36 THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEP DOG 



reached his twelvemonth. But he should not be put to 

 the stud, with rare exceptions, before he is eighteen 

 months old, and even then he should serve a limited 

 number of bitches during the ensuing six months. 



Such is a brief outline of the most essential points for 

 the beginner to bear in mind, and, carefully acting upon 

 them, he will rarely find himself disappointed in results. 

 Moreover, he will have the immense satisfaction of know- 

 ing that he has done something towards the ultimate 

 improvement of the breed, and nothing whatever towards 

 its deterioration. 



To sum up the propositions of this chapter, we may 

 assume that the beginner has made himself thoroughly 

 acquainted with the requirements of the correct type, and 

 has been lucky enough to possess himself of a bitch 

 embodying them. If she is a maiden she will be close 

 on two years old before he contemplates breeding from her 

 at all. And if she should come in season during the 

 late autumn or early winter he will be very wise to let 

 another six months elapse before he mates her. 



He is, then, we may suppose, the fortunate owner of a 

 sound, healthy, well-matured bitch of the correct type, a 

 type which it is his object to reproduce if possible, to 

 improve upon. 



He has already acquainted himself, if he be wise, with 

 the characteristics and family history, not only of her sire 

 and dam, but of everyone of her ancestors concerning 

 whom, by diligent inquiry, he can obtain reliable informa- 



