200 BRITISH DOGS 



Beagles, and yet, being offered a country over which to hunt, is 

 anxious to begin, then he will be wise to place himself entirely 

 in the hands of some known authority and, telling him exactly how 

 he is situated, be guided by his judgment. Masters of Beagles, if 

 properly approached, are as a rule very ready to assist new-comers, 

 and one of the greatest uses of the Beagle Club is to bring together 

 beaglers experienced and otherwise. 



Having obtained his hounds, the Master will then require to 

 kennel them. The most expensive kennels are not always the best, 

 and some of the most primitive have kept Beagles in comfort and 

 free from disease. The writer likes his kennels to be traps to catch 

 sunbeams, providing some temporary shade in a hot summer ; but 

 he knows a very experienced Beagle owner and breeder who prefers 

 having each small kennel yard surrounded entirely by a high wall 

 of brick or iron. In any case, Beagle kennels should be kept per- 

 fectly clean, dry, sweet, and warm ; there should be good ventilation 

 with freedom from draught. Sometimes visit your kennels at night 

 after they have been shut up for a few hours, and ascertain how they 

 feel. Never put hounds away wet or dirty ; either rub them dry or 

 turn them into a loose box a foot deep in straw to dry themselves. 

 The bedding should be on a bench raised from the ground ; straw 

 constantly changed makes the best. Concrete is probably the most 

 satisfactory flooring, but there should always be a fall to run off the 

 moisture into an outside drain. It is a great advantage to have 

 summer kennels with extensive grass runs ; this gives a change of 

 ground, and, if space is no object, they can be easily and cheaply 

 erected for summer use, as the runs can be enclosed by wire netting 

 6ft. high, and converted wooden poultry-houses make very good 

 sleeping-boxes. It must, however, be remembered that if hounds are 

 kept too long on grass it is apt to make their feet spread, and in 

 wet weather a grass run is undesirable ; so that it can only be recom- 

 mended for a change during the hot months. Hound-kennels are 

 usually built of brick ; but there is some advantage in having good 

 wooden buildings : they are cheap, last for several years if seasoned 

 wood is used, and can then be broken up or used for poultry-houses, 

 being replaced by /in entirely fresh building. If possible, arrange 

 for a window on the east or south side to admit the sun. By far 

 the best roofing is a thick thatch of rye or wheat straw with over- 

 hanging eaves on the south side, under which there may be a bench 

 on which hounds can sit in the sun ; such a roof is cool in summer 

 and warm in winter. 



Unless it is intended to board the puppies out find walks 

 for them, as it is called the Master must have ready a separate 

 kennel and as extensive a run as possible for his unentered hounds, 

 and all puppies require as much liberty as circumstances allow, 

 a little daily exercise being quite insufficient. A small isolation 



