FINAL PREPARATION. 335 



FINAL PREPARATION. 



It is only with jbhe puppy on his first entrance to his game, 

 that the private trials occupy any portion of the time devoted to 

 training, but at that period of the education it will often take a 

 fortnight to complete them. During this time the feeding should 

 be as already described, except on the day before the trials, when 

 it should be lighter than usual. On the intervening days, the 

 exercise and hill-slips should be continued, unless the courses have 

 been very severe, taking the precaution to weigh the dog occa- 

 sionally, so as to know that he is all right as to weight, and also to 

 avoid severe work on the day before the trials. After they are 

 completed it will be generally prudent to give the dog a dose of oil, 

 working it off as usual with broth, but feeding at the ordinary 

 time, and in the usual way. This will prevent any tendency to 

 indigestion, which is very apt to occur in the greyhound if he is 

 kept on high food for any length of time without vegetables or 

 aperients of any kind. The former are scarcely suited for the diet of 

 a dog in training, and so recourse must be had to the latter in the 

 mildest form. 



If it can be avoided, it is better not to run the dog within a 

 fortnight, or at least a week, of the public meeting, for fear of 

 accidents which are always likely to occur. Sometimes, however, 

 such a cautious policy is impracticable, but in that case every 

 courser ought to have two strings to his bow. 



The last week but one prior to the public appearance should be 

 devoted to the strongest and fastest work of which the dog is 



