SELECTING A STUD-DOC 



in the body is better for breeding from than a short-backed 

 one, even though the latter property is a characteristic of 

 the breed to which they belong. An old bitch, as a rule, 

 should be mated with a young dog, and vice versa, whilst 

 middle-aged animals may be bred together ; but though 

 this is the usual and, generally speaking, wisest practice, 

 there are exceptions to every rule. (See Brood Bitchy 

 Selecting a Stud-dog, Sterility^ 



Selecting a Stud-dog. — In selecting a dog to breed 

 from, care should be exercised in deciding upon a healthy 

 animal which is in full possession of all his faculties. An 

 old or decrepit animal is rarely a successful sire, as his 

 puppies, if they come, which is not always the case, are 

 generally weakly, whilst any constitutional infirmities the 

 parent may possess are liable to be inherited by them. It 

 should be remembered, too, that there is always a liability 

 of a throw-back to some remote ancestor, and this 

 accounts for the disappointments experienced by many 

 owners who breed puppies which do not resemble their 

 parents at all. In short, the successful breeder should 

 study pedigrees and carefully note the main characteristics 

 which dominate each family before deciding upon a mate 

 for each animal. Of course, a dog whose blood has crossed 

 well with that of the bitch in other instances may be 

 expected to suit her ; but it is marvellous how often it 

 occurs that one member of a litter is a most successful 

 sire, whilst another one is absolutely valueless. On this 

 ground it is safest to rely upon the services of the sire of a 

 successful show-dog rather than upon those of the animal 

 himself until the latter has proved his merits as a sire ; and 

 it may be added that, in the case of the sporting breeds, 

 the offspring of parents which have been broken, and still 

 more so if their forefathers have been broken as well, are 

 more valuable for field purposes and easier trained than 

 those which have never been broken. (See Back Bloody 

 Brood Bitchy Sterility!) 



171 



