HOUNDS AND TERRIERS
The average otterhound pack to-day is usually composed of foxhounds,
cross-bred hounds, and a few couples of pure, rough-coated otterhounds.
In the old days the latter predominated in most packs, and it is only
of late years that the foxhound has come to the fore in the pursuit of
_Lutra_.
The origin of the rough-coated hound is more or less shrouded in
mystery, but it is pretty safe to say that he is closely related to
the bloodhound. If true to type he possesses many of the bloodhound's
characteristics, including the long pendulous ears, the deep-set
eye showing the haw, and the black and tan colour which so often
predominates. The rough coat was gained by a cross of some sort, but it
is impossible to say with certainty what this cross was. The wire-haired
Welsh harrier may have had something to do with it, and again it is quite
likely that the old hard-coated Lancashire harrier may have been used for
the same purpose. It is possible, too, that the old southern hound was
crossed with the bloodhound, while there are those who believe that the
French griffon had a share in the business. Thus we see that the rough
outer coat may have come from a variety of sources, but the thick, woolly
under-coat is no doubt a provision of nature to protect the hound from
the effects of frequent and long-continued immersion in the water. This
under coat is worn by the Chesapeake Bay dog, a breed of retriever much
used by wildfowl shooters in America.
In the fourteenth century raches or running hounds--known later simply as
hounds--were of various kinds. In the "Master of Game" it says: "There be
also many kinds of running hounds, some small and some big, and the small
be called kenets, and these hounds run well to all manner of game, and
they (that) serve for all game men call them harriers. And every hound
that hath that courage will come to be a harrier by nature with little
making."
Harrier was in those days spelt heyrer, and it was not until after the
sixteenth century that the modern spelling came into vogue. It was
probably derived from the Anglo-Saxon _herian_, to harry or disturb. In
the "Boke of St Albans" it says that the hart, the buck, and the boar
should be started by a limer, and that all "other bestes that huntyd
shall be sought for and found by Ratches so free." Thus it appears that
all beasts that were enchased were moved by a lime-hound, while those
that were hunted up were found by raches. The otter-hunting illustration
in the "Master of Game" shows five hounds, one of which is on leash, and
appears to be a limer. The otter was certainly not enchased in those
days, being looked upon as vermin, yet as the picture shows a limer at
work, it is possible that lime-hounds were sometimes used for other game
than the recognised beasts of chase. The hound shown swimming the otter
is bloodhound-like, while two smaller hounds appear to have broken coats.
In the fourteenth century the otter and various other creatures, such
as the rabbit, fox, wild cat, etc., were hunted by _biss hunters_ (fur
hunters) for their skins, and no doubt the smaller breed of hounds then
known as heyrers were employed in their capture.
Coming down to modern times, there are, as far as we are aware, but
two existing otterhound packs entirely composed of pure, rough-coated
otterhounds. All other establishments employ mixed packs. Cross-bred
hounds are usually the result of a union between a pure otterhound bitch
and a foxhound. The majority of foxhounds which find their way to the
otterhound kennels have been drafted for over-height, age, or faults.
They are often presented to the M.O.H., or he buys them at a low figure.
Having purchased or otherwise got together sufficient hounds to make a
start, you can gradually weed them out, retaining the best workers for
future breeding operations. It is perhaps unnecessary to state that you
must have a couple or two of entered hounds to begin with, otherwise you
are likely to walk as far as the Rev. Jack Russell did before you find
an otter. As regards cross-bred hounds, the first cross may be capital
workers, but it is doubtful if much good comes from breeding from them.
One sees all shapes, makes, and sizes of rough hounds in the various
packs, but the best bred ones are big, upstanding animals, from
twenty-two to twenty-four or more inches in height. Speaking from our
own experience, we have found the majority of rough hounds to be much
more clumsy and less active than foxhounds. Their feet, too, are often
inclined to be open and flat, and they lack the heart and stamina of the
foxhound. There are, of course, exceptions, and we have come across rough
hounds that were capital workers, but take them all round they are too
big and clumsy, at any rate for work on rough, rocky streams. Despite
their rough jackets, they suffer from the effects of long immersion
in water far more than the foxhound, whose short, smooth coat is dry
after a shake or two. In addition they are not such good doers as the
foxhound, and require more attention after hunting. They are also apt to
be quarrelsome in kennel. Many of them possess extremely fine noses, and
can speak to a line a day or two old, but this is of no practical help in
hunting, because it is impossible to drag up to an otter that has been
so long gone. They swim well, and often draw well when swimming, but the
foxhound is quite their equal in this respect. In our experience the
hound that can wind his otter across the stream and go straight to him is
more often a foxhound than a rough hound.
