The Boston Terrier and All About It Part 4

"Breed to the best," is a golden rule, but this applies not only to the animals themselves, but also in a far greater measure to the good general qualities possessed by their ancestry. Far more pregnant with good results would be the mating of two good all-round specimens, lacking to a considerable extent show points, but the products of two families known for their general excellence for several generations, than the offspring would be of two noted prize winners of uncertain ancestry, neither of which possessed the inherent quality of being able to reproduce themselves. It will be noted that very few first prize winners had prize winning sires and dams. The noted stud dogs of the past, "Buster,"

"Sullivan's Punch," "Cracksman," "Hickey's Teddy IV." and many others were not in themselves noted winners, and the same statement may be made of the dams of many of the prize winning dogs, but they possessed in themselves and their ancestry that "hall mark" of quality which appeared in a p.r.o.nounced form in their offspring. Experience has shown that first cla.s.s qualities must exist for several generations in order to render their perpetuation highly probable. The converse of this is equally true, that any bad qualities bred for the same length of time are quite as hard to eliminate. If the dog or b.i.t.c.h possesses weak points, be sure to breed to dogs coming from families that are noted for their corresponding strong points. In this case the principle of "give and take" will be adopted. It used to be the ambition of every breeder (or, at least, most of them), to produce a winner, rather than the production of a line of dogs of good uniform type, of good average salable quality, but most have lived long enough to see that this has not paid as well in money or expected results as where similar endeavors have been directed towards the production of good all-round dogs, always striving to advance their dogs to a higher grade of excellence. In this way in nearly every instance prize winning dogs have been produced, and there is this peculiarity noticeable in this breed, that any one, whether he be a breeder of the greatest number, or a very poor man owning only one or two in his kitchen kennel, possesses an equal chance of producing the winner of the blue. The breeder of today has a far easier time than in the early days of the dog when type was not as p.r.o.nounced or fixed, and when considerable inbreeding of necessity had to be resorted to. In almost all parts of the country stud dogs of first cla.s.s lineage are obtainable and the general public are educated sufficiently to understand the good points of the dog. I think the breeding of this dog appeals to a wider cla.s.s of people than any other breed, from the man of wealth who produces the puppies to be given away as wedding presents or Christmas gifts, down to the lone widow, or the man incapacitated for hard work, who must do something to keep the wolf from the door, and who finds in the raising of these charming little pets a certain source of income and a delightful occupation combined. I do not think that any one may apprehend that the market will ever be overstocked, for as the dog becomes known, the desire for possession among all cla.s.ses will be correspondingly increased, and as he is strictly an American product, no importation from Europe can possibly supply winners, or specially good dogs, as is the case with almost all other breeds. And the fact is demonstrated that dogs of A 1 quality can be produced on American soil.

There are two or three subjects that demand the most careful consideration at the hands of the breeder, and to which I am afraid in many cases not particular enough attention is given. I refer in the first place to the question of inbreeding, an admitted necessity in the early history of the dog, but in the writer's estimation very harmful and much to be discouraged at the present time. I will yield to no man in the belief that the fact is absolutely and scientifically true that close consanguineous breeding is the most powerful means of determining character and establis.h.i.+ng type, in many instances justifiable as the only correct way to fix desirable qualities, both physical and mental, but extreme care must be exercised that both parties to the union must be of good quality and not share the same defects, and where it is evident that the extra good qualities on the one side more than outbalance the defects of the other, and extreme precaution must always be paid to avoid carrying this system too far.

In regard to intense inbreeding, as in the case of mating dogs from the same sire and dam, or the b.i.t.c.h to her sire, or dam to son, I thing it is highly objectionable and should never under any circ.u.mstances be resorted to; failure will ensue. Far better to let the b.i.t.c.h go by unmated and lose six months than mate her in this way because a suitable stud dog was not at the time available. I believe that this inbreeding is productive of excessive nervousness, weakness in physical form, the impairment of breeding functions, and the predisposition to disease in its multiform manifestations.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Edward Axtell, Jr.,

and One of His Boston Terriers]

[Ill.u.s.tration: E. S. Pollard,

A Large and Successful Breeder]

[Ill.u.s.tration: St. Botolph's Mistress King]

