TREATMENT OF THE MOTHER. 245 



and in these the old tendency to hide themselves when 

 about to whelp must be still quite strong, yet it can 

 scarcely be strong enough to resist kindness and sympathy 

 when judiciously tendered; while in the majority of their 

 kind that have been humanely treated it must be well-nigb 

 extinct, at least towards those to whom they are accus- 

 tomed and affectionately inclined. 



Bearing upon this point the experience of the writer 

 may be cf interest to the average reader. Between his 

 apartments and those of his men there is a large room to 

 which with only rare exceptions his brood animals were 

 transferred a few days before the time for them to whelp, 

 to afford him ample opportunity for observation and proper 

 treatment ; and although many have been temporarily 

 quartered there, in not a single instance has he noted a 

 sign indicating that the change was not acceptable ; nor 

 where the attendants showed due solicitude was there 

 exhibited the slightest trace of a disposition to slink away. 



Hence he naturally holds to the belief that the hard 

 and fast rule to shut in bitches when their whelpings- 

 begin, and leave them alone until all is over, is extravagant 

 and inoperative in many instances, while there are good 

 and sufficient reasons wh)' oftentimes they should have 

 the companionship of some one whom they care for if it 

 can be afforded. 



One of these reasons hits the pocket, and as it is the' 

 most weighty with many it is given first place. Bitches 

 of large size should be watched during whelping to pre- 

 vent them from crushing their puppies, for this accident 

 is almost sure to happen unless the mothers are of very 

 small and light bodies. The other pronounced reason 

 has appeared in the foregoing, namely, that bitches will in 

 many instances crave sympathy, and if they do so they 

 should have abundant expressions of it, and be rubbed- 



