CHAPTER XII. 



PUPPV-WALKING AND THE BkAMHAM MoOR HoUND-ShOW. 



The making of a pack of foxhounds begins when they are 

 out at walk. The Master may be a keen and scientific 

 hound-breeder, sparing neither trouble nor expense in his 

 attempt to secure the best blood in the kingdom. The 

 huntsman may be his equal in zeal, and may take all the 

 pains possible with his charges before they go out to walk 

 and after they come back to the kennel ; but unless the 

 puppies are well walked all their labour will prove in vain, 

 and it will be a mixed lot that they will have to take into 

 the field. 



The great improvement which is apparent in hounds all 

 over the country is undoubtedly due in no small degree to 

 the increased number of walks which are obtainable for 

 puppies, and to the increased care which is taken in walking 

 the puppies. For some reason there is now no difiiculty 

 in getting a puppy walked, and walked well ; anil in some 

 Hunts that I know of walks are more numerous than puppies, 

 and it is an easy matter to walk from fifty to sixty or 

 even seventy couples of young foxhounds every year. This 

 of course admits of a large choice when the day comes for 

 drafting, even allowing for the ravages which distemper is 

 sure to make. 



