COURSING. 455 



One of the principal causes of failure in breeding is in 

 leaving these matters in the hands of attendants, who 

 have little or no interest further than to obey orders, 

 when it does not conflict with their ease and pleasure. 



A person not having time to personally superintend 

 the mating of any fine stock, should not engage in breed- 

 ing with any expectation of success or profit. 



The care of the greyhound while- rearing its young, 

 and while in training for field contests, should be care- 

 fully studied; and, as the interest extends, the novice will 

 eagerly seek all information obtainable, that he may 

 compete successfully with those having obtained their 

 knowledge by careful observation and an expensive 

 experience. 



The first requisite is to obtain a pair of greyhounds 

 from an honorable and successful breeder, and then bear 

 in mind that the training should really begin sixty- three 

 days previous to their birth. The mother should be 

 carefully fed, and all the affection possible lavished on 

 her. 



She should be exercised regularly to within ten days 

 of the birth of the future winners. 



The disposition, and many other qualities desired, can 

 be stamped in the young, through the mother, the first 

 thirty days of conception; and in order to give activity, 

 an eagerness for the chase, and a desire to kill, the 

 mother should be taken into the field and allowed -to 

 share in the chase. To allow her to lie around the ken- 

 nel or yard, and accumulate fat and laziness, is positively 

 injurious to the mother and young both. 



While in the field, great care should be exercised, lest 

 she become exhausted or overheated, especially the 

 latter. After the birth of the pups, the mother should 

 be fed all she will possibly eat, and food of rather a 

 sloppy nature. The little ones should be fed about the 



