CHAPTER IV. 

 BREAKING AND ENTERING 



^H5 ENTERING OF THE GItEYHOUND AND DEERHOUND.— OF FOXHOUNDS 

 A>D HARRIERS.— BREAKING THE POINTER AND SETTER.— THE RE- 

 TRIEVER (LAND AND WATER).— THE SPANIEL.— THE VERMIN DOG. 



With the exception of the greyhound, sporting dogs require some 

 considerable education for the sport in which they are to be en- 

 gaged. Unlike the hound and the dogs intended for the gun, grey- 

 hounds have only their instinctive desires to be developed, and as 

 no restraint is at any time placed upon these, except that depend- 

 ing upon mechanical means which they cannot get rid of, nature 

 has uncontrolled sway. Hence their entering is a verj' easy process ; 

 nevertheless, tliere are some precautions to be taken which it is nec- 

 essary to describe. The deerhound, as well as the greyhound, is 

 held in slips, a single one being used for him, and a double slip, or 

 pair of slips as it is called, for the two greyhounds which form the 

 complement for coursing the bare — a greater number being consid- 

 ered unfair, and therefore unsportsmanlike. These slips are so 

 made that by pulling a string the neck-strap is loosed, and the two 

 dogs are let go exactly at the same moment. They are always used 

 in public coursing, but in private the greyhounds are sometimes 

 suffered to run loose, waiting for the moment when the hare is put 

 up by the beaters or by the spaniels, which are occasionally em- 

 ployed. Hounds also are coupled under certain circumstances, but 

 they are never slipped at the moment when game is on foot, and 

 they must therefore be made steady from " riot." 



THE ENTERING OF THE GREYHOUND AND DEERHOUND. 



Whether for public or private coursing, the greyhound should 

 not be suffered to course a hare until he is nearly at maturity ; but 

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