POSTER-MOTHERS 117 



The following method is the best for transferring the 

 pups : — Put some of the litter which the foster-mother is 

 to adopt into a warm basket where she has been lying ; 

 then take all her pups away, mix them up with those she 

 is to suckle, and return the lot back into the basket and 

 let them remain there two or three hours, during which 

 time take the foster-mother out for an hour so that her 

 teats will become sore and distended with milk. On her 

 return, the pups should be put into the basket and the 

 foster-mother should be put with them, and most likely 

 she will allow them to suckle her, but she must be watched. 

 If she licks all alike she may be safely left with them. If, 

 however, she pushes the strangers away, muzzle her for 12 

 hours and watch till she treats them all alike. Next day 

 her own pups may be removed except one, but at intervals 

 of two hours between each. 



Puppies (Hints on) 



Pups should remain with their mother till six weeks 

 old, but not longer, as their shai'p little teeth pain her ; 

 but when about a fortnight old, a little bread and gravy 

 may be given them in the middle of the day, and when a 

 month old a little very finely-minced mutton can be given 

 once a day, and morning and evening Spratts' puppy 

 biscuits, given dry. Bones should be stewed down to make 

 their soup with, and they should be kept on this food till 

 about six months old ; also for rearing large dogs there is 

 nothing better than well-simmered bullock's feet and 

 sheep's head mixed with brown bread and boiled rice. A 

 large shank bone is a good thing to give them to gnaw 

 when teething sometimes, but not as a regular thing ; and 

 never give small bones, as they are apt to stick in the throat 

 and choke them. Puppies are very fond of eating all 

 kinds of filth and garbage, which must be stopped at once, 

 as they become often ill in consequence, and it is a good 

 plan to put them on a soft muzzle whenever they go out 

 for their airings until the habit has been broken. 



