IG SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



ignorance or want of due attention, sometimes 

 half a dozen of our best brood-bitches to go 

 "without whelps, and others to be half killed by 

 over-production, that we never trusted him again 

 after the second season of his probation. A litter, 

 to be good and strong, ought not to exceed seven 

 or eight ; and four or five are sufficient for the 

 mother to rear. 



As to size and height, whelps generally follow 

 their parents, unless forced by high feeding to 

 greater growth, or made diminutive from want of 

 sufficient nutrition. Air, exercise, and judicious 

 feeding upon food as much as possible devoid of 

 heating properties, are indispensable to the dams 

 in a state of gestation. When half their time is 

 expired, they should be let run at large during the 

 day, with a smaller kennel to themselves at night, 

 until within a few days of their confinement. A 

 paddock ought then to be ready for their reception, 

 about an acre in extent, enclosed on all sides, and 

 large oblong wooden boxes placed tlierein, in 

 shape like the usual dog-houses, resting upon low 

 wooden or iron wheels, with one side to open 

 with hinges, which can be let down to clean the 

 box thoroughly out, and a hanging door in the 

 front, dependent upon a pivot above, through 

 which, by a slight push, the bitch may obtain 

 egress or ingress to her whelps — the use of this 

 movable door being to exclude rain, sleet, and 

 snow in bad weather. In large kennels, a regular 

 shed is provided for them and their whelps, which, 

 to those who can afford to make it, is far pre- 



