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quarters, it does not matter much what the weather 

 is Uke, but after that time puppies require warmth 

 and sunshine to thrive properly. I should put March, 

 April and May as the three best months in the year 

 for the birth of whelps, and add June as a second best. 



The very early pups, should they survive a cold 

 spring, and go out to walk, will be much more likely 

 to get into mischief than later ones. Huntsmen may not 

 have realised that farmers have begun to recognise 

 poultry-keeping as an important branch of the business, 

 and a few day-old chicken will easily be captured by a 

 three months' pup. Later in the summer, the chickens 

 having learnt wisdom with their feathers, will look after 

 themselves. The ideal time for a puppy to go out to 

 walk is the middle of May. 



Let us suppose that the huntsman of a four-day-a- 

 week pack has several bitches due to whelp at the end 

 of February and first weeks of March. When they 

 are safely deUvered and it is decided how many each 

 mother may be allowed to rear, they can be safely 

 left to the care of the feeder, who will see they get 

 plenty to eat. If the mother has an abundant supply 

 of milk, the youngsters will thrive and grow, but it is 

 wisest to teach them to drink milk as soon as possible 

 after they are three weeks old, so that they will not 

 feel the pinch when their own wants are greater and 

 their mother's flow is less. Time and patience must be 

 expended on the process, each pup in turn being intro- 

 duced to the substitute for his natural food. When 

 there are several litters, the feeder, or whoever is in 

 charge of them, should be given a boy to assist ; that 

 is, if a boy can be found who is keen and fond of 

 animals. If there are a dozen Utters, the cleaning of 

 each separate kennel, giving fresh bedding and feeding 



