204 The Bedale Hounds, 1832-1908 



[e.g. The Belvoir, Ragman, '06, or Helper, *o3). They 

 are generally rare workers, whatever else their shape 

 may be. Necks and shoulders should be of the best ; 

 the neck not too lean. Like horses they get on in all 

 shapes, and it is difficult to judge hounds' shoulders, 

 until you have seen them gallop. 



I (think the main points to strive for in breeding are 

 nose, drive, voice, and what is specially hereditary — 

 ** perseverance." 



Having bred your hounds as you want them, in the 

 above details, they are of no use for fox-catching 

 unless they are in the very best of condition. A 

 huntsman, a very old friend of mine, once said to me, 

 ** There are more foxes killed in Kennel than you 

 have any idea of," As he was fond of accounting for 

 his foxes, and rumour said " they often came back to 

 kennel in a sack " ; I looked at him with a somewhat 

 puzzled expression, thinking he was giving himself 

 away. " Oh, no," he said ** It's not what you think, 

 I mean ' condition. ' ' ' 



This seems common sense. None of us if short of 

 condition, and fagged, can do our best at any game. 

 So with hounds ; unless they are thoroughly fit and 

 up to the mark in every way, we can hardly expect 

 them to persevere on a cold scent. Last, but by no 

 means least, comes the man who hunts the hounds. 

 A bad huntsman will spoil the best pack of working 

 hounds that ever was bred, in half a season. A good 

 man — one who understands dog nature, who has the 

 confidence of his hounds, does not flurry them at the 

 wrong moment, but helps them at the right — will 

 make a bad working pack into a good one, in a season. 

 I have seen this take place more than once, and feel 

 sure that the individuality of the huntsman has a lot 

 to do with the working of a pack of hounds, however 

 they may be bred. 