[Illustration: A Famous Otterhound, Mr W. Thompson's "Snowdrop."
(_Photo by R. Clapham_).
]
[Illustration: Some of Mr W. Thompson's Rough Otterhounds.
(_Photo by R. Clapham_). _To face p. 116._
]
The foxhound, too, is usually a better marker once he has entered
properly, and when it comes to holding and killing an otter, the rough
hound cannot compare with him. Across country, too, and when an otter
runs through covert, the foxhound's dash and drive at once put him
in the lead. The rough hound has a resonant, musical voice, and a
picturesque appearance, but taking him all round, from a solely _working_
point of view, he is, in our humble opinion, inferior to the foxhound,
particularly on rough, rocky rivers, where a light-built, active type of
hound shows to advantage. Custom ordains that hounds for otter-hunting
should be rough jacketed, and by employing cross-bred or rough Welsh
foxhounds you get the rough coat, without the undesirable qualities found
in the pure otterhounds.
The latter show to the best advantage in low-lying country, where the
rivers are slow running, and the going easy. In these days, when meets
are late and time is valuable, pure otterhounds with their tender noses
dwell and revel on the drag instead of pushing forward. The foxhound, on
the other hand, may feather on a stale line, but he will not as a rule
open unless the drag is fairly fresh. When he does throw his tongue, you
can confidently cheer the others to him, knowing that your otter is not
so very far in front. Although we cannot deny that the deep, resonant
music of a pack of pure otterhounds is delightful to listen to, something
more than the "band" is required to kill an otter.
Foxhounds, cross-breds, and Welsh hounds throw their tongues well
enough, and in addition they possess dash and drive, with little or no
inclination to dwell. Foxhounds, before they have entered properly, draw
wide and will not always stick to the river, but if they have done a few
season's stag-hunting--thus being used to water work--they generally
enter well to otter and draw closely enough. A hound may not take any
interest in the sport during his first season, but the following season
he may prove to be one of the best. Unfortunately the majority of draft
foxhounds are aged before they find their way to the otterhound kennels,
therefore any lengthy delay in entering to their new quarry shortens the
period of their usefulness, that at the best cannot be very long.
Aged foxhounds after a time show an inclination to dwell and revel in
the scent, and when this happens it is a sign that their utility is
coming to an end. If possible always get hold of foxhounds which throw
their tongues freely, and have nothing whatever to do with a mute hound.
However closely you keep an eye on the latter, he will sooner or later
get away "on his own," and be the means of spoiling more than one good
hunt. No matter how good a mute hound is in his work, get rid of him, for
unless he lets you know what he is doing he is useless to you. Likewise,
never on any consideration be tempted to breed from a mute hound. Rough
otterhounds cannot stand punishment like the foxhound, and will howl and
kick up a dreadful racket if hurt, or hit with the whip for some fault.
It is during the course of a long hunt in heavy or chilly water that
the average rough otterhound will pull out and sit shivering on the
bank, while the foxhounds are keeping their otter on the move. In our
experience, the foxhound is a much better fresh-finder than the pure
otterhound, and it is the hounds good at fresh-finding and keeping
their otter going that do most towards bringing the quarry to hand. At
the end of a long day, too, the cross-breds and foxhounds will return
to kennels with their sterns up, while many of the rough sort exhibit a
very depressed appearance. They never seem to pick their feet up like
a foxhound, but shuffle about in an ungainly fashion. When it comes to
killing an otter, the foxhound has it all his own way. Time and again
we have seen him seize and hold a big otter, often shaking his quarry
like a fox. The rough hound often fails in this respect, for he has not
the courage to make him a good seizer and killer. A foxhound which comes
to the otterhound kennels with the reputation of being a good marker
nearly always keeps up his fame in the same way when entered to otter.
