Even as they cover a Swysser's Drum.

 

Chapter 8.

Of the Seasons in which it is best to have Young Whelps, and how you may best govern them.

There are certain seasons in the which little whelps are hard to escape or to be brought up, especially if they be whelped in the end of October, because of the winter and cold which then begin to reign, and for that, milk and other nouritures which are most meet for them do then begin to fail. Therefore, it is then very hard (if they be whelped in such season) that they should escape death, for as much as the winter has overtaken them before they have force to endure the cold; and though they do escape, yet will they be small and weak. 

Another unmeet season for whelps is in July and August, because of the vehement heats, and the flies, fleas and other vermin which then will torment them.

But the best season to have whelps is in March, April and May, when the time is temperate and the heat not over great. Also, it is the right time which nature hath appointed for the breeding of all living creatures as kine, goats, sheep and such like, for that is the season most fit for their nouriture. And seeing that whelps may be bred in all seasons, and that many delight to breed  their kind, and to nourish them in what season soever they come, I have therefore thought good according to my fantasy, to give understanding of means how to preserve them.

First, if they be whelped in winter, you shall take a barrell or a pipe well dried, and knock out the head at the one end thereof. Afterwards, put straw therein, and set it by a place where there is ordinarily a good fire, then turn the open end towards the fire, to the end the whelps may have the air thereof; and you shall feed the dame with good pottage or broth with beef or mutton. 

Then, when the whelps begin to lap, you shall accustom them also unto pottage, but such as have no salt therein, because salt doth make them dry, and causes them to become mangy, unto the which disease they are subject when they are whelped in winter. 

Also you shall put in their pottage much sage and other hot herbs. And if peradventure you see their hair do fall, you shall then anoint them with oil of walnuts and honey mingled together, and keep them in their tun or pipe as clean as you can, and change their straw every day; and when you perceive they begin to go, you shall have a net made of strong thread laced with a thong, and fastened about the tun or pipe, even as they cover a Swysser's drum, so that you may keep them from goin out, and that other dogd do not bite them, or that they be trodden upon or marred with men's feet. And you must make this pipe or tun in such sort that it may be opened when you will. 

And as touching other whelps which are bred in summer, they must be put in some fresh place whether other dogs come not ordinarily, and you should lay under them some hurdle or wattling with straw thereupon, lest the cold or moistness of the earth do annoy them, and that straw must also be often changed. They ought also to be in some dark place, because the flies shall so least annoy them, and there withal it shall be also good to anoint them twice a week with oil of nuts mixed and beaten with saffron bruised to powder, for that ointment doth kill all sorts of worms, and recomforts the skin and sinews of dogs, and keeps them from biting of flies and puynases. 

Sometimes you must also anoint the bitch in like manner, and put there to the juice of Berne or wild cress, for fear lest she fill her whelps full of fleas. And forget not to nourish her with pottage as is before rehearsed.

When the whelps shall be fifteen days old, you must worm them, and eight days after you may cut off one joint of their tails, in such form and manner as I will prescribe hereafter in the treatise of receipts. Afterwards, when they shall begin to see and to eat, you must give them good milk always hot, whether it be cow's milk, goat's milk or ewe's milk; and note that it shall not be good to wean them, and put them to keeping abroad, until they be two months old, and that for divers causes.

One, because the longer they taste of their dame's teat, the more they shall take of her complexion and nature, the which we may see by experience. For when a bitch has whelps, let a mastiff bitch give suck to that one half, and you shall find that they will never be so good as those which the dame did bring up.

Another cause is that if you separate them one from another before they be two months old at the least, they will be chill and tender, and it will be strange unto them by want of their dame, which was want to keep them warm.