Care of the Matron—Rearing the Puppies 121 
Feeding must be done frequently; during these 
early weeks of weaning, the puppies should he fed 
at least every four hours until very late in the 
evening, and the first meal in the morning must 
be given about daylight. To the scalded milk may 
he added broken up stale bread, dog biscuits, or any 
of the prepared puppy meals. Occasionally give 
them a little meat cut up into small bits, and do 
not be afraid to feed raw meat, lean beef or mutton 
several times a week. Only small quantities should 
be given and this must be cut up into small shreds. 
It is surprising how all puppies take to this, but 
raw meat is the natural diet of the canine and to 
withhold this from them, even when they are young 
is going against the laws of nature. The old fallacy 
that meat is injurious to puppies is a theory that 
has been exploded long ago. Personally, I have 
experimented with puppies by feeding some of 
them meat and withholding it from part of the 
litter and 1 am convinced that the meat fed puppies 
grew up stronger, heartier and with more vitality 
than any of the others that were compelled to live 
on milk and bread. As the puppies grow older, 
more meat may be fed and frequently give them 
large bones to gnaw upon. This is not only good 
for the teething period, but it amuses the youngsters 
and makes for general hardiness. The bones should 
be the large, soft ones; not those of poultry or 
other brittle varieties that are easily splintered, as a 
sliver from one of these might lodge in the intes¬ 
tines or even in the throat and cause no end of 
trouble, probably death. 
