152 THE DOG IN HEALTH. 



For its development the young animal requires abun- 

 dant and suitable food, pure fresh air, exercise, amuse- 

 ment, occupation, and training, with protection against 

 the inclemencies of the weather, against filth, and all else 

 that hinders development and tends to favor actual dis- 

 ease. 



Now, manifestly here again we must not lay down iron 

 rules. Every one must, in a large degree, be his own 

 judge as to how best to attain these ends, for not only are 

 all puppies not alike, but environments must of necessity 

 differ very widely. It will be our purpose to indicate the 

 fundamental principles which should guide, not to supply 

 rules for combinations of circumstances that are never 

 twice alike. It must not be forgotten, either, that perhaps 

 the most important factor of all in the environment is the 

 individual who undertakes the work of rearing puppies. 

 If he lack intelligence and a sympathetic feeling with 

 dogs, by which alone they can be comprehended, it is idle 

 to hope that any directions will be of avail. A litter that 

 with the same general management will grow up to the 

 highest perfection they are capable of under one man, will 

 be miserable culls under another who may think he is 

 following the same course, but who neglects details of 

 adaptation which all the books in the world could not 

 furnish. 



WEANING PUPPIES. 



So long as the puppies and the dam are perfectly 

 well they should not be separated. It but rarely happens, 

 however, that a pure-bred bitch can suckle puppies longer 

 than four to five weeks without immediate or future detri- 

 ment to herself especially, and not seldom must the dam 



