224 KENNEL SECRETS. 



not be considered hopeless, although the chances are very 

 many indeed that it will prove so. 



High health and vigor are of infinite importance in both 

 subjects of a union, otherwise the offspring must very 

 generally be more or less wanting in health and vigor at 

 birth ; and where the constitutional defects are pronounced 

 in either the sire or dam, not only do the puppies re- 

 quire the most intelligent and painstaking management, 

 but even when this is afforded and they live they seldom 

 thrive and develop into good specimens of their breeds. 



Not unnaturally, the offspring of show winners are in 

 the greatest demand, and these are notoriously the most 

 unsound constitutionally, because of the treatment that is 

 often inflicted to bring them into condition, the hardships 

 inseparable from long journeys and shows, and the ex- 

 cesses that the dogs are obliged to undergo to meet the 

 demands in their own kennels and of admiring patrons. 



A notion which is quite generally accepted and con- 

 tributes much to failures in breeding is, that notwithstand- 

 ing one of the subjects of a union is much below the 

 standard of health if the other is sound and vigorous the 

 offspring will be strong and hardy. Such a happy result 

 is not at all likely, for even were the constitutional infir- 

 mities themselves, of the sire or dam not transmitted, there 

 must be, almost invariably, passed on to the offspring at 

 least a predisposition to those infirmities ; or, in other 

 words, the puppies if not absolutely weakly must be spe- 

 cially liable to have, some time in their lives, the disease 

 and weaknesses of their parents. 



Of course a bitch of somewhat doubtful constitution 

 might prove a success if always bred to dogs that pos- 

 sessed high health and vigor in an eminent degree, yet 

 were her infirmities pronounced, or she was the victim of 

 transmissible disease, then, certainly, she would be unfit 

 for breeding purposes. 



