202 KENNEL SECRETS. 



Experience has shown that admirable qualities must 

 exist for many generations in order to render their per- 

 petuation highly probable. For instance, if a dog has a 

 grand head yet his sire and grand-sire were deficient in 

 this quality, then the chances are against his offspring 

 being endowed like himself ; and especially narrow are 

 they if their dam is weak in head. Were she so and only 

 two dogs available, one with a grand head yet of small- 

 headed ancestors, and the other small-headed but of a 

 family noted for good heads in the two generations before 

 him, her owner would probably have the best results from 

 the use of the latter. 



Another product of experience, is that to breed out some 

 defects is much more difficult than others ; and as a rule, 

 the resistance is in proportion to their duration in the 

 family. In other words, a fault of two generations is much 

 less easily eradicated than a fault of but one. 



Here it is well to emphasize the fact that weak points 

 are as likely to be transmitted as strong ones; also that 

 structural defects, as deformities of limb and other vices 

 which result from errors in management during the grow- 

 ing stage, are liable to be passed on. And, in truth, it is 

 oftentimes so difficult to breed out acquired abnormal 

 peculiarities one would be seldom justified in choosing 

 a sire that had any such that were very serious. 



In breeding non-sporting dogs the form and proportions 

 are the main objects of study, and efforts are generally 

 centred upon their improvement alone, but with dogs to 

 be used for special purposes, as in the field, there are more 

 characters to be developed and therefore a greater number 

 of difficulties to contend with. Consequently, oftener in 

 this line than in the other breeders meet with incompati- 

 bles, and in many instances they must fix upon a few 

 special qualities, endeavor to bring them to a high degree 



