THE DACHSHUND 239 



may be take up positions between the growing crops and the wood- 

 land ; and as the dogs drive the badgers out, and the latter seek to 

 reach their proper haunts, some are shot, and some are collared and 

 killed by the Dachshunds. 



It is found that no variety of dog is nearly so successful in this 

 work as the Dachshund. His manner of working upon the badgers 

 chiefly by scent and sound amongst the strong stalks of the 

 maize is exactly that which seems most effective in getting them 

 out and bringing them into the open ground, where they can be 

 satisfactorily dealt with. There is a considerable element of sport 

 and excitement about the whole business; and although it is not 

 unusual for an occasional dog to get severely mauled, still, as a 

 general rule the dogs have the best of it, and the procedure indicated 

 is found to be the most effective to employ in dealing with the 

 circumstances described. It is obvious that the counterpart of this 

 form of work for the Dachshund exists to only very small extent in 

 Great Britain ; but there are certain districts where badgers are still 

 fairly plentiful, and where a certain recognised form of sport is 

 obtained in hunting them upon similar lines at night-time. As a 

 rule, however, the badgers are either taken alive, or simply hunted 

 back to their earths. 



I believe I am correct in stating that a few years back a small 

 pack of Dachshunds were successfully worked in connection with 

 badger-hunting of this description ; and it is perfectly certain that 

 some of the small hounds, properly entered and trained to this 

 work, would show more extended and better sport than would 

 Terriers employed for the same purpose. At the same time, if 

 required to go to ground, the Dachshund is far superior for the work 

 to Terriers of either large or small breed : the former are too 

 heavy and upstanding for work on badgers below ground, and the 

 smaller ones, be the individual members never so plucky or hard, 

 not by nature suited for dealing with such a foe. The badger is in 

 many ways a naturally inoffensive creature, and from the humane 

 standpoint, if it be necessary to draw or kill it, it is surely preferable 

 to adopt the speediest and least cruel manner of so doing. 



Those who know the Dachshund best would never seek to place 

 its work upon rabbits in front of that of either Terriers or Spaniels, 

 except as a mere set-off against or as a comparison with the work 

 of these breeds. It is true enough that under certain conditions 

 the Dachshund would prove superior ; but these conditions are 

 exceptional, and the colour of the breed is against it when working 

 upon fur in close cover. 



As furnishing an insight to the extreme possibilities of these 

 little dogs, it may be mentioned that a well-known sportsman of my 

 acquaintance, very keen on deer and ibex shooting in high grounds, 

 has a couple of Dachshunds that he employs upon his stalks for 



