NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 115 



common cur : from such stock, however, it would be unsafe 

 to breed, as the probability is, in such cases, in favor of the 

 whelps, more or less, taking after the bad blood, or, as it is 

 called, throwing back. Ascertain the pedigree, therefore, for 

 at least four generations. 



Let your next consideration be the age and health of the 

 parents. The male should be, at least, two years old, and 

 the female at least fifteen months. The male need not be 

 rejected as unfit until his eighth year, provided he have worn 

 well, not been hardly used, and have retained his health and 

 vigor. The female, under similar circumstances, need not 

 be rejected until her sixth year. 



Both parents should be in perfect health. The female goes 

 with young sixty-three days; she has from four to thirteen 

 young at a birth. The whelps are born blind, and their eyes 

 open about the eleventh or twelfth day. The dam should not 

 be permitted to breed -oftener than three times in two years, 

 "aor to rear" more than five puppies; and if delicate, she must 

 not rear so many. If the whelps are very valuable, you can 

 readily procure a foster-nurse, who can, without difficulty, bo 

 induced to adopt as many whelps as you find it necessary to 

 remove from the dam. The whelps should not be suckled 

 longer than six weeks ; but five, or even four, is sufficiently 

 long, if necessity calls for their removal so soon ; the only 

 difference being, that in such case they require more care at 

 your hands. 



After weaning, the -pups will feed voraciously, but should 

 .not be given as much as they will eat, or they will surfeit 

 themselves*.- Their diet may consist of well-boiled oatmeal 

 porridge, mashed' potatoes, with skim milk, or new milk, to 

 dilute the mess ; give it cool, and do not add the milk until the 

 mess be cool. Do not make more than will be wanted at one 

 time ; give the food fresh and fresh, and keep the vessels scru- 

 pulously clean. Let the whelps have a bed of clean straw over 

 pine shavings, or pine sawdust ; the turpentine contained in 

 the wood will banish fleas. Let there be a supply of fresh 

 water always within their reach, and let them have a free, 

 open, airy court, in which to disport themselves. A grass- 

 plot is a great advantage ; and if you have no such accommo- 

 dation, get some nice fresh grass cut twice or thrice a week, 

 and lay it down in your court. The dog is the best physician 

 in his own sickness, and will resort to the grass with much 

 satisfaction if his stomach be out of order. 



At about four months old, the first set of teeth, or milk 



