262 MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD BITCH. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD BITCH. 



Having, then, made up your mind as to your choice of a 

 stallion, and having, as far as practicable, obtained a bitch c at 

 heat ' at such a season as will suit your purpose, the next step to 

 be taken is, to see that she is put to the stallion dog by some 

 person upon whom dependence can be placed. This is of great 

 consequence where the dog is a great public favourite, for I am 

 afraid that it sometimes happens that the kennelman in charge 

 mistakes some younger and more vigorous animal for the veritable 

 Simon Pure, whose powers are reserved for some one else, more 

 alive to the many tricks which are passed upon inexperienced 

 breeders. 



The best time for the confluence of the sexes is when the usual 

 term of nine days is just going off, say about the seventh or 

 eighth day, which may be known by the cessation of the usual 

 bleeding from the vagina. When this ceases, no time should 

 be lost, as the bitch will very soon refuse the dog. As soon as the 

 bitch is able to take her usual exercise, without fear of annoyance, 

 she should be taken out regularly, or suffered to be at large. 

 Nothing is of so much consequence as this. You can never 

 expect a healthy offspring from a fat, dyspeptic mother, and 

 confinement will as surely produce disease in the dog as in the 

 human subject. This exercise should be continued as usual up 

 to the end of the seventh week, after which time care should 

 be taken that the bitch is not induced to overleap or strain 

 herself by following others in their play. It is better, therefore, 