That eminent authority, Sir John Seabright, the originator of the early race of bantams, known as the silver and gold spangled Seabrights, also conducted an exhaustive series of experiments on the inbreeding of dogs and demonstrated to an absolute certainty that the system was productive of weakness, diminished growth, and general weediness. His experiments had a world-wide reputation and the writer, when he first visited his large estates near London, little dreamed that in after years he would personally benefit by Sir John's work. I believe the prevailing ideas in many quarters a number of years ago, as to the general stupidity of the Boston terrier (and in some isolated cases I believed well founded), arose from the fact that it was popularly believed he was too much inbred. I will give just one case of inbreeding in our kennels, tried for experiment's sake, as a warning. I took the most rugged b.i.t.c.h I possessed and mated her to her sire, a dog of equal vigor. The result was six puppies, strong, and as handsome as a picture. When two months old they were sold to different parties on the Eastern seaboard, from Philadelphia up to the Canadian line. This was before the West had "caught on" to the breed. About two months later I had a letter from New York stating that the pup was growing finely, but that he seemed to be hard of hearing. A few days after this I received another epistle from Salem that the puppy I had sent on was believed to be stone deaf. It would be superfluous to add that the purchase money was returned, and the other four customers were notified of the condition of the others. It may seem somewhat incredible, but two out of the four stated that they believed the pups had defective hearing, and declined to receive their money back, and the other two stated that before my notification they had never observed that their dogs were deaf. Here was a case of the entire litter being perfect practically in every other respect, and yet every one stone deaf, and in my estimation not worth a sou. As we have never had a case of deafness in our kennels before or since, we attribute this solely to inbreeding.

Another important feature, little understood, and frequently much dreaded, is that of Antecedent Impressions. When a b.i.t.c.h has been served by a dog not of her own breed it has been proven in extremely rare cases that the subsequent litters by dogs of her own kind, showed traces (or, at least, one or more of the litter did) of the dog she was first lined by. The theory by physiologists is that the life-giving germ, implanted by the first dog, penetrates the serous coat of the ovary, burrows into its parenchyma, and seeks out immature ova, not to be ripened and discharged perhaps for years, and to produce the modifying influence described. Many breeders are unwise enough to believe that a b.i.t.c.h the victim of misalliance is practically ruined for breeding purposes and discard her.

While, of course, we believe in the fact of Antecedent Impressions, we think they are as rare as the proverbial visit of angels. We have given this subject serious attention and have tried numerous experiments, using various dogs to ward our b.i.t.c.hes, including a pug, spaniel, wire-haired fox terrier, pointer, and perhaps one other, and we have never seen a trace of these matings in subsequent litters. One case, for example: In another part of this book we allude to a dog spoken of by Dr. Mott, in his "Treatise of the Boston Terrier," named "Muggy Dee." The grandmother of this charming little dog was bred in our kennels, by name, "St. Botolph's Bessie." We sold her to a Boston banker, and she matured into a beautiful dog. Upon coming in season she was unfortunately warded by a spaniel on the estate, which so disgusted her owner that he gave her to the coachman.

She proved a perfect gold mine to him, as she raised two litters of elegant ideal Bostons every twelve months for a great number of years, and never at any time showed any result of the misalliance.

On the subject of Mental Impressions we need say but little, as the chances of it ever taking place are so small that we merely give it a pa.s.sing notice and say that in all our experience we have never been troubled with a case. For the benefit of the uninitiated will briefly state that this consists of the mental impression made on the mind of a b.i.t.c.h by a dog with whom she has been denied s.e.xual intercourse, affecting the progeny resulting from the union of another dog with the b.i.t.c.h, generally in regard to the color, and this strange phenomena, when it does occur, is apt to mark usually one puppy of each litter.

A fact not generally known by breeders is that if a b.i.t.c.h is lined by a second dog at any time during heat, the chances are that a second conception may take place, resulting in two distinct sets of pups, half-sister or brother to each other. This fact we have proven.

There is one other important feature which must be noticed before this chapter is closed, and that is Predetermining the s.e.x. Most breeders, of course, are anxious to have male pups predominate in a litter, and it is a demonstrated fact that ordinary mating produces from four to ten per cent more males than females. For a number of years I had always believed it was impossible to breed so as to attain more than the excess of males above noted, but several years ago I accepted an invitation from Mr.

