Identifier: newbookofdogcomp01leig (find matches)
Title: The new book of the dog : a comprehensive natural history of British dogs and their foreign relatives, with chapters on law, breeding, kennel management, and veterinary treatment
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Leighton, Robert, 1859-1934
Subjects: Dogs
Publisher: London New York : Cassell
Contributing Library: Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Tufts University

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
emberthat they are given only as a guide, andthat he must not expect quite such ex-cellence, unless prepared to dip very deeplyinto his pocket. Not many of us can afford to start atthe top of the tree, and, except for thefavoured few to whom money is no object,and who can buy ready-made champions,there is no better way of starting a kennelthan to purchase a really good bitch, one,say, capable of winning at all but themore important shows. She must be ofgood pedigree, strong, and healthy ; suchan one ought to be obtained for £15 up-wards. Mate her to the best dog whoseblood nicks suitably with hers, butdo not waste time and money breedingfrom fourth-rate stud dogs, for if you doit is certain you will only meet with dis-appointment. You may save a guineaor two on the stud fee, but you will findyou will have no sale for the progeny ofunknown dogs; whereas strong, healthypuppies by a well-known sire will alwayscommand a ready market. On the otherhand, if you have had little or no experi-
Text Appearing After Image:
THE BORZOI. 185 ence of dogs, you may possibly prefer tostart with a puppy. If so, my advice isto place yourself in the hands of a breederwith a reputation at stake (unless youhave a friend who understands the breed).It is a fact that even a cast off from agood strain that has been bred for certainpoints for years is more likely to turn outa better dog than a pup whose dam hasbeen mated haphazard tosome dog who may or may nothave been a good one. Bigkennels also generally possess thebest bitches and breed from them,and the bitch is quite as import-ant a factor as the sire. If, how-ever, you prefer to rely on yourown judgment, and wish to choosea puppy yourself from a litter,select the one with the longesthead, biggest bone, smallest ears,and longest tail, or as many ofthese qualities as you can findcombined in one individual. Coatis a secondary matter in quite ayoung pup ; here one should beguided by the coat of the sireand dam. Still, choose a pupwith a heavy coat, if possible,althou

Note About Images