PUPPING — QUANTITY OF FOOD 



in that respect. The food should be suppUed to them at 

 frequent intervals in small quantities, and the saucer 

 should be removed when they have finished, as if it is left 

 beside the puppies the contents may become sour or 

 contaminated by dirt getting into it. The owner need not 

 trouble himself as regards keeping the nest and the puppies 

 clean at first, for the dam will see to all that for him ; but 

 when they begin to move about the shed it will be 

 advisable to attend to the matter carefully, and to assist 

 matters the floor had better be thickly covered with coarse 

 sawdust. It may be necessary to change or renew the bed 

 from time to time ; but at first most bitches are very jealous 

 of having their puppies interfered with, and if so, unless 

 the bed is very badly soiled, it had better be left alone. In 

 the case of breeds the tails of which it is customary to 

 dock, the operation had better be performed whilst the 

 puppies are about two weeks old. (See Brood Bitchy Dock- 

 ing Tails y Rearing Puppies, Weaning.) 



Pupping. (See Brood Bitch.) 



Quality of Food. — No dogs can be expected to thrive 

 upon food of an inferior quality, and therefore meal which 

 is all husks, weevily, or badly baked biscuits, and, in fact, 

 cheap food generally, is usually found to be by far the 

 dearest in the end. In short, the best food is invariably 

 the best, as it goes further and nourishes the dogs, which 

 eat it far better than that of an indifferent quality. (See 

 Biscuits, Feeding.) 



Quantity of Food. — Some dogs are extremely greedy, 

 and if given as much as they will eat soon suffer in health. 

 The owner should therefore endeavour to ascertain how 

 much each animal requires to keep it in health, and regulate 

 its allowance accordingly. (See Feeding.) 



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