148 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



In running cunning, when two or more are pursu- 

 ing together, one dashes forward at full speed to 

 press the fleeing jack rabbit, antelope, etc., while his 

 fellow is running less swiftly behind. The purpose 

 of the leading hound is to press the prey to a turn 

 from its course. If he succeeds, instantly his fellow 

 dashes forward at top speed across the angle thus 

 formed, heading the prey off if possible, and in any 

 event getting closer up to it. He then takes up the 

 running, while his fellow behind watches alertly for 

 the next turn, and when it comes he cuts across the 

 corner. Sometimes the hindmost dog, without losing 

 speed, will rear high up so that he may see over the 

 leading dog, and thereby note what the prey is doing. 



Every time that a turn is made the prey runs on 

 two sides of a triangle, while the hindmost dog runs 

 on but one. This is a sufficient advantage in favor 

 of the dogs to insure their final success. After the 

 hindmost dog can cut in ahead of their prey, there 

 then is a dog in front and one in the rear of it, and it 

 is in a perilous situation. The backing dog may be 

 said to be backing cunning, for it is analogous in its 

 purposes to the runnng cunning of the greyhound. 

 Either act is but one of many similar ones. 



