400 DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



but to the poor sickly thing she has given life to, she 

 lends no assistance, and bestows no attention upon. She 

 seems to be ashamed of, and disgusted with, its degene- 

 racy j and while the others grow fat and sleek from posi- 

 tive repletion, it becomes thin and dirty from actual 

 starvation. Where, therefore, it is desirable to rear the 

 smallest of the litter, the proprietor must take care to see 

 it properly fed. The bitch may need to be held, in 

 order that the little one may suck her ; and often have I 

 placed her under such restraint. 



In order that the small one may be nurtured, some 

 persons have taken away from the mother the rest of the 

 family ; but this practice, though successful with regard 

 to the life, generally disappoints with respect to the 

 diminutiveness, which made the existence precious. 

 Upon the abundance which such single blessedness se- 

 cures, the growth is generally rapid ; and it is not very 

 long before Nature makes up for her previous stint. The 

 better method is, to let the companions continue ; care 

 being exercised only to see that at meal-times all share 

 alike. 



The bitch, also, requires our attention to observe that 

 all the glands are properly emptied. Puppies, like chil- 

 dren, are apt to be fanciful where plenty prevails ; and it 

 is no very rare occurrence for a litter to combine in refus- 

 ing to draw the most forward of the teats. These are 

 situated under the sternum or breast-bone ; and repeat- 

 edly have animals with young ones recently born been 

 brought to me, because their owners perceived symp- 



