220 BREAKING AND ENTERING. 



The condition of the puppy at the time of entering, * t*>o often 

 neglected. It should be known that a fat over-fed puppy with- 

 out previous exercise may be seriously injured even by a short 

 course, which, moreover, can never be assured under any circum- 

 stances, as the hare will sometimes run in a different direction to 

 that which is expected. 



A sapling, as the young greyhound is called to the end of the 

 first season after he is whelped, should never be trained ii^e an old 

 one, as the work is too severe, and his frame is not calculated to 

 bear it, but he may be reduced in flesh by light feeding, arid allow- 

 ed to gallop at liberty for two or three hours a day. Wiin these 

 precautions, he will be fit to encounter auy hare in a short course, 

 which is all that should ever be permitted. 



Whether an old assistant or a young one shall be put down with 

 a sapling is a subject which admits of some discussion. If the 

 former, the young dog has small chance of getting to work at all, 

 and if the latter, he may have so little assistance as to be greatly 

 distressed. Few people like to put down an honest old dog with 

 a sapling, and a cunning one soon teaches the tricks which he him- 

 self displays. Sometimes young clogs have great difficulty in kill- 

 ing, and want the encouragement afforded by blood ; in such cases 

 a good killer may be desirable, but with no other object could I 

 ever put down an old do^ with a sapling. Before they are going to 

 run in a stake, an old dog of known speed should be put in slips 

 with the puppy, in order to arrive at a knowledge of the powers of 

 the latter ; but this is with a view to a trial, and not as part of the 

 entering of the greyhound. When a sapling his run enough harog 

 to know his work, and has killed a hare, or been present at the 

 death of one, he may be put by as properly entered ; and the num- 

 ber required will average about five or six more or less according 

 to the capability of the p irticular animal, which will generally de- 

 pend upon his breed. 



The deerhound is entered at his game on the same principles 

 as the greyhound. It is always better to slip him with an older 

 companion, but beyond this precaution everything rn'ist be left to 

 his natural sagacity. As his nos3 is to be brought into play, and 



