THE KENNEL. 



123 



not safe guides, as she may devote herself chiefly to the 

 weakest of her progeny. An idea prevails that light-coloured 

 hounds have weak constitutions, and some suppose them to be 

 worse tempered than their darker brethren ; but this is a base- 

 less theory, for some of the stoutest and best hounds ever seen 

 have been light-coloured. The points of a whelp can, however, 

 be but faintly discerned if they can be perceived at all, so that 

 on the whole colour must be the guide. 



The mother should suckle her whelps for six or seven weeks 

 according as her milk lasts. When weaned their food should 



Puppies. 



be the best oatmeal (neither barley nor wheat should ever be 

 given to hounds), and dog biscuit, mixed in cow's or goat's 

 milk, with just enough soup — horseflesh soup — to make it 

 warm. This should be given them twice a day, and in addi- 

 tion, for the first few days after they cease to suckle, about half 

 a pound of parboiled horseflesh chopped up into mince. When 

 two months old this meat may be given them raw. It is 

 desirable that the puppies should be born in February. The 



