8 A MANUAL OF TOY DOGS 



time is what chiefly puzzles amateurs, though after 

 they have once been through it they will not find any 

 difficulty. As a rule, bitches are sent away too soon, 

 and as the conveniences for keeping them at the stud 

 dog's house are often few, they are cooped up for day 

 after day, and may become quite " stale " and dull 

 before the real mating time comes a poor prospect. 

 If the two dogs are in the house together, the male 

 should be kept entirely away from the female from the 

 very beginning of her attraction for him, until she is 

 ready, otherwise he will worry her incessantly and 

 become himself ultimately indifferent and useless in 

 the matter. Toy dogs should never be left to them- 

 selves in breeding matters ; it is highly dangerous to do 

 so, especially if they are young and inexperienced, and 

 I strongly advise the beginner either to get some ex- 

 perienced breeder to overlook matters and give advice, 

 or failing this, when the female is ready, to send the 

 two dogs for a few hours to some kind and sensible 

 veterinary surgeon. They should be allowed to be 

 together twice, either on consecutive days, or with a 

 day between. 



Once mated, the little toy bitch must be petted and 

 taken good care of : not overfed, but given plenty of 

 good, nourishing food, and systematically exercised. If 

 she is in pup it will become evident about the fifth to 

 the seventh week. Some dogs show it much more 

 than others ; whether she has puppies or not, she will 

 have the natural provision of milk for them. If she 

 does not pup, she may very likely come in season again 

 in half the usual time. A failure to prove in pup is 

 generally evidenced by a time of great heaviness and 

 dulness, the bitch sleeping a great deal, getting very 

 fat, and decidedly stupid ; under these circumstances 

 give her extra exercise and one or two small doses of 

 sulphate of magnesia in food, to ward off skin irritation, 

 a not uncommon correlative. People are far too apt to 

 decide that " missing " is the bitch's fault ; certainly 

 she is apt to miss if she is too fat at the time of mating. 