Burnett, of Deerfoot Farm, of Southboro (the owner of Kate or Gyp, the mother of the breed), to spend the day. He was, as will be recalled, one of the earliest and most enthusiastic breeders of the Boston, and is now a scientific breeder of choice dairy stock. We had been discussing a number of problems in regard to raising stock, when he exclaimed: "Mr. Axtell, I believe I have discovered the problem of s.e.x breeding. If I want heifer calves, I breed the cow as soon as she comes in season. If a bull calf is wanted, the cow is served just before going out of season." And said he, "In nineteen experiments I have only been unsuccessful once, and I think you might try the same plan with your Bostons." I have since done so, and although not nearly the same measure of success has attended my experiments as his, yet by breeding b.i.t.c.hes at the close of the heat rather than at its commencement, the number of males in a litter has materially increased. Again, I find if a young, vigorous dog is bred to a similar b.i.t.c.h, females will predominate in the offspring, whereas, if the same b.i.t.c.h is bred to a much older dog, an excess of males will generally occur. Occasionally some dogs will be met with that no matter what mated with, will produce largely males, and some the opposite of this will nearly always produce females, and some b.i.t.c.hes, no matter how bred, do likewise, but these are exceptions, and not the rule. A kennel man need never worry about s.e.x, inasmuch as good dogs of either gender will always be in demand.

The law of Selection must be carefully attended to to insure the best results. Choose your best and most typical b.i.t.c.hes for breeding, especially those that approximate rather to the bull type and are rather long in body and not too narrow in their hind quarters. I do not care if the dam has a somewhat longer tail than the dog, my experience has been that a b.i.t.c.h possessing a tight screw tail did not do quite as well in whelping as one having one a little longer. Do not consider this as suggesting that the tail is a matter of secondary importance, by no means, it is of primal import, and too much attention can never be given to the production of this distinguis.h.i.+ng mark of the dog. A Boston without a good tail is almost as worthless as a check without a signature.

Be sure at the time of breeding the b.i.t.c.h is free from worms. A great many are troubled whose owners are totally ignorant of the fact, and this frequently accounts for non-success. Always remember that worms thrive the most when the alimentary ca.n.a.l is kept loaded with indigestible or half-digested food, and that liquid foods are favorable to these pests, while solids tend to expel them. Freshly powdered areca nut, in teaspoonful doses, and the same quant.i.ty of a mixture of oil of male fern and olive oil, three parts oil and one part male fern oil, I find are both excellent vermifuges to give to matured dogs. Give a dose and two days after repeat, and this, I think, will be found generally effectual.

Do not, on any account, allow the breeding stock to become too fat. Proper feeding and exercise, of course, will prevent this. It will be found if this is not attended to that the organs of generation have lost their functional activity, and if pups are produced, are, as a rule, small and lack vigor. My experience with Bostons is that it is very desirable to breed them as often as they come in season; if allowed to go by it will be found increasingly harder to get them in whelp. I think a stud dog, to last for a reasonable number of years, should not be used more frequently than once a week. I have found it pays best to give the b.i.t.c.h in whelp a generous feed of raw meat daily. It often effectually prevents the puppy-eating habit.

In closing these general hints on breeding, allow me to say there is no reason whatever, if one has a genuine love for the dog and is thoroughly in earnest in his attentions to it, why the breeding problem should possess any great terrors for him. Perhaps, before closing this chapter, it might be well to write on one or two matters, practically of no special import, but which may at times be instructive and illuminate some few incidents that may puzzle the beginner.

I allude first to that strange phenomena known as "false heat," to which Bostons, more than any other breed with which the writer is familiar, are liable, and which consists of the b.i.t.c.h coming "in season" between the two periods in the year when she legitimately should do so, and after being warded by the dog, is, of course, not in whelp. The next is somewhat akin to this, and consists of the fact that the b.i.t.c.h, after being properly warded by a dog, notwithstanding all the external evidences of being in whelp, even to the possession of milk in her b.r.e.a.s.t.s at the expiration of the ninth week, is not so, neither has she been. If, in addition to the above symptoms, and there has been unusual abdominal, uterine, and breast enlargement, with a discharge of blood for several days and no pups are in evidence, then in this case it may safely be concluded that the offspring fell victims to the puppy-eating habit, in which case a close watch must be kept on the b.i.t.c.h at the next time of whelping, as this is a curable habit generally. I have had two cases to my knowledge, both of which were cured I think, largely by giving these two b.i.t.c.hes all the raw meat they could possibly eat while in whelp. One other fact, related somewhat to the last two, and one that the inexperienced breeder must give intelligent heed to, is that some b.i.t.c.hes go through the entire period of gestation without presenting a single sign of pregnancy appreciable to the ordinary observer. Of course, to a dog man the facts of the case would in all probability be known, but I shall have to confess, after years of extended experience I myself have been deceived two or three times. Never give up hope until the last gun is fired.

