582 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



likely to intensify the richness of a black 

 coat. But the breeders of Dalmatians and 

 Harlequin Great Danes do not appear to 

 appreciate this theory, for it is not known 

 that their kennels are decorated either with 

 spots or parti-coloured patches. 



In the correspondence columns of the 

 canine press one often comes upon refer- 

 ences to the influence of a previous sire. A 

 bitch forms an alliance with a dog of 

 another breed than her own. Her whelps 

 are, of course, mongrels ; but does the mis- 

 alliance affect her future offspring by a sire 

 of her own breed ? This is a question that 

 has been frequently discussed. The 

 majority of dog-breeders declare that there 

 is no subsequent effect. Scientific zoolo- 

 gists, however, aver that the influence of 

 the male extends beyond his own immediate 

 progeny, and there is the well-known ex- 

 ample quoted as a proof by Darwin of the 

 mare who was paired with a zebra. Her 

 foal by the zebra was distinctly marked, 

 which was to be expected ; but afterwards, 

 when she was mated with stallions of her 

 own kind, the zebra stripes were still ob- 

 vious, although in diminishing degrees, in 

 all of her successive offspring. There is a 

 closer affinity between the various breeds 

 of dogs than between the zebra and the 

 horse, and the influence of a previous sire 

 is far less apparent; but it is against the 

 tenets of science to declare, as many do, 

 that there is no influence whatever. At the 

 same time, the bearing of telegonous pro- 

 geny is so rarely detectable in the dog that 

 the possibility need not be seriously con- 

 sidered, and if a pure-bred bitch should 

 misconduct herself with a mongrel it is a 

 misfortune, but she need not for that reason 

 be rejected for future breeding operations. 



In founding a kennel it is advisable to 

 begin with the possession of a bitch. As 

 a companion the female is to be preferred 

 to the male ; she is not less affectionate and 

 faithful, and she is usually much cleaner 

 in her habits in the house. If it is in- 

 tended to breed bv her, she should be very 

 carefully chosen and proved to be free from 

 any serious fault or predisposition to 

 disease. Not only should her written pedi- 

 gree be scrupulously scrutinised, but her 

 own constitution and that of her parents on 

 both sides should be minutely inquired into. 



A bitch comes into season for breeding 

 twice in a year; the first time when she is 

 reaching maturity, usually at the age of 

 from seven to ten months. Her condition 

 will readily be discerned by the fact of an 

 increased attentiveness of the opposite sex 

 and the appearance of a mucous discharge 

 from the vagina. She should then be care- 

 fully protected from the gallantry of suitors. 

 Dogs kept in the near neighbourhood of a 

 bitch on heat, who is not accessible to them, 

 go off their feed and suffer in condition. 

 With most breeds it is unwise to put a 

 bitch to stud before she is eighteen months 

 old, but Mr. Stubbs recommends that a 

 Bull bitch should be allowed to breed at 

 her first heat, while her body retains the 

 flexibility of youth ; and there is no doubt 

 that with regard to the Bulldog great mor- 

 tality occurs in attempting to breed from 

 maiden bitches exceeding three years old. 

 In almost all breeds it is the case that the 

 first three litters are the best. It is accord- 

 ingly important that a proper mating 

 should be considered at the outset, and a 

 prospective sire selected either through the 

 medium of stud advertisements or by 

 private arrangement with the owner of the 

 desired dog. For the payment of the re- 

 quisite stud fee, varying from a guinea to 

 ten or fifteen pounds, the services of the 

 best dogs of the particular breed can usually 

 be secured. It is customary for the bitch 

 to be the visitor, and it is well that her visit 

 should extend to two or three days at the 

 least. When possible a responsible person 

 should accompany her. 



If the stud dog is a frequenter of shows 

 he can usually be depended upon to be 

 in sound physical condition. No dog who 

 is not so can be expected to win prizes. 

 But it ought to be ascertained beforehand 

 that he is what is known as a good stock- 

 getter. The fee is for his services, not for 

 the result of them. Some owners of stud 

 dogs will grant two services, and this is 

 often desirable, especially in the case of a 

 maiden bitch or of a stud dog that is over- 

 wrought,, as so many are. It is most im- 

 portant that both the mated animals should 

 be free from worms and skin disorders. 

 Fifty per cent, of the casualties among 

 young puppies are due to one or other of 

 the parents having been in an unhealthy 



