136 ROUNDING THE EARS 



applicable to a young fox-hound ; and to prepare him 

 for this warfare with briers and thorns, we are obliged 

 to apply the rounding irons ; and I know not how hemorr- 

 hage can be prevented without adding to his suffering 

 by using the cautery. By sponging their heads and ears 

 with cold water (our general practice) the flow of blood 

 will be checked ; but the application of styptics to the 

 points of the ear would be attended with more difficulty 

 than benefit, as a young fox-hound, when smarting with 

 pain, is a most fractious subject to deal with — in fact, 

 with the exception of bulldogs and mastiffs, no dog 

 possesses more courage. 



Many a huntsman, to give their pack a smarter appear- 

 ance, round the ears too closely, for which there is no 

 necessity, and additional pain is thereby inflicted, with 

 a greater loss of blood. For any reasonable purpose, it 

 is quite suflicient to cut off the tip only, unless there is 

 a superabundance of flap. Fox-hound puppies have to 

 undergo three painful operations before they are 

 considered fit to be added to the pack, — the removal of 

 their dew-claws, when a few days old, by a sharp pair of 

 scissors — branding on the side with a hot iron mark 

 before they are sent to walk — and afterwards rounding. 

 In branding, the iron ought never to be used too hot, and 

 some fresh lard, ready at hand, should be applied the 

 moment the mark is removed from the side, which will 

 assuage the pain, and induce the wound to heal more 

 readily. 



The number of young hounds to be put forward as the 

 entry for the season must depend on the strength of the 

 pack, whether intended to hunt three or four days a 

 week ; but when there is a promising lot of young hounds, 

 clever and well-bred, it is always the wisest plan to keep 