I think it will generally be considered a good plan, if the b.i.t.c.h is expected to whelp in the kennel she has been in the habit of occupying, to thoroughly clean out and wash with boiling water the box or corner she will use, to destroy all eggs and worms that may chance to be there. I also deem it a good plan to rub gently into her coat and over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s precipitated sulphur two or three days before the expected arrival. If the b.i.t.c.h is suffering from a severe case of constipation at this time, a dose of castor oil will be of service, otherwise, let her severely alone. A b.i.t.c.h that is in good health, properly fed, that has free access to good wholesome drinking water, can safely be left without a cathartic. Another important fact to be observed in breeding Bostons, is the suitability of certain stud dogs for particular b.i.t.c.hes. It used to be my belief for a number of years, and I suppose many dog men today entertain the same idea, that a first cla.s.s dog in every respect mated with a number of equally well bred typical b.i.t.c.hes would produce on an average a comparatively uniform type of pups. Nothing could be further from actual results. The same dog bred, say to four females practically alike in style, size, conformation, color and markings, and from common ancestry, will give perchance in one litter two or three crackerjacks, and the other three will contain only medium pups. This same thing will occur every time the dogs are bred. This is because the b.i.t.c.h with the choice pups and the dog "nick," a phrase signifying that some psychological union has taken place, not understood by man, in which the best points of both dogs are reproduced in their offspring. Whenever one finds a dog eminently suited to his b.i.t.c.h, do not make a change, always breed to the same dog. I am perfectly cognizant of the fact that a great temptation presents itself to want to breed to a better dog, a noted prize winner probably, expecting, of course, that inasmuch as the dam did so well with a somewhat inferior dog, she must of necessity do correspondingly better with an A 1 dog. The reasoning is perfectly correct, but the result does not correspond. Very inferior pups to her previous litter by the inferior dog surprise and disgust the owner. In our kennels we have had numerous examples of this.

One b.i.t.c.h especially, years ago, when bred to "Buster," always gave first cla.s.s puppies of uniform type each litter, but the same b.i.t.c.h bred to some noted prize winner always gave ordinary pups. Another b.i.t.c.h that at the present time is practically retiring from the puppy raising business from age, when bred to Hickey's Teddy IV., always had in her litter four crackerjacks out of the seven or eight she always presented us with; when bred to any other dog (and we have tried her with several), no matter how good, never had a first cla.s.s pup in the litter. Hence I repeat, if a dog "nicks" with your b.i.t.c.h, resulting in good pups, do not on any account ever change. Let the marriage last for life. Somewhat closely connected with this last fact is another equally important, the fact of prepotency in a stud dog, consisting of the capacity on the part of the dog to transmit his share of characteristics to his offspring in a far larger degree than is imparted by the average dog. Those who closely follow the breed will discover how certain dogs do, and have done in the past, from "Barnard's Mike" down to certain dogs of the present time, stamp the hall-mark of excellence on all the pups they sire, in a greater or less degree. Happy are those owners of dams who are aware of this important fact and take pains to use in the stud dogs of this character. I have sometimes wondered how much Barnard's Mike was worth to the breed. It will be doubtless remembered by hors.e.m.e.n that the great trainer, Hiram Woodruff, speaking of the importation of the thoroughbred, "Messenger,"

one of the founders of the American trotter, in 1788, said that "when Messenger charged down the gang-plank, in landing from the s.h.i.+p, the value of not less than one hundred million dollars struck our soil." He would be a very courageous man who would dare compute the worth of "Mike" or "Buster" or "Sullivan's Punch," when viewed from the same standpoint.

CHAPTER V.

REARING OF PUPPIES.

a.s.suming that the b.i.t.c.h has successfully whelped and all goes well, there is practically nothing to do beyond seeing that the mother is well fed, in which good meat, and where there is a good sized litter of pups, a liberal supply of milk and oatmeal gruel, is furnished. In case the mother's supply of milk is inadequate, then a foster mother must be obtained, or the pups brought up on a bottle. If a bottle, then a small one, kept scrupulously clean, with a rubber nipple that fits easily without compression. The pups must be kept perfectly warm, away from draughts, in a basket lined with flannel, and fed the first week every hour and a half day and night, every two hours the second week, and three hours in the third. I find that good, fresh cow's milk, diluted one-quarter with warm water, is the nearest approach to their natural food. After three weeks they can be fed less frequently with a spoon, and can readily be taught to lap up the milk. Where it is practical, it is always advisable to have two or more b.i.t.c.hes whelp together, and then the pups are provided for if anything happens.

