292 DOGS AND ALL ABOUT THEM 



The Pekinese bitches are excellent mothers, provided they 

 are not interfered with for the first few days. This was 

 discovered at Goodwood years ago by the fact that, on 

 two or three occasions, one Celestial lady, who had been given 

 greater attention than she considered necessary, revenged 

 herself by devouring her own family of puppies ! One thing 

 seems from experience to be especially advisable as far as 

 can be arranged, to breed in the spring rather than autumn. 

 The puppies need all the open air and exercise that is possible, 

 and where rickety specimens are so frequently met with it is 

 only natural that a puppy who starts life with the summer 

 months ahead is more likely to develop well than one born in 

 the autumn. Great attention should be paid with reference 

 to the frequent almost certain presence of worms, which 

 trouble seems more prevalent with Pekinese than with any 

 other breed. Wherever possible, fish should be given as part 

 of the dietary ; some Pekinese devour it with relish ; others 

 will not touch it, but there is no doubt it is a useful item in 

 the bill of fare. Bread well soaked in very strong stock, 

 sheep's head, and liver are always better as regular diet than 

 meat, but in cases of debility a little raw meat given once a day 

 is most beneficial. 



It would not be fitting to close an article on Pekinese 

 without bearing testimony to their extraordinarily attractive 

 characteristics. They are intensely affectionate and faithful, 

 and have something almost cat-like in their domesticity. They 

 display far more character than the so-called " toy dog " 

 usually does, and for this reason it is all-important that pains 

 should be taken to preserve the true type, in a recognition of 

 the fact that quality is more essential than quantity. 



As their breed-name implies, these tiny black and white, long- 

 haired lap dogs are reputed to be natives of the land of the 

 chrysanthemum. The Japanese, who have treasured them 

 for centuries, have the belief that they are not less ancient 

 than the dogs of Malta. There seems to be a probability, 



