THE HUNTING DOG 



553 



thought he had picked tip a bad briar. The board with cleats at each end so that it may 

 stream which lay between us was thirty feet be removed when the floor is swept. Keep 

 wide, probably two feet deep, and with quite your leads, couplings, etc., and your feed pans 

 a current running, so when the little chap in this building, and keep them clean. Over- 

 hesitated on the bank I began to speculate on see the feeding yourself, and I think you will 

 wading over for him, but I called to him find it advisable to use at least half a dozen 

 once, and he plunged in. I helped him out tin pans in feeding. Tossing chunks of feed 

 when he swam across and found that his leg into a yard full of dogs may be the easiest 

 was broken just above the elbow. I never way, but it is liable to cause much scrapping, 

 knew how the accident happened, but I set and the ones that need the most food general- 

 that leg, and have never forgotten the brav- ly get the least. In using pans, the gluttons 

 ery and grit that he showed in jumping in may be held back, and the weak ones given 

 and swimming that stream. I have seen a chance to catch up. Do not think because 

 larger dogs with four sound legs under them a dog is crowded away from his feed that he 

 that would have looked for a narrow fording doesn't deserve it, but watch him and en- 

 place, courage and help him along, for he may have 

 A great many faults may be overcome or the best nose in your pack, or the brains that 

 prevented by the right kind of handling. One are often needed to keep a pack from going 

 may, after careful breeding and selecting have astray. 



the raw material for the best pack on earth; It is a good plan to have your beagles fairly 



but if it is not handled right, it will not be well yard broken. It is not absolutely neces- 



worth feeding. Get acquainted with and sary that they should be broken like a pointer 





ROYAL KRUGER 



study the individ- 

 uals. You will be 

 repaid in finding 

 that each little dog 

 is possessed of a 

 character and dis- 

 position of his 

 own. Try to un- 

 derstand the differ- 

 e n t dispositions 

 and treat each one 

 so as to develop 

 the best that there 

 is in him. One 

 may be particular- 

 ly sensitive to re- 

 proof, and care 

 must be taken not 

 to frighten him 

 with a sharp com- 

 mand, or a touch of the lash that may be nec- 

 essary to attract the attention of his thicker 

 skinned brother. The first step toward keep- 

 ing on intimate terms with your pack is to 

 arrange their kennel and yard so that you 

 have easy access to every corner of it. Don't 

 have a place under the building where a 

 frightened puppy may run, nor a corner 

 where an erring one may hide and escape 

 punishment. Have a good tight building at 

 least twelve feet square, and larger if possi- 

 ble, with a window and two doors, one lead- 

 ing into the kennel yard. This yard should 

 be as large as possible, with shade and grass, 

 and if convenient should contain a trough 

 with running water. It should be enclosed in 

 a five-foot wire mesh fence, with a footboard beagle, and so, in concluding, it may be well 

 set eight or ten inches into the ground to pre- to mention a few of the most marked charac- 

 vent the dogs' from digging out. In the build- teristics according to the standard by which 

 ing I would suggest having a six-inch board the show beagles are judged. In general ap- 

 across one side, about three feet from the pearance they should be miniature fox 

 wall. In this space a bedding of clean straw hounds. Ears set on low, long and fine in 

 should be kept, and kept clean. Fasten the texture. Eyes full and prominent, soft, lus- 



or setter, but the 

 education of the 

 individual in this 

 way will help you 

 greatly in manag- 

 ing your pack on 

 the street or in the 

 field. Teach your 

 dogs to come 

 when they are 

 called and to stay 

 at heel at com- 

 mand. Practice by 

 taking two or 

 three about with 

 you on the street, 

 and as you get 

 better control of 

 these, add to the 

 number until they 

 will all "pack" at your heels, and only a 

 low word of command is necessary to bring 

 in the stragglers. Use this discipline in the 

 field, keeping them at heel until you are 

 ready to hunt, and then sending them away 

 together in a bunch. In calling them, use 

 the horn sparingly. It is as bad to be noisy 

 yourself as it is to have dogs that are too 

 noisy. Young dogs are apt to "babble" too 

 much and give tongue excitedly on train of 

 the other dogs, but this is a fault that is 

 overcome in most cases by age and ex- 

 perience. 



I have spoken of the general ignorance ex- 

 isting in regard to the appearance of the 



