54 THE AIREDALE 



are over eight years old that is a very good age 

 limit at which to retire them from active service. 

 A bitch may be bred at her first " heat," if she 

 is not too young and is strong and healthy. 



Most people know that a bitch comes in sea- 

 son, or is " in heat," fairly regularly at six 

 months intervals, and that this is the only time 

 when she will have any sexual connections with a 

 dog. The terriers generally come into their first 

 heat when eight or nine months old and are re- 

 markable for the regularity of their periods. 

 The first sign is a swelling of the external parts 

 and bleeding. After a week or ten days the 

 bleeding is followed by a thickish, white discharge. 

 This is the time to breed her. 



One service is all that is necessary the old 

 timers to the contrary notwithstanding. Two 

 services were formerly given, but this is no longer 

 done by the best breeders. The time of gesta- 

 tion is only sixty-three days, and the second 

 service, two days after the first, has been sus- 

 pected of destroying the effect of the former. 

 Statistics show that there are fewer misses and 

 just as many puppies when there is but one 

 service, as when there are two. 



The single service is obviously a great saving 

 of the energies of the stud dog, who, if he be pop- 

 ular, has to make heavy demands on his vitality. 



