PREPARATION OF THE OVERFED DOG. 315 



throws away his chance by looking on when he has success within 

 his grasp. In him the will must be regarded as well as the 

 power to defeat his antagonist, and whilst the trainer of the 

 horse may feed and work him up to the highest point which 

 his constitution will bear, only taking care that he neither makes 

 his legs and feet stale, nor ( overworks ' him, thereby destroying 

 his pace and stamina, the greyhound trainer must, in addition, 

 be careful that he keeps plenty of fire in his dogs, so that they are 

 ready and willing to exert themselves to the uttermost. In 

 reference to this subject a great difference of opinion exists, and 

 many successful coursers maintain that the overfed and neglected 

 dog may be got fit to run in a fortnight or three weeks, beyond 

 which no -good can be done, and if kept longer in training he will 

 go off instead of improving. Against this doctrine I strongly 

 object, and it is manifest from the repeated successes of such 

 greyhounds as ' Eiot ' and ( Rival ' in Mr. Randell's kennel, and 

 others nearly though not quite so remarkable, that the greyhound 

 can be kept fit to run for months together, taking care to let 

 him down for a few days occasionally. Thus, by a reference to 

 f Riot's ' performances given in the Appendix, it will be seen that 

 she ran once, and sometimes twice, a month during each season, 

 from October 1854 to March 1858, with the exception of about 

 two months in each year, when she was either ( in season ' or breed- 

 ing. It may be said that she was an exception to all rules, but this 

 does not apply to her constitution, and her case shows plainly 

 enough that health may be maintained for months together 

 without throwing the dog out of training. The chief cause of the 



