64 DOGS AND ALL ABOUT THEM 



The neck should be fairly long, arched gracefully, and well coated 

 with hair ; the shoulders sloping and narrow at the points, the dog 

 standing lower at the shoulder than at the loin. Body Rather short 

 and very compact, ribs well sprung, and brisket deep and capacious. 

 The loin should be very stout and gently arched, while the hind- 

 quarters should be round and muscular, and with well let down hocks, 

 and the hams densely coated with a thick long jacket in excess of any 

 other part. Coat Profuse, and of good hard texture, not straight but 

 shaggy and free from curl. The undercoat should be a waterproof 

 pile, when not removed by grooming or season. Colour Any shade 

 of grey, grizzle, blue or blue-merled, with or without white markings, 

 or in reverse ; any shade of brown or sable to be considered distinctly 

 objectionable and not to be encouraged. Height Twenty-two inches 

 and upwards for dogs, slightly less for bitches. Type, character, and 

 symmetry are of the greatest importance, and on no account to be 

 sacrificed to size alone. 



Turning to the questions of care and kennel management, 

 we may start with the puppy. It is obvious that where bone 

 and substance are matters of special desirability, it is essential 

 to build up in the infant what is to be expected of the adult. 

 For this reason it is a great mistake to allow the dam to bring 

 up too many by herself. To about six or seven she can do 

 justice, but a healthy bitch not infrequently gives birth to a 

 dozen or more. Under such circumstances the services of a 

 foster-mother are a cheap investment. By dividing the litter 

 the weaklings may be given a fair chance in the struggle for 

 existence, otherwise they receive scant consideration from 

 their stronger brethren. 



At three or four days old the tails should be removed, as 

 near the rump as possible. The operation is easy to perform, 

 and if done with a sharp, clean instrument there is no danger 

 of after ill effects. 



If the mother be kept on a very liberal diet, it will usually be 

 found that she will do all that is necessary for her family's 

 welfare for the first three weeks, by which time the pups have 

 increased prodigiously in size. They are then old enough to 

 learn to lap for themselves, an accomplishment which they 

 very speedily acquire. Beginning with fresh cow's milk for a 

 week, their diet may be gradually increased to Mellin's or 

 Benger's food, and later to gruel and Quaker Oats, their 



