and mastiffs, 

 it is sometimes desirable not to defer breeding from the 

 bitches for too long, as the bones and muscles of the 

 parts which are associated wath the act of bringing forth 

 puppies become set in the case of old dogs, and hence 

 increased danger is attached to the first labour. (See 

 Breeding.) 



Air. — The practice indulged in by some owners of 

 denying to their dogs a sufficiency of fresh air is not 

 one that can be approved of. Air, in fact, is most 

 beneficial to all dogs, though of course some discretion 

 must be displayed in providing them with it, and all 

 draughts should be avoided. There is, however, nothing 

 that is more calculated to engender delicacy amongst 

 dogs, or to foster disease, than compelHng them to 

 breathe an overheated or vitiated atmosphere, and it is 

 consequently injurious to their health and development 

 to deprive them of fresh air. (See Kennelsy Nursing, 

 Ventilation.) 



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