Docking the Tail. 211 



When pupping let her be as quiet as possible, allow her 

 to take exercise up to the very last, and if she refuses to 

 eat her meals for two or three days prior to her labour 

 being near, lose no time in seeking suitable advice. During 

 labour allow her milk, water, and good broth ; and feed 

 well on the same things, with the addition of bread and 

 meat, up to the time she ceases to suckle. A strong, 

 healthy bitch can rear four or five puppies easily. The 

 latter usually have their tails " docked " or shortened when 

 about a week old, and, although it was once customary to 

 do this by the kennel man, or someone else, biting off the 

 portion, the amputation is now performed in a more civi- 

 lised fashion by the aid of a pair of scissors or of a sharp 

 knife. The hair being turned back, the flesh, &c, is quickly 

 cut all round without going through the cartilage; then, 

 with a quick twist and pull, you draw out what appears 

 to be a longish white cord or sinew adhering to the piece 

 of tail so taken off. Cutting right through in the ordinary 

 way very often makes an unsightly flat surface at the end 

 of the stern ; but when the sinew is properly drawn, the 

 tail rounds off, and the hair grows almost as it would 

 have done had the docking not taken place. There is 

 little pain to the creatures, not much blood flows, the 

 licking of the sore places by the dam soon heals the 

 wounds, and the portion of the caudal appendage is not 

 missed. Sometimes there are dew claws to be removed, 

 which may be done at the same time as the tails are 

 amputated. 



The puppies are, of course, born blind, but see at about 

 ten days old. A little later they may be taught to lap 

 milk, and by so doing thus early, the strain on the con- 

 stitution of the dam is much lessened, and the young ones, 



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