Good marking hounds are the mainstay of any pack. As far as brains are
concerned, the foxhound appears to make more use of his "grey matter"
than the rough hound, and shows more initiative and individuality. His
pace and activity, too, are beyond question, both of which qualities are
of the greatest assistance when swimming an otter, and more particularly
when hunting one across country or through extensive coverts. It is
the active hounds which score so often on rough and rocky rivers, for
drive and pace are an occasion quite as necessary in otter-hunting as
fox-hunting.
The cross between foxhound and rough otterhound possesses many of the
attributes of the former, including a rough jacket, and thus is admirably
fitted for the pursuit of _Lutra_.
Turning to Welsh hounds, some of which have rough, and others smooth
coats, we find a breed admirably suited to both fox and otter-hunting.
Many Welsh hounds are white or nearly so, while others are the old
black-and-tan colour. The English foxhound of standard type is bigger and
has more substance than the Welsh hound, but the latter excels in nose
and tongue, and can stand any amount of hard work in rough country. In
our experience, too, Welsh hounds--particularly those of the smaller
type--are very active, and have plenty of drive, while they are often
capital markers, and can hold and kill an otter quite as quickly as any
English foxhound.
Another type of hound admirably suited to otter-hunting is the
fell-foxhound of Cumberland and Westmorland. He is for the most part a
light-built, active sort, with a capital nose, and any amount of tongue.
In the Lakes and certain districts adjoining, fell-hounds often hunt
fox in winter and otter in summer. The fell-hounds are kennelled in the
fox-hunting season, but go out to walk in summer, and generally a few
couples are lent to the local otterhounds for the chase of _Lutra_. In
our experience fell-hounds enter quickly to otter, and on our rough and
rocky northern rivers they are very hard to beat as all round performers.
Many of them are capital markers, and they will hunt a drag, and kill an
otter with the best.
Turning to the "Otter-hunting Diary" of the late Mr James Lomax, of
Clayton Hall, who kept a pack from 1829 to 1871, we find an illustration
of the old Lancashire harrier or foumart-hound. The picture shows a
couple of rough-haired hounds in full cry, which appear a medium-sized,
light-built, active type; more suggestive of the rough Welsh foxhound
than the modern otterhound. Mr Lomax used these foumart-hounds in
crossing with his otterhounds. In another illustration, showing some of
the pack in 1835, the type of hound appears to be lighter-built and more
active-looking than the big, present-day rough otterhound.
The tendency with English foxhounds has been to breed them much bigger
than was the case in former years, and the same apparently applies to
the rough otterhound. Certainly a tall hound can wade where a smaller
hound is obliged to swim, but a medium-sized, active type is less
clumsy, and more fitted for work on rocky streams than the heavy hounds
now seen in most packs. From a purely working point of view, a pack
composed of English, Welsh, and fell-foxhounds would be very hard to
beat. By judicious crossing, an ideal pack could be bred, retaining to
a great extent the rough coat of the Welsh hound, if that was thought
indispensable to the appearance of the pack.
Although draft foxhounds are generally used for otter-hunting, it pays
to get hold of a bitch or two and breed from them. By so doing you can
gradually get together a pack composed of hounds of the desired sort, and
if you are lucky you may be able to hunt fox with them in the winter, and
thus keep hounds in condition for their summer work. Hounds, like human
beings, get very fed-up with continual road exercise, therefore a bit of
winter hunting appeals to them far more than the dull routine of exercise
walks.
