IN SEASON 223 



complete, although breeders, with but few exceptions, 

 favor a second, after an interval of two days. The prac- 

 tice of their theory is open to one objection only, namely, 

 the hardship that it entails upon the dog, whose vitality 

 must inevitably be greatly exhausted if too frequent demands 

 are made upon him. 



The position has been taken in the foregoing that bitches 

 are guided by nature in their conduct with the dog and 

 resent his overtures at all times except when in season 

 and in the favorable stage. This is the rule and exceptions 

 to it are exceedingly rare, but still, that they do occur is a 

 fact beyond dispute, for cases are on record in which the 

 services took place between the periods of season ; and 

 several of the bitches were in pup, while one was in her 

 last week before whelping. 



At this point the writer is reminded of the extremely 

 prevalent idea that unless the dog and bitch are tied 

 the service cannot be productive. Now, while this condi- 

 tion can be accepted as positive evidence of a successful 

 service, and in its absence success may well be doubted, 

 it does not follow that in every case where speedy separa- 

 tion occurs failure is inevitable ; and as a matter of fact a 

 number of instances are known in which such assumed 

 failures proved eminent successes, the testimony being in 

 one of them a litter of fourteen puppies. On the other 

 hand, the fact that tying occurs and to all appearances the 

 dog is perfectly sound is not proof that he is capable of 

 getting puppies. 



Notwithstanding these exceptions, however, with which 

 it is well to be familiar, the condition in question should 

 be held highly essential, and where one dog fails to attain 

 it another should be tried if possible. But in the absence 

 of a resource, if the appearance and behavior of the dog 

 indicate that tying only has been wanting, the case should 