In case the b.i.t.c.h should lose her pups, she must be fed sparingly and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s should be gently rubbed with camphorated oil to prevent caking. It is not uncommon for Boston terrier pups to be born with hare-lips, in which case it is far better to put them to sleep at once, as they rarely ever live and are a deformity if they do. Be sure that the puppies'

quarters have abundance of suns.h.i.+ne and fresh air, or they will never thrive as they should, but will be p.r.o.ne to disease. They are very much like plants in this respect. When the pups are four weeks old (I used to commence at five, but so many deaths have occurred in my kennels that of late I have commenced a week earlier), give them a mild vermifuge for worms. No matter if they do not show symptoms of harboring these pests, do it just the same. You will doubtless discover the reason very soon. Only those who have had experience in handling and breeding puppies are aware of their danger from worms. I know of nothing more disappointing than to go to the kennel and find the fine litter of pups that looked so promising, and on which such high hopes had been placed, with distended stomachs and the flesh literally wasted away. When this is the case do not waste a moment, administer the vermifuge. If the intestinal walls have not yet been perforated by these pests, or too great an inflammation of the alimentary ca.n.a.l produced, or convulsions occasioned by the impression of the worms upon the head center of the nervous system have not yet taken place, the pups, or most of them, can be saved. Hence the need of taking time by the forelock and getting rid of the worms before they get in their work. There are all kinds of worm medicines on the market, and I have tried them all. While some are all right for older pups, many of them have proven too harsh in their effects and puppies as well as worms have been destroyed. The following recipe I know will rid the little tots of their trouble without injuring them:

Wormseed oil, sixteen drops.

Oil of turpentine, two drops.

Oil of anise, sixteen drops.

Olive oil, three drachms.

Castor oil, four drachms.

Put into a two-ounce bottle, warm slightly, shake well, and give one-half teaspoonful, floated on the same quant.i.ty of milk. If the worms do not pa.s.s away, repeat the dose the next day.

To those who would rather administer the dose in the form of a capsule, then I strongly recommend Spratts' Puppy Capsules, except when the pups are unusually small. I have just written to the Spratts people, telling them that their puppy capsules are too large for very small pups of the Boston terrier breed, and their manager has a.s.sured me he will have some made half the size. I think when the pups are about seven weeks old, when they are generally weaned, it is good, safe, precautionary measure to give them another dose of worm medicine, when we use,

Santonine, four grains.

Wormseed oil, twenty drops.

Oil of turpentine, three drops.

Olive of anise, sixteen drops.

Olive oil, two drachms.

Castor oil, six drachms.

Warm slightly, shake thoroughly and give one teaspoonful on an empty stomach, and I think it will be found that the worms will be eliminated. I have found it also a good plan every little while to give a teaspoonful of linseed oil to young dogs. For several years I was troubled with the loss of puppies eight or nine weeks old that had been effectually freed from worms, that seemed to gradually fade away, as it were, but an autopsy plainly revealed the cause. The mother, after eating a hearty meal, would return and vomit what she had eaten on the hay which the puppies would greedily devour. In so doing they swallowed some of the hay, which effected a lodgment in the small intestines, not being digested, until enough was collected to cause a stoppage, and the puppies consequently died. The cause being removed, we lost no more pups. As infection is always in lurk in kennels it is, I think, always advisable to give puppies that have pa.s.sed the tenth week a dose of vermifuge occasionally until after the ninth month. When the kennels are kept perfectly free from fleas and other noxious insects, during the warm weather a thorough good was.h.i.+ng once a week is of great benefit to the growing stock, and I know of no soap so good to use as the following:

1 lb. of Crown Soap (English harness soap).

1-2 ounce of mild mercurial ointment (commonly called by the chemists "blue ointment").

1 ounce of powdered camphor.

Mix thoroughly, and take a very small quant.i.ty and rub into the coat, thoroughly rinsing afterwards, followed by careful drying. Every day a good brus.h.i.+ng will be found of great benefit, and when an extra l.u.s.ter is desired in the coat, as for the show bench, there is nothing that will do the trick as readily as to give the coat a thorough good dressing with newly ground yellow corn meal, carefully brus.h.i.+ng out all the particles, which will leave the coat immaculately clean.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Champion Yankee Doodle Pride]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Champion Dallen's Spider]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Champion Mister Jack]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Champion Caddy Belle]