Next in importance to the hounds are the terriers, for without their
help it would be impossible to eject an otter from his holt. The most
important quality in a terrier is gameness, for no matter how well built
he is, if he has not the courage to go below ground and stay with his
otter until the latter bolts, or the diggers unearth him, he is not
worth his keep. Provided he is thoroughly game, and not too big, it
matters not how a terrier is bred. He is there to work, and not to be
looked at. Roughly speaking, a terrier of about 14 lb. weight will be
suited to otter-hunting. As, apart from bolting otters, he will not be
called upon to do any great amount of travelling over rough country,
short legs are no great drawback to him. For all that, however, we
like to see a terrier with a fair length of leg, for there are certain
holts, particularly amongst rocks, where an otter can command the upper
position, and a short-legged terrier is much handicapped when trying to
get at him. A terrier should have a fair head and jaw, and he should
be as narrow in front as is compatible with adequate heart and lung
room. A narrow-fronted dog can always get into a smaller place than a
broad-chested one, even if he is longer on the leg. A terrier that will
lie up close to an otter and move him with his tongue is preferable to
one that goes straight in to the attack. His barking eventually gets on
the otter's nerves and causes him to get "out of that," while should the
otter refuse to bolt, the terrier's voice is a guide as to where to dig.
A terrier soon learns his job, and after getting mauled a time or two by
otters, he will make more use of his tongue than his teeth. When entering
a puppy for the first time, choose an easy place, so that the youngster
has a fair chance to get in touch with his otter.
As to the colour of a terrier, good ones--like horses--come in all
colours. White is perhaps preferable, as a white terrier is less likely
to be mistaken for the otter by hounds at a kill. Certainly white
terriers appear to suffer fewer casualties in this respect than coloured
ones. As to whether terriers should run loose with hounds is a question
the Master must settle for himself. When terriers are loose, there is
always the chance that cubs may be chopped by them, though to set against
such a contretemps, many an otter is found and put down by the terriers.
Again, coloured terriers running loose may be killed or badly mauled by
hounds, when the latter are hard at their otter.
During the season of 1921, with the K. and D.O.H., we had two coloured
terriers worried by hounds, one of which recovered but the other died the
same night. The otter, which was getting beat, took to land, and hounds
collared him as he left the water, the terriers being seized by some of
the pack in mistake for their quarry. Had those terriers been in the
couples at the time, they would have been saved. It is really safest to
lead the terriers until they are wanted, and after bolting their otter
they should be got hold of again as soon as possible. The same when
hounds are worrying their otter, always pick up the terriers if any of
them are loose.
In order that hounds shall keep fit and well, they must receive proper
attention in the kennel. Less flesh is needed for feeding otterhounds
than foxhounds, because they do their work in summer, and both the
season of the year and the work itself do not make so great a call on
their powers as does the chase of the fox in winter. During the off
season, otterhounds should be exercised for two or three hours daily,
and as the hunting season approaches the exercise can be gradually
lengthened. With a pack of cross-bred, Welsh, or English foxhounds, it
is possible to hunt otters in summer and fox in winter, and where this
can be done, hounds will, of course, keep perfectly fit. In the case of
the fell-foxhounds, those hunting otter in summer return to their own
kennels for the winter fox-catching. As far as food is concerned, this
should always be given thick, rather than soft and sloppy. Hounds splash
"slop" into their eyes, and get particles of it up their nostrils, to the
detriment of both sight and olfactory powers. On the return from hunting,
cuts and bruises should be attended to, and thorns, etc., extracted.
Hounds' coats should also be brushed, and burrs, etc., removed. Rough
hounds require more looking after in this respect than smooth-coated
ones. The huntsman should see that his hounds are fed and properly bedded
down before he attends to his own wants. If hounds look well and hunt
well, you can rest assured that your huntsman or feeder is paying proper
attention to the pack in kennel. As regards kennels, these need not be
of an expensive nature, but the drainage and general sanitation _must_
be adequate if hounds are to keep fit. Wherever waste matter is present,
either in the boiling house, feeding place, or yards, there will disease
germs gather, and complaints amongst hounds will be for ever breaking
out. The old adage "Cleanliness is next to godliness" applies as much to
hounds and their kennels as it does to human beings and their houses.
Some huntsmen are apt to let hounds get very much out of condition
during the winter months, instead of exercising regularly, which means
that on the approach of the hunting season all sorts of physic is used
in an attempt to get them fit again. It is quite safe to say that the
less medicine you employ about the kennels the better, and there will be
little or no need for it if hounds are rationally fed and exercised in
the winter.