HOME REARING VERSUS WALKING. 287 



evil, therefore, it is customary to send puppies out at three or four 

 months of age to be kept by cottagers, butchers, small farmers, 

 &c, at a weekly sum for each, which is called " walking "■ them. 

 Young greyhounds may be reared in a large enclosure, which 

 should be not less than thirty or forty feet long, with a lodging- 

 house at one end ; but hounds do not take exercise enough in a 

 confined space, and should invariable be sent out. It is only there- 

 fore in reference to the rearing of greyhounds that the two plans 

 can be compared, or perhaps also with pointers and setters, if they 

 are taken out to exercise after they are four or five months old. 



The two plans have been extensively tried with the longtails, 

 and in my own opinion the preference should be given to the 

 home rearing if properly carried out, because it has all the ad- 

 vantages of the " walk " without those disadvantages attending 

 upon it, in the shape of bad habits acquired in chasing poultry, 

 rabbits, and often hares, during which the puppy learns to run 

 cunning. One of the first symptoms of this vice is the waiting 

 to cut off a corner, which is soon learnt if there is the necessity 

 for it, and even in mutual play the puppy will often develop it. 

 Hence I have seen a " walked " greyhound, with his very first 

 hare, show as much waiting as any old worn-out runner, evi- 

 dently acquired in his farm-yard education, or possibly from 

 having been tempted after a hare or two by the sheep-dog belonging 

 to the farm. Moreover, the home-reared puppy, being confined 

 in a limited space during the greater part of his time, is inclined 

 to gallop when first let out, and takes in this way more exercise 

 than those brought up on the other plan ; so that, after consider- 

 inc both methods, I have come to the conclusion that the home 

 rearing is preferable on the whole, though there is no doubt that 

 good dogs may be reared in either way. 



The best plan is to. fence off a long slip of turf; or, if a small 



