52 HUNTING DOGS. 



myself, but after cutting several good trees, 

 only to get a house cat, I learned better. It is 

 just as easy to break a dog from running cats, 

 as rabbits, and more so. I do not consider a dog 

 that will run and tree eyery house cat he strikes 

 the trail of, a No. 1 'coon dog, no matter what 

 his other good qualities may be. 



Years ago, when timber was more plentiful 

 than no\v, I alwa^'S trained my dog to take care 

 of himself, when a tree was cut for 'coons, and 

 I neyer had a dog get hurt, nor had many 'coons 

 to get yeiy far from the tree. 



They are easily taught by cutting small 

 trees in the day time and making them keep back 

 until the tree is down; but now, timber is get- 

 ting rather scarce and valuable to cut for 

 'coons. 



When a dog is trained for 'coon so that he 

 is first class, he is valuable in dollars and cents 

 as well as satisfaction. One of our good friends 

 sets the value in tliis way, and we agree with 

 him, except that where one is training a dog for 

 his own use, love of the pursuit and woods re- 

 pays him in a measure for his trouble: 



"A man ought not to expect to get a first 

 class 'coon dog for five or ten dollars. In fact, 

 one can't be trained for that price, not saying 

 anything about his feed. In the first place stop 

 and consider how many nights one has to be 



