98 A GAMEKEEPER'S NOTE-BOOK 



The present type of show fox-terrier is too big and 



too long in the leg for ratting in hedges. Little 



dogs are called for, full of sense and pluck, 



with wide heads, strong jaws, bully chests 



ixd/tt/GI'S 



and short bodies on short legs, which carry 

 them as quick as lightning almost anywhere among 

 the thorn hedges. The keeper does not care for his 

 ratting terriers to hunt anything but rats and the 

 difference in the work of a rat specialist and a general - 

 purpose dog must be seen to be believed. He does 

 not enter his puppies to old rats, for the puppies may 

 be badly bitten, and perhaps their ardour and dash 

 will be ruined, and they will never look at a rat 

 again. 



The general-purpose terrier develops grave faults. 

 If a rabbit or a hare is started, he prefers giving chase 

 to going on with the rat business : he attacks ferrets 

 as well as rats, and he prevents rats from bolting by 

 jumping about over the burrows and poking his nose 

 into them too freely. A terrier must be taught to 

 restrain himself until a rat has bolted. The keeper 

 holds him down, cuffs and rates him soundly each 

 time he tries to go too soon, but gives lavish praise 

 if he waits until the right moment. After a time, 

 the little terriers so well understand the necessity for 

 allowing rats to bolt that they will crouch as motion- 

 less as statues, with their noses almost touching the 

 edge of the hole. So crafty was one we have owned, 

 that she would crouch in this way, with her body 

 round the corner, out of sight. 



