58 OF THE TREATMENT 



January, February, and March, are the best 

 months. Late puppies seldom come to much ; 

 if you have any such, put them to the best 

 walks.* When the bitches begin to get big, 

 let them not hunt any more: it proves frequently 

 fatal to the whelps ; sometimes to the bitch her- 

 self; nor is it safe for them to remain much 

 longer in the kennel. If one bitch has many 

 puppies, more than she can well rear, you may 

 put some of them to another bitch ; or if you 

 destroy any of them, you may keep the best- 

 coloured. They sometimes will have an extra- 

 ordinary number ; I have known an instance of 

 one having fifteen ; and a friend of mine, whose 

 veracity I cannot doubt, has assured me that a 

 hound in his pack brought forth sixteen, all 

 alive. When you breed from a very favourite 

 sort, and can have another bitch warded at the 

 same time, it will be of great service, as you may 

 then save all the puppies. Give particular 

 orders that the bitches be well fed with flesh ; 

 and let the whelps remain till they are well able 

 to take care of themselves : thev will soon learn 

 to lap milk, which will relieve the mother. The 

 bitches, when their whelps are taken away from 



* Of the early whelps I keep five or six ; of the late ones 

 only two or three. 



