158 THE AMERICAN HUNTING DOG 



you begin crossing dogs, even those as closely re 

 lated as hounds and beagles, you never know 

 what to expect. 



HOUND LOSES TRAIL 



I have a foxhound about one and one-half years 

 old which I use for hunting rabbits and cotton 

 tails. While hunting he works very earnestly, 

 but after getting a trail and giving tongue he 

 seems to lose the trail altogether. Am sure he 

 does not back trail. He is a full blood "Walker 

 strain foxhound. Kindly advise me of some way 

 to overcome same. 



JERRY SOMMER. 



Ans. Run the dog with an older dog for at 

 least one season. He is hardly over being a pup 

 yet, being only eighteen months old, and many a 

 foxy old cottontail will give him the slip, whereas 

 the older dog would be on to his tricks and pick 

 up the trail again. 



Your pup will get discouraged if he loses out 

 on many trails, but he will learn all the tricks of 

 the game and be much more encouraged if he finds 

 that the majority of trails lead to successful con 

 clusion in the catching of the rabbit, which will 

 generally be the case when an older dog is on 



