THE AMERICAN FOXHOUND 7 



puppies may be put to work much younger, say at eight months 

 of age, as the grays make shorter runs and more sudden, sliort 

 and sharp angles, consequently the trained and aged dogs make 

 more losses or overruns, giving the youngsters frequent oppor- 

 tunities to catch up and fall in line again ; neither do the grays 

 run near so long as the reds, which fact is in favor of the 

 puppies, as the fox has either been caught or nin to earth before 

 they are completely exhausted or worn out. Yet even after 

 grays I think it best not to run the puppies when too young. 

 My plan for breaking young dogs to run a fox, or rather to keep 

 them from running i*abbits, is to couple them together and lead 

 them the hunting ground and hold them until tlie broken dogs 

 strike a good hot trail, or run, then when a good opportunity 

 presents itself, turn them loose as near as possible to the 

 working dogs. Repeat this until they have had two or three 

 races, after which they are not likely to be much trouble to get 

 into the chase. They should never be punished too severely for 

 running a rabbit, as such treatment sometimes ruins a fine 

 prospect for the making of a good hunter. If whipped or abused 

 too much for this fault some of them will become timid and 

 afraid to get out to hunt or run anything; at the same time a 

 young dog should never be petted or made much of while out 

 hunting, as the chances are that they may become too affection- 

 ate and not satisfied to stay away from you as long as good fox- 

 hounds should. As a rule I never allow any of my dogs to come 

 in and lie around me while others are at work after a fox ; they 

 must either go to the dogs that are at work, or go home. By 

 adopting this plan they can soon be broke from loafing, and it is 

 often the means of making a good foxhound out of what might 

 have become a worthless dog. I love an industrious hound, but 

 detest a loafer, and will punish one quicker for the latter fault 

 than for running rabbits while on a fox-hunt. 



BREEDING, RAISING AND TRAINING FOXHOUNDS. 



By T. H. Brown, Huntsville, Tex. 



The breeding, raising and training of foxhounds is a matter in 

 which a great many sportsmen differ widely, therefore we are 

 forced to look to the manner adopted by those who have proven 

 most successful in this country. 



