FEEDING PUPPIES. 453 



the longing looks of the animals, and will surreptitiously supply 

 them with food. 



Bones are not to be withheld, except such as are so small as 

 to be swallowed ; they contain phosphate of lime which is essen- 

 tial to the proper nourishment, especially of young dogs, and like- 

 wise answer all the sanitary purposes of a tooth brush. 



Feed your dogs but once, or at most twice each day, selecting 

 the same hours for each meal, and observe punctuality so far as 

 lies in your power. Your temper is not sweetened by your meals 

 being delayed : do not ask more of your dogs than of yourself. In 

 the hunting season, feed the evening before, giving nothing the 

 morning you take them out except it be a little milk. In the mid- 

 dle of the day when resting for your own refreshment, remember 

 him who has worked so faithfully for you. A few of Spratt's bis- 

 cuit may be carried for the purpose in your pocket ; though if at a 

 farm house, a little bread and milk will be more wholesome. 

 When the day's labor is over, a full meal of the biscuit or meal and 

 scraps may be allowed. 



Avoid Indian meal, very salt food and raw meat, as- tending to 

 vitiate the secretions ; not but that a little raw meat may be good ; 

 t)ut it is to be avoided as a steady article of diet. A judicious 

 mixture of green vegetable food, boiled, and even raw potatoes 

 (where the animal will eat them) will be found advantageous to 

 the well-keeping of dogs. 



FEEDING PUPPIES. 



No animal can be expected to attain its full size and form 

 except it receive a full supply of wholesome food. Only those 

 breeders who have given the matter close attention can realize how 

 much a healthy growing puppy will consume, consequently very 

 many young animals are injured through want of sufficient and 

 proper nourishment. 



Some bitches will supply nourishment for nine or ten puppies 

 until they are four or five weeks old. Others have but a small se- 

 cretion of milk, and can sustain no more than four or five, but for 

 a short time ; hence it is necessary to watch closely to know what 

 the bitch is doing for her progeny, and supply any deficiency ac- 

 cordingly. Even wfien the maternal supply is ample to keep the 



