150 THE DOG IN HEALTH. 



It is needless to remark that every means employed to 

 keep dogs in health should be specially used in the case of 

 an animal so taxed as the brood bitch. As a matter of 

 fact, however, such practices as grooming, washing, even 

 exercise, are too often neglected, so that the unfortunate 

 creature often enough pays heavily for the pleasures of 

 maternity. 



We are now in a better position to answer the impor- 

 tant query : How often should a bitch be bred ? 



Considering how much is involved in the four months 

 of maternal life of a bitch, it is not surprising that ex- 

 perience has shown that to breed a bitch as often as she 

 comes in season is one of the surest ways to render her 

 prematurely old. Once a year at most is often enough to 

 breed any bitch, and too often for many. As a rule, the 

 higher the show quality of the animal, the more important 

 is it to spare her. Surely this matter should be looked at 

 from a humanitarian point of view ! 



THE REARING OF PUPPIES. 



A large proportion of the worries and discourage- 

 ments, as well as the pleasures and successes, of the breed- 

 er of dogs have their source in puppies. 



Until a young dog is matured, especially till he is one 

 year old, he must be a source of more or less anxiety to 

 one who really knows the risks. During this age of 

 growth and development there are, however, times of 

 greater danger, or critical periods. These are when being 

 weaned, when getting the permanent teeth, and between 

 these two periods chiefly, or, to put it otherwise, till the 

 puppy is eight or nine months old. 



