to my knowledge, both of which were cured I think, largely by giving these two bitches 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 bitches 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 bitch 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 breasts precipitated sulphur two or three days before the expected arrival.  If the bitch 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 bitch 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 bitches.  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 class dog in every respect mated with a number of equally well bred typical bitches 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 bitch 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 bitch, 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 bitch