THE DACHSHUND. 227 



with them; others, who know how to handle them, praise 

 their good qualities. 



I have used them with great success in thick under- 

 brush and briers, where larger dogs could not work, on 

 rabbits; and a few sportsmen, stationed in the right way, 

 have found their chances for good sport excellent. 



In deep snow, when even the Foxhound could not be of 

 service, I have brought my Dachshund (as a general rule 

 only one, and never more than a couple) to new breakings, 

 where there were plenty of brush -piles, the favorite resort 

 for rabbits. Don't let your dog follow you in deep snow, 

 and get him tired out before his work begins. Carry your 

 little dog in your arms, or in the game-sack. He will enter 

 a brush-pile at once, and in a minute 1 s time you will know 

 whether you may expect a rabbit here or not. If he gives 

 tongue, you may with certainty expect a shot; for he 

 never barks before he is dead-sure of the presence of game. 

 His scenting powers are the keenest, and he does not make 

 a mistake. As I said before, as soon as the dog barks, be 

 ready to shoot, for the rabbit will be obliged to run when a 

 Dachshund is after him. The dog works his way through 

 the brush almost like a snake, and will get to the rabbit 

 sooner or later. As soon as a shot is fired, he will come 

 out and follow the trail, and in case the rabbit is missed, 

 will bring him to shot again. 



Should the snow be too deep, don't allow him to follow, 

 for he is too small to work against deep snow. Take to 

 the next brush-pile, and try your luck again. In this way 

 I have often shot from ten to twenty-five rabbits in half a 

 day, and on a comparatively small field. 



When hunting with a pack of Dachshunds, you will 

 notice the following : As soon as unchecked, all dogs will 

 at once scatter, and each will hunt for a trail by himself. 

 For awhile you will not hear a sound from your dogs, but 

 as soon as one of them has scared up game, he will utter a 

 shrill, sharp bark, something like ' ' kiff, kiff -kiff ! " As soon 

 as the rest of the pack hear this signal, they will meet at 

 once, and chase the rabbit in a body, under full cry. They 



