446 THE BOOK OF THE Doc. 



the cheek : small or narrow where they spring from the head, and large and lobe-shaped at the 

 base, well furnished with hair on the inside leather. 



" A long head, not snipy, or heavy like the Clumber ; dark, pleasing eye a yellow eye 

 denotes bad temper, therefore should be avoided. 



" Level mouth, not pig-jawed or underhung, but I prefer the former fault to the latter, 

 which prevails, I am sorry to see, in some of our present show dogs. Breeders should avoid 

 these as stock dogs. 



" A long neck slightly arched, well clothed with muscle ; strong across the loins. 



" Ribs, well sprung, and barrel-shaped. 



" Belly, well clothed with long hair, and not tucked up like the Greyhound (a common 

 fault). 



" Broad chest, well clothed with muscle and feather. 



"Feet, round, cat-like, with a plentiful supply of hair between the toes. 



" Tail carried in a line with the back. 



" Many have argued with me that by mating black with liver-colour would throw the 

 black puppies rusty or bad black ; but being a breeder of pigeons for many years, and 

 knowing the fact that by mating a dun hen with a black cock, or vice versa, you produce a 

 much better black than by breeding two blacks together, I thought if this held good with 

 pigeons, why should it not with dogs ? I therefore mated my Spaniels as before described ; 

 the result is, I have never seen one bad black, and have bred more than a dozen litters in 

 that way. 



" I like to see my puppies grow like cucumbers, without a check, until they are over six 

 months old. I often leave home for two or more days together, and on my return have 

 exclaimed How these puppies grow ! When they have been neglected during my absence 

 I should always discover it on my return, and, on inquiry, generally found their feeding has 

 not been properly attended to. And now I will say a few words on feeding : As soon 

 as my puppies can lap milk they are supplied with it twice a day, at milking-time, from 

 a herd of goats kept by me for the purpose. Never give cow's milk, without you want 

 your puppies to grow backwards, have pot bellies, and be filled with worms. Years ago 

 I used to lose 75 per cent, of the puppies I bred through this very cause ; now I rarely 

 see one like it. As soon as the puppies can swallow solid food they are supplied with two 

 meals a day oatmeal, Indian meal, boiled with sheep's heads and scraps from the butcher's, 

 and once a day with raw flesh. ' What ! raw flesh ? ' said one of these clever writers to me 

 one day, 'you will kill the lot of them.' I only laughed at him, as my experience has taught 

 me different it is their natural food. I have it chopped into mince-meat first, until they 

 get their teeth developed, when it is given in larger pieces and quantities. When they 

 arrive at the age of six or eight months they are fed almost entirely on it when it can be 

 procured, and I ask any of your readers who have seen my dogs if ever they saw dogs 

 shown in better condition, with coats always like satin. Well, friends, I will give you all a piece 

 of advice, and let the cat out of the bag the condition of my dogs is all due to raw flesh. 

 Go and feed likewise, but don't over-do it. Feed at first with great caution if your dogs 

 have not been accustomed to it, and then give them a certain quantity, not so much as they 

 will eat ; oh dear no, you would make a pretty mess of them. Practice would soon teach 

 you the proper quantity, which depends on the size and age of your dogs. 



"Cleanliness I insist on. Every morning the kennels are all cleaned out, clean sawdust 

 laid down on the floor, clean straw supplied for the benches, and any sickly puppies removed 



