CHAPTER XI 



HOUND MANAGEMENT 



Management of pack — The kennel huntsman — Hound- 

 breeding — Mother and whelps — "Walking puppies — 

 Riot — Sheep killers — Quarrelsome hounds — Rounding 

 ears — Exercise — The practice of hunting fox — Pros 

 and cons — Running deer — Blood necessary with hare 

 — Ailments and medicine — Distemper — Mange — 

 Hound lameness — Book of the pack — Hound names 



Having dealt with the housing and feeding of hounds, 

 it is now necessary to inquire further into the conduct 

 and management of the pack. The breeding of 

 hounds is a matter demanding infinite care, nicety, and 

 judgment ; a good kennel huntsman, who understands 

 his business, and uses his brains, and has, into the 

 bargain, a bent for hound management, is a rare 

 treasure, not by any means easy of discovery. There 

 are, however, such men, and, when found, their 

 services are to the Master of harriers, always anxious 

 to improve his hounds or to keep a good pack up to 

 the mark, of the greatest value and assistance. Harrier- 

 breeding has been described as one of the most perplex- 

 ing of all sciences, and, especially in the case of the 

 Old English harrier, the results of mating a good dog 

 hound and a good bitch are not by any means so 

 certain to produce the desired puppy of perfection 

 as might be supposed. Even when breeding from 

 the foxhound strain, the results are often vexing 



