As no better opportunity is likely to be afforded it is well now to call attention to the fact that large breeds at a very early age - even in the fifth or sixth week - sometimes begin to be deformed in their legs or feet owing not only to the comparatively great weight of their bodies, but to a deficiency, in their composition, of bone-making materials. And this is especially liable to be the case if proper precautions are not taken with the mother before whelping and while nursing, which consist mainly of highly nutritious foods and the use of the precipitated phosphate of lime, as advised in chapter "Before Whelping."

There may be actual rickets to account for the deformity, yet without this constitutional trouble the forelegs may bend inward or outward at the knees, - generally the latter, - the feet turn out, the hind legs become what is called cowhocked, or the pasterns give way, making the puppies walk on their ankles.

If a puppy is healthy at birth, properly nourished by his mother and afterward wisely fed, and meanwhile given plenty of exercise and provided with good wholesome quarters, - dry, clean, well ventilated, etc., - there will be but little, if any, danger of such deformities. But all these essential conditions are rarely present; moreover, no small proportion of puppies have some inherent defect at birth, consequently to all of large breeds it is a wise plan to give the precipitated phosphate of lime for two or three months at least. And the use of this should be commenced about the seventh week provided no signs of deformity have been noted; or if they appear earlier, it should be given as soon as it is indicated. A moderate dose of the drug is one-fourth of a teaspoonful, and one dose each day - with the last meal - will generally be sufficient, yet if deformity is threatened it should be given in the food twice daily, and the dose be increased to one-half a teaspoonful.

It being a common custom in America to deliver at about the eighth week the puppies that have been pre-engaged, the subject of selection can properly be considered in this chapter.

Beginners, and some old fanciers perhaps, should be impressed with the fact that in breeding, as in all lines of business, to be financially successful they must establish reputations for fair dealing. And the first rule which they should fix is : Never sell a badly developed or badly formed puppy, or one that is really ailing, at any price.

The importance of this it is scarcely necessary to emphasize, for every puppy sold is a living advertisement, and even principle aside, no breeder can afford to have out against him bad ones in the form of unsound or crippled specimens.

In some instances when puppies must inevitably turn out poorly they present evidences of the fact before they are eight weeks old, but except they are weaklings, have pronounced congenital deformities or are bad in markings, fatal defects, as acquired deformities, a snipy face, prick ear or the like, can seldom if ever be detected until a later age. But when any such defects are clearly evident, as a rule he is wisest in the end who destroys the victims, for although he might dispose of some of them for a few dollars, the sums received could scarcely compensate him for the risks he takes of endangering the reputation of his kennel.

It is well to add here that if the unfortunates are more than two or three weeks old they should not be destroyed by drowning, but the dilute prussic acid should be given them, and not less than half a teaspoonful to the youngest and smallest victims, while to the others, four or five months of age, or older, the dose should be one teaspoonful.

Although these doses are large they are none too large, for there must not be any failure in the attempt to destroy.

It is the custom of not a few breeders, when they have very large litters that must be weeded out, to sacrifice the bitches whether or not they are superior to the dogs in size, form, markings, etc. There is, of course, a better market for their choice, but still such a hard-and-fast rule must be deplored, for far better a good bitch than an indifferent dog even if the latter will sell for a trifle more. And when there are two doubtful specimens in a litter, a bitch and a dog, and one of them must go, the owner will do wisely to keep the former, for should she turn out but moderate she might still be of value for breeding purposes; whereas the dog, if an indifferent specimen of his breed, would generally be hard to dispose of, would be practically shut out from bench shows, and seldom profitable as a stud.

In fact it is a good plan always to keep what promises to be the best bitch in each litter until she is mature or at least so well developed that it is possible to tell with near certainty how she will develop. And even if he who follows this sells all his dog puppies he will know whether . or not he is breeding judiciously.

To make good, judicious selections from large litters within the first week is impossible in most instances, for puppies often undergo rapid changes, and not infrequently the one which appears the least robust becomes the strongest ere the weaning is reached. Considering this, in every case where the litter is too large for the mother to nurse safely and it must be weeded, he who is in doubt should try to nourish artificially what appears to him to be the poorest of it.

As for minor defects, they sometimes remain concealed until the victims are well on towards maturity. In fact, in not a few instances what has seemed to be the best puppy in the litter has fallen off between the sixth and eighth months and ultimately proved one of the poorest. In some instances, also, the least promising has even at a later age taken a tremendous stride in the way of improvement and jumped to the front rank.

Manifestly, therefore, to make judicious selections early will never be easy, and oftentimes impossible except in the presence of deformities or decided feebleness, or on the basis of color and markings. However, he is not likely to fall into many and grievous mistakes who is influenced by the condition of health and outward appearance, and gives the preference to the best-looking as well as the hardiest and most active puppies.