Selection and Breeding 
109 
blood lines or qualities he may possess, it is best 
to make sure that at the time the hitch is sent, he 
is not to he overburdened by an excess of stud work. 
1 his, as a rule, does not happen with many beagles, 
but 1 have known of more than one case where 
setters and pointers had as high as six and seven 
bitches waiting for them, all in the kennel of the 
stud dog* owner at the same time. 
The owner of a popular stud dog should take 
exceedingly good care that his dog is not over¬ 
studded. He might do a lucrative business for a 
season, but in the end it is better to be more dis¬ 
criminate in the acceptance of bitches and allow 
fewer services rather than to have the dog over¬ 
taxed and incapacitated in a brief time. A stud 
dog, which is properly cared for, should be able to 
sire puppies at twelve years old; though of course, 
at that age, it stands to reason the demand upon 
him must only be made occasionally. Mohawk II, 
the well known champion field trial setter, sired 
puppies at the age of thirteen. 
The care of a stud dog is also of paramount 
importance. He should be given exercise of a mild 
nature, and this should be along the lines of his 
natural inclinations; that is, work afield. However, 
this should not be of such a strenuous nature or 
of such frequent occurrence that it usurps all of his 
energy. Short runs afield several times a week are 
sufficient during periods when the dog is being used 
regularly at stud, ancl should the demand upon him 
be very great, then even this form of exercise should 
be abandoned for the time being. This statement 
mav be at variance with the views of many stud 
