Pupping] 2 44 [Pupping 



some milk, may be left again for another hour 

 or two. Bitches at their first pupping should 

 always be given more time than one which has 

 had two or three litters, and this is more especi- 

 ally the case when she is three or four years old, 

 or even older. I have known bitches when over 

 nine years of age to have a litter of puppies for 

 the first time, and, as may be expected, it often 

 goes very hard with them, though with care they 

 may live through it. Once the membrane pro- 

 trudes, which the bitch generally ruptures by 

 biting, the first puppy, if everything is all right, 

 soon makes its appearance ; and, as a rule, by 

 the time the cord is divided, and she has attended 

 to the young arrival's toilet, another youngster is 

 nearly born, and in the course of an hour the bitch 

 may have given birth to three or four puppies ; 

 then, perhaps, if there are any more, there is an 

 interval of two or three hours, which gives the 

 bitch time to recover her strength, and take some 

 refreshment in the way of thin oatmeal gruel or 

 plain milk, and in most cases this is quite suffi- 

 cient ; but if there are signs of exhaustion, some 

 Brand's essence, or the white of an egg beaten 

 up with milk, and a small quantity of brandy, 

 may be given. After this, in cases of the smaller 

 breeds, when the average number is four or five, 

 the last of the puppies soon makes its appearance ; 

 this also refers to terriers, though they may have 

 five or six, or even more puppies, as they are such 

 strong dogs compared to toy spaniels, pugs, etc. 



Very often a bitch will have all her puppies 

 but one with the greatest ease (for it is seldom 



