200 REARING. 



the dam is equal to tlie drain, which it seldom is, almost any num- 

 ber may be kept on her. For the first three or four days, the bitch 

 will be able to suckle her whole litter ; but if there are more 

 puppies than she has good teats, that is, teats with milk in them, 

 the weak ones are starved, unless the strong ones are kept away 

 in order to allow them access, so as to fill themselves in their turn. 

 To manage this, a covered basket, lined with wool if the weather 

 is at all cold, should be provided ; and in this one third or one half 

 of the puppies should be kept, close to the mother, to prevent 

 either from being uneasy, but the lid fastened down or she will 

 take them out in her mouth. Every two or three hours a fresh 

 lot should be exchanged for those in the basket, first letting them 

 fill themselves, when they will go to sleep and remain contented 

 for the time fixed above, thus allowing each lot in its turn to fill 

 itseK regularly. At the end of ten days, by introducing a little 

 sweetened cow's milk on the end of the finger into their mouths, 

 and dipping their noses in a saucer containing it, they learn to lap ; 

 and after this there will be little difiiculty in rearing even a dozen ; 

 but they will not, however carefully they may be fed in aid of the 

 mother, be as large as if only a small number were left on her, 

 and therefore greyhound breeders limit their litters to five, six, or 

 at most seven ; destroying the remainder, or rearing them with a 

 foster- nurse. 