In regard to feeding the pups after weaning, it will be found an excellent plan to feed until ten weeks old four times a day, from that age until six months old, three times daily, and from that age until maturity, twice daily. I think a good drink of milk once a day excellent, and where there are enough fresh table sc.r.a.ps left to feed the pups, nothing better can be given. Where the number of dogs kept is too numerous to be supplied in this way, then a good meal of puppy biscuits in the morning, a good meal of meat (fresh butcher's tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, not too fat, bought daily) with vegetables at noon and at night well cooked oatmeal or rice with milk makes an excellent safe diet. Good, large bones with some meat on are always in order, as all dogs crave, and I think ought to have, some meat raw. Be careful not to over feed, and above all do not give the dogs sweets. When a puppy is delicate or a shy feeder, an egg beaten up in milk forms an excellent change, and good fresh beef or lamb minced up will tempt the most delicate appet.i.te. Give the puppies a chance to get out on the fresh gra.s.s and see what Dr. Green will do for them. Above all see that they always have free access to pure, cool water.

I frequently hear numerous complaints of dog's eyes, especially pups that have been newly weaned, becoming inflamed, and in many cases small ulcers form. The same thing has occasionally happened in our kennels, and after trying practically all the eye washes on the market, sometimes without success, I applied to a friend of mine in the laboratory of the Ma.s.sachusetts General Hospital and was advised by him to wash the dog's eyes two or three times a day with a ten per cent. solution of argyrol, which has been eminently successful. For slight inflammations a boracic acid wash, that any chemist will put up, will usually effect a cure.

The several forms of skin disease which cause so much disquiet to young stock, preventing rest and hindering growth, are sometimes due to faults in feeding which upset the work of the a.s.similative organs, and are to a great extent preventable. Not so those that are due to the presence of a parasite that burrows under the skin and produces that condition of the coat commonly known as mange. A dog may go for some considerable time unsuspected, but the sooner it is discovered and attended to the better, as it is highly contagious. The first thing to do is to take an equal amount of powdered sulphur and lard, make a paste, and rub it thoroughly into the coat of the dog and let it stay on for two days. Of course, the dog will lick off all he can, but the internal application will be good for him. At the end of the second day take the dog and give him a thorough wash with good castile soap, and after drying rub into his coat thoroughly (care being taken that none gets into the eyes or ears) crude petroleum.

Let this stay on one day, and without was.h.i.+ng take this time enough benzine and powdered sulphur to make a paste and rub in as before. It will be found that this has penetrated deeper than the lard and sulphur did and has doubtless reached the parasites. Repeat this twice, was.h.i.+ng in between, after which give the dog a good dressing of petroleum once a day for a week, followed by a week's anointing with the benzine, and dollars to doughnuts, the dog's coat will come out all right. A good dressing to be applied occasionally afterwards, well rubbed into the skin, is composed of equal parts of castor, olive and kerosene oils, thoroughly mixed. If the hair has long been off apply the tincture of cantharides, or the sulphate of quinine to the bald spots, taking care the dog does not lick it with his tongue. These two remedies are best used in the form of an ointment, twice a day.

In regard to fleas or lice on the young stock, a good wash in not too strong a solution of any of the standard tar products is usually perfectly effectual. One other disease, and that the most deadly of all, remains to be considered, viz., distemper. This is largely contracted at the dog shows, or being brought into contact with dogs suffering from the disease.

I do not believe it is ever spontaneous, and dogs kept away from infected stock will be exempt. Well do I remember my first dose of it. I had loaned a friend of mine a young dog raised by him to show, as he was trying for a prize for Druid Merk as a stud dog. The dog in question, Merk Jr., came back from the show rather depressed, and in a few days I had my entire kennel down with the disease. It was in the spring of the year, cold and damp, and I succeeded in saving just one of the young dogs and Merk Jr.

After a thorough fumigation with a great quant.i.ty of sulphur I managed to get the kennels disinfected, and did not have an outbreak again for several years. A b.i.t.c.h sent to be bred where a case of distemper existed, unknown to me, of course, brought it to my place again, and I had the same unfortunate experience over again; fortunately this time it was in the early fall, and weather conditions being auspicious, we lost only about twenty-five per cent. of young stock. By extreme vigilance, in knowing the conditions of the kennels where b.i.t.c.hes were sent for service, we succeeded in escaping an attack for several years, when an old b.i.t.c.h that had had distemper several years previously, brought back the germs in her coat from a kennel where two young dogs, just home from the Boston show, were sick with the disease. This was in the spring, the weather was wet and cold, and a loss of practically fifty per cent. ensued.