THE BORZOI. 



185 



ence of dogs, you may possibly prefer to 

 start with a puppy. If so, my advice is 

 to place yourself in the hands of a breeder 

 with a reputation at stake (unless you 

 have a friend who understands the breed). 

 It is a fact that even a " cast off " from a 

 good strain that has been bred for certain 

 points for years is more likely to turn out 

 a better dog than a pup whose dam has 

 been mated " haphazard " to 

 some dog who may or may not 

 have been a good one. Big 

 kennels also generally possess the 

 best bitches and breed from them, 

 and the bitch is quite as import- 

 ant a factor as the sire. If, how- 

 ever, you prefer to rely on your 

 own judgment, and wish to choose 

 a puppy yourself from a litter, 

 select the one with the longest 

 head, biggest bone, smallest ears, 

 and longest tail, or as many of 

 these qualities as you can find 

 combined in one individual. Coat 

 is a secondary matter in quite a 

 young pup ; here one should be 

 guided by the coat of the sire 

 and dam. Still, choose a pup 

 with a heavy coat, if possible, 

 although when this puppy coat 

 is cast, the dog may not grow so 

 good a one as some of the litter 

 who in early life were smoother. 

 As regards size, a Borzoi pup 

 of three months should measure 

 about 19 inches at the shoulder, at six 

 months about 25 inches, and at nine 

 months from 27 to 29 inches. After ten 

 or twelve months, growth is very slow, 

 although some continue adding to their 

 height until they are a year and a half 

 old. They will, of course, increase in 

 girth of chest and develop muscle until 

 two years old ; a Borzoi may be con- 

 sidered in its prime at from three to four 

 years of age. As regards price, from £5 

 to £10 is not too much to pay for a really 

 good pup of about eight to ten weeks 

 old ; if you pay less you will probably 

 get only a second-rate one. Having pur- 

 chased your puppy, there are three princi- 



pal items to be considered if you intend 

 to rear him well ; firstly, his diet must be 

 varied ; secondly, the pup must have un- 

 limited exercise, and never be kept on 

 the chain ; thirdly, internal parasites must 

 be kept in check. For young puppies the 

 writer — who has tried nearly every ad- 

 vertised remedy — has found nothing to 

 equal " Ruby " Worm Cure ; it is most 



MRS. 

 BY W 

 BRED 

 Photog, 



BORMANS PIOSTRI 



INDLE EARL ALSTON QUEEN. 



BY MR. SIDNEY TURNER. 

 aph by W. H. Stnck. 



efficacious, and does not distress the 

 patient. 



Food should be given at regular intervals 

 — not less frequently than five times a day 

 to newly weaned puppies — and may con- 

 sist of porridge, bread and milk, raw meat 

 minced fine, and any table scraps, with 

 plenty of new milk. Well-boiled paunch 

 is also greatly appreciated, and, being 

 easily digested, may be given freely. 



One important part of the puppy's 

 education that must by no means be 

 neglected is to accustom him to go on 

 the collar and lead. Borzoi pups are, 

 .as a rule, extremely nervous, and it requires 

 great patience in some cases to train them 



