DOGS FOR DANGEROUS GAME. 381 



bull-dog's habit of fixing on to the nose or cheek of a foe renders the animal 

 it seizes unable to do much injury by biting when once it has been seized. 

 Then, though bears and panthers can inflict a severe blow when the object 

 struck is at arm's-length, when it is very close their paws and claws are 

 comparatively powerless. A bear's claws are so blunt that when a dog is 

 holding him he cannot tear his skin, or make any wound, though at arm's- 

 length he might cuff him soundly ; and a panther, though his claws are so 

 sharp, can do little more harm. A bear never hugs the dogs ; his nose 

 makes a splendid hold ; and from what I have seen, I consider two really 

 good bull-dogs a complete match for any bear, if they get a fair chance of 

 flying at him together. Once seized by the snout a bear is a helpless crea- 

 ture, and does little but roll over and howl. 



A pack for dangerous-game hunting should comprise about three couples 

 of seizers, and three or four couples of good terriers and crossbreds for finding 

 game and bringing it to bay for the operations of the seizers. These finding 

 dogs should not be too small, otherwise they may not give tongue suffi- 

 ciently loudly ; and one or two should be fast. They should be plucky 

 enough to keep in attendance on a beast whatever demonstrations he makes 

 against them, but not so courageous as to go at him. 



The seizers should be bull-dogs or bull-mastiffs. In using the word 

 bull-dog, I mean the dogs — usually bull and terrier — commonly termed 

 bull-dogs. I need hardly say pure bull-dogs are very rarely seen, nor, if 

 procurable, would they answer so well as the cross between bull and terrier. 

 The pure breed is seldom large enough, and the true bull is a particularly 

 unintelligent and peaceable animal. It is necessary to hit a happy medium. 

 The bull-dog's determined courage and forward attack must be joined with 

 the terrier's vivacity and intelligence. With too much of the bull in his 

 composition a dog will be stupid ; whilst if the terrier element preponderates 

 too strongly his courage may be doubtful, and, what is fatal in a seizer, he 

 may go at some other part of the animal than the head. 



The duty of the seizers in hunting is to fix on to any animal at which 

 they are loosed. It must be remembered that imported dogs are generally 

 useless until they have had a little teaching, as their instincts are seldom 

 developed or encouraged in England, where a dog that would attack other 

 animals would be a nuisance. But dogs of the right stamp all have it in 

 them, and a little training upon stray cattle, or one of the gaunt village pigs 

 which can be bought for a few rupees in India, will be sufficient to teach 

 them. One of the best dogs I ever had for seizing large animals knew 

 absolutely nothing when I received him from England. 



The seizers should not weigh less than from 35 to 40 lb. Excellent dogs 



