(_To be continued._)
The Education of the Puppy.
Within a few short weeks the unwelcome words, “To finish the season,”
will all too often appear as the corollary to the weekly newspaper
announcements of hunting fixtures, and already “the stinking violet,”
that is reported to have been anathematised by one of the greatest among
huntsmen of the past as the means of smothering scent, is filling the
air with the perfume of spring.
[Illustration:
THE MOTHER.
]
At this season, when the trout fisherman is rejoicing in the warmer
weather, that promises to bring about a hatch of March browns, and the
shooting man is thinking of the first eggs of early-laying pheasants,
when all the world welcomes the balmy days of spring, only the foxhunter
is heard to complain. He is forgetful of the fact that he alone of the
army of sportsmen enjoys a full six months of his favourite pastime, a
six months that may be extended to eight, if he will content himself
with the sport afforded by one or two of the woodland packs which,
beginning cubhunting in the month of August, never consider the season
finished until a May fox has been killed.
But even the discontented foxhunter, if he be worthy of the name of
sportsman, can find something to do in connection with the “sport of
kings” to while away the weary months until the dewy September morning,
which finds him once more revelling in the music of hounds as they teach
the cubs their business.
For some weeks, at any rate before his charges return to kennels, he
cannot find better employment than the personal supervision of the
education of the puppies, one or two of which, as an enthusiastic
hunting man, we must take it for granted that he is walking. True it is
that he will not have many weeks to devote to them ere the spring cart
from the kennels makes its appearance to carry them off, loath though
they may be to undergo what will be to them the most important part of
their training, or to be drafted into the ranks of the unentered should
they not prove equal to the standard, either in height, pace or quality,
required by the particular hunt to which they belong.
Short although the time remaining may be for what we can term the
preparatory schooling of the puppies, the ardent foxhunter may yet do
much to make the youngsters committed to his care more fitted to take
their places in the public school to which they are so soon to be
removed. During the busy hunting season when their care has been in the
hands of his deputies, our hunting man has probably thought little of
the education of the puppies, which, maybe, will later on contribute to
his next season’s enjoyment. But now that he has perforce to remain more
at home he may discover that his duty as a private schoolmaster has been
sadly neglected, and the puppies that should have been a credit to him
have, from lack of the proper attention, grown up dunces, with all their
good manners yet to be learnt, and many bad ones to be thrashed out of
them. Let him then take them in hand at once, and endeavour to repair
some of the mischief that his laxness has brought about. The hours spent
in thus occupying himself will not be wasted, and he will feel the
satisfaction of having done something for the hunt that has so often
provided him with sport in the past.
To judge by the accompanying picture reproduced from a coloured
engraving of considerable antiquity, the custom of sending puppies out
to walk is of very long standing. It will be noticed that the puppies
are to be conveyed to their destinations in bags or panniers slung
across the saddle. The artist has depicted the kennel huntsman,
faultlessly arrayed in scarlet, tall hat and top boots, trimming with a
pair of scissors the ears of one of a good litter of puppies about to be
sent to walk. The picture is suggestive of a train of thought that it
may be well to give expression to at the present time, when the duty of
puppy-walkers to their charges is under consideration, and possibly a
few thoughts upon puppy management may induce the negligent walker to
exercise greater care another season, even if it is too late to put them
into practice during the time that remains before last year’s puppies
return to kennel.
[Illustration:
“SENT TO WALKS.”
]
First and foremost comes the thought of the comparatively few who are
really qualified to walk a foxhound puppy. Many who undertake the duty
do not appear to have their hearts in the work, their main object being
to keep the puppies out of harm’s way—not so much to save the puppy
_from_ harm as to prevent him _doing_ harm. On the other hand, there are
some walkers who, in their anxiety to do well by the puppy, and give him
enough exercise, allow him to run wild and to hunt hares. Of course,
plenty of exercise is essential for the well-being of a foxhound, and in
order to ensure his getting it the puppy should daily accompany some
reliable person, be he the groom exercising horses or the tradesman who
has long country rounds to make. The importance of his being a
trustworthy man, who has his heart in the work, cannot be overrated, far
more harm than good being done if, instead of keeping his charges in
order, he encourages them to run wild. In this connection it may be
mentioned that it does not always follow that foxhounds entered in their
youth to hare are afterwards useless for fox, for many instances can be
recalled of such puppies having turned out to be thoroughly reliable
hounds, that would stick to a cold line even with hares jumping up in
front of them; but it is a risky proceeding to give puppies exercise by
allowing them to hunt ground game, and may lead to endless trouble.
As to the home treatment of foxhound puppies, no better advice can be
given than that contained in a leaflet recently noticed in these pages.
One thing to which due attention is often not paid is the accommodation
provided for young foxhounds. Too many puppies are allowed to run about
all day picking up filth, disturbing coverts, and doing all kinds of
mischief; and then are left to find a damp, draughty bed in a wood
house. On really wet days it is better to keep them shut up, except for
a short time, during which they should have a sharp run, care being
taken that a good bed of clean straw is afterwards provided in which to
dry themselves. If allowed to remain wet, and to lie on the damp ground,
evil results are bound to follow. It is also of the utmost importance
that they should be shut up at night, otherwise everyone is molested,
and bad habits, such as cattle and sheep worrying, are sure to be
contracted.
A couple of puppies should always be walked together. They certainly
thrive better, nor do they fret so much when first sent out, or when
first taken back to kennels, although it must be confessed that where
two or three are gathered together the capacity for mischief is not only
doubled, but perhaps quadrupled. But if it is, the sport they will some
day provide will more than compensate their walker for the few shillings
they will cost him. As companions to children foxhounds cannot be
surpassed, and many an hour will be whiled away in each other’s company,
each keeping the other out of mischief.
A very sore point with puppy walkers, and one to which more attention
might well be paid, is the fact that they are often requested to walk
and do well for a couple of puppies possibly for six months, but when
these puppies are returned to the kennels it is only to be destroyed,
and often their fate has been perfectly evident for some months
previously. The walker naturally feels aggrieved when such an ending
comes to hounds on which he has spent time and money. Now, to remedy
this state of affairs, it has been suggested that the kennel huntsman or
some other responsible person should always be in touch with all puppies
at walk, and should, as soon as he can detect for certain the
worthlessness of a puppy, be entitled to relieve the walker of it, and
thus save him unnecessary expense and much disappointment.
In conclusion, every member of a hunt, and everyone who has the
well-being of foxhunting at heart, should feel himself under an
obligation to walk a couple of puppies for his hunt, and thus relieve
the master of the necessity for sending promising hounds to unsuitable
walkers. But, quite apart from any obligation, the pleasure to be
derived from seeing “puppies grow into hounds” will well recompense him,
even if they never become shining lights in the pack, or win prizes at
the Peterