Illustration: GRIFFON BRUXELLOIS. _"Sparklets," the property of Miss Johnson._
The usual period of willingness to breed in a toy bitch is, more or less, one week. This is preceded by about a fortnight's preparation, a week or so of gradual enlargement of the parts concerned, and a week of a coloured discharge from the uterus and vagina. Either or all of the stages may last a longer or shorter time; but three weeks is generally accepted as the period. No attempt at mating the bitch should be made during the first two stages; it is when the discharge begins to cease that she is ready, and the correct judging of this time is what chiefly puzzles amateurs, though after they have once been through it they will not find any difficulty. As a rule, bitches are sent away too soon, and as the conveniences for keeping them at the stud dog's house are often few, they are cooped up for day after day, and may become quite "stale" and dull before the real mating time comes--a poor prospect. If the two dogs are in the house together, the male should be kept entirely away from the female from the very beginning of her attraction for him, until she is ready, otherwise he will worry her incessantly and become himself ultimately indifferent and useless in the matter. Toy dogs should never be left to themselves in breeding matters; it is highly dangerous to do so, especially if they are young and inexperienced, and I strongly advise the beginner either to get some experienced breeder to overlook matters and give advice, or failing this, when the female is ready, to send the two dogs for a few hours to some kind and sensible veterinary surgeon. They should be allowed to be together twice, either on consecutive days, or with a day between.
Once mated, the little toy bitch must be petted and taken good care of: not over-fed, but given plenty of good, nourishing food, and systematically exercised. If she is in pup it will become evident about the fifth to the seventh week. Some dogs show it much more than others; whether she has puppies or not, she will have the natural provision of milk for them. If she does not pup, she may very likely come in season again in half the usual time. A failure to prove in pup is generally evidenced by a time of great heaviness and dullness, the bitch sleeping a great deal, getting very fat, and decidedly stupid; under these circumstances give her extra exercise and one or two small doses of sulphate of magnesia in food, to ward off skin irritation, a not uncommon correlative. People are far too apt to decide that "missing" is the bitch's fault; certainly she is apt to miss if she is too fat at the time of mating, and Nature often, and very sensibly, arranges that she shall do so when she has been regularly bred from at her seasons for a number of times; but outside these occasions it is quite as often the dog's fault as not.