2 A MANUAL OF TOY DOGS 



As a means of eking out a small income, dog breeding 

 is occasionally successful, supposing the breeder to 

 possess advantages in the way of proper quarters, and 

 plenty of time to spare, natural aptitude not being 

 wanted; but. I should greatly hesitate to suggest to a 

 poor lady) without experience in dogs, that she should 

 embark capital in such a venture. Many people seem 

 possessed with the idea that they have only to buy a 

 female dog, or dogs (generally the latter, since the novice 

 is always inclined to split upon the rock of overcrowding 

 and overstocking at first), and get it mated with some 

 well-known sire, to ensure a fine, healthy litter of pups, 

 which can be immediately sold at high prices, having in 

 the meantime been fed on dog biscuit and attended to, 

 more or less, by any one who happens to be at home. No 

 greater mistake ! If you want to succeed with toy dogs, 

 you must, at any rate until you have considerable ex- 

 perience and, in addition, the ability to direct others and 

 make them understand, which is never an easy task, 

 look after the pets yourself, not spasmodically, but 

 regularly ; see that they have exercise and proper food 

 in proper quantity and variety, and at fixed and regular 

 hours ; you must have an eye always open to notice the 

 smallest beginnings of illness a watchfulness servants, 

 for example, never can comprehend, still less practise ; 

 and lastly, you must set an aim before you and keep to 

 it with perseverance, even though you may, and prob- 

 ably will, often feel impatient and despairing. Then, 

 too, you must be prepared to nurse the dogs properly if, 

 or when, they are ill. Nobody can expect to be exempt 

 from illness, dog or man, and good nursing is as needful in 

 the one case as in the other. A sick toy dog must be kept 

 clean, petted, sat with, talked to, and tempted with nice 

 things, like a sick baby, for the little spirit has much to 

 do with the tender frame, and pain and weakness need 

 sympathy, and respond to it eagerly. A little toy bitch, 

 accustomed to fly to her owner at every impulse, cannot 

 be left to have puppies all alone though her fussy pre- 

 parations, which may last all night, are rather wearisome. 



