The cases of greatest danger are where a bitch has been allowed to stray during oestrum, and was bred to a dog of much larger size than herself; and very finely bred and highly pampered bitches often suffer greatly, and die in the act of giving birth. In healthy parturition even, considerable time is often occupied, the rest between, being of great service in supporting her against the prostration consequent in the event. The bitch should not be interfered with in these intervals, and it is then foolish to try and force food upon her. In all cases where difficulty from wrong presentation or the disproportioned size of the pups occur, both from motives of prudence and humanity the veterinary surgeon should be consulted for his obstertic knowledge, and skill in manipultion will save much unnecessary suffering, and probably the lives of mother and pups.

Sometimes there are one or two very late. You may go away, assuring yourself all is over, and that your bitch has a litter of only five, and come back in the morning to find seven all sucking away like as many leeches, and the mother looking so proud and pleased she wouldn't exchange places with a princess royal.

Should the dam's supply of milk prove to be inadequate, it will be necessary either to place her puppies under the care of a foster mother or else to do the best possible under the circumstances with artificial food. The former is always a risky alternative as it is not every bitch that will take kindly to the whelps of another, and unless she has been upon the premises for some time so as to be accustomed to the surroundings it is unlikely that she will do them justice. Then, too, if she has not whelped at very nearly the same time as the other, there is likely to be trouble over her milk supply. Consequently it is safest and best, though possibly a little more troublesome, to bring the puppies up by hand if their mother has not enough milk to provide them with nourishment.

Fortunately, however, for the dog owner. Spratt's Patent step in here to assist him in his dilemma, as. in the Orphan Puppy Food prepared by this Company, a most excellent substitute for mothers' milk will be found; in fact, there is nothing procurable that can compare with it. In the case of many substitutes for the natural nourishing fluid of pups, it will be found that the stomachs of the youngsters are liable to be upset by some, while in other instances the puppies do not thrive, but in fact dwindle away. When Spratt's Puppy Food is used in a kennel there is no prospect of either of these evils, if the food is prepared in the proper manner and ordinary attention is paid to matters of detail. In the first place infant puppies should be fed frequently, every care being at the same time taken to avoid their stomachs being overtaxed. Then, too, it must be remembered that even the best of cooked food is apt to turn sour and become unwholesome'if allowed to stand too long, or if the vessels it is kept in are not perfectly clean. The stomachs of young puppies are so easily upset that too much care cannot be exercised in the preparation of their food. An indigestible diet is no doubt responsible for many untimely deaths among young stock.

Provided that all goes well with the whelps, they will begin to crawl about soon after their eyes are open, which will be at the age of nine days.

When the pups are a day old the mother should be encouraged to leave them for an hour's daily exercise; but this should never be of a violent character, likely to cause milk fever.

When the pups are six to seven weeks of age the weaning should commence, and it is a good plan to commence this by removal of the bitch for a few'hours at first, and afterward by keeping her apart the whole day, only permitting her to be with the family at night. The puns should then be fed on goal's or cow's milk, boiled, with one-third as much warm water added and bread crumbled and soak in it and given while still slightly warm. I prefer condensed milk to either, which is sure to be uniform and not as conducive to worms as cow's milk. This should be slightly reduced with warm water. After a few days, and when the pups have taken to this diet a little meal may be used instead of bread; oatmeal, wheat middlings and cornmeal, mixed, is good; and in case of looseness of the bowels a little rice should be substituted. At this period it is also well to add a little lime water to the milk or give fish scraps, for this supplies phosphorous necessary for bone forming. If fish is given be careful and sure that all bones are first removed. Pups thus fed rarely get rickets, or the giving way of the pasterns or lower leg joints, because the bone is not strong enough to carry the weight of the body. This should never occur in any well-regulated kennel where the pups are properly nourished, but if it does, two-thirds of lime water with the milk, a teaspoonful of cod liver oil twice daily, or more if the breed is a large one, will soon remedy it. After awhile soups and a little vegetable matter may be substituted.

I give puppies when weaning them boiled milk in which some bread has been well mixed and soaked, gravy with bread mixed in it - chicken gravy they eat with a relish - and a little later on, add to the milk and bread, or gravy and bread, just a little cooked, and cut up fine, beef or mutton. Remember, however, that after a pup once gets a taste of meat that it is very liable to want meat and refuse anything else. See article on Feeding.

In case of the mother dying a few days after birth of her puppies, always use condensed milk thinned with warm water and add lime water at the rate of a teaspoonful for each puppy. Lime water is one of the best worm destroyers for young puppies.

Should a mother dog lose her milk or not have enough at any time after a puppy has its eyes open, make a gruel of corn starch, putting a little sugar in it; teach the little fellows to eat it, which can be readily done by putting their noses in it and allowing them to lick their lips, and you will find them to soon learn to like it and thrive on it. Or, feed them with Spratt's Orphan Puppy Food, as mentioned previously.