I20 THE MASTER OF HOUNDS 



and keep the youngsters amused. The bones of game 

 or poultry should on no account be used, for these are 

 very apt to splinter and stick in their throats. 



It is always a mistake, under any circumstances, to 

 allow a puppy to chase a fowl or any animal of the 

 farmyard. If he kills a fowl, give him a good thrashing 

 at once and tie the dead bird round his neck and leave 

 it there. This is often known to annoy the animal so 

 seriously as to cure him of such habits then and 

 there. 



One sometimes sees puppies playing on familiar 

 terms with the house-cat and kittens. This may look 

 very interesting as a " happy family," but personally I 

 should never encourage it unless I knew that the cats 

 were quite accustomed to such companionship. It is 

 notorious that a cat often strikes at the eye, and then, 

 lo and behold, one fine morning you find your swell 

 youngster, by " Belvoir Dexter " out of " Quorn Gover- 

 ness," minus an eye, or with an ear so badly mutilated 

 as almost to spoil his looks for good and all. 



If you think the puppy is sickening for distemper, it 

 is best to send at once to the huntsman for some pills, 

 of which he always keeps a good stock. Indeed, I 

 used at one time to send out a couple of boxes with 

 every puppy until I found that they are much better 

 fresh. The patient should be kept as warm as possible 

 in the house — not in a stable or cold out-door kennel 

 — and made, if possible, to swallow something. The 

 trouble usually is that the sufferer refuses everything, 

 and therefore has no reserve of strength when it is 

 most wanted. 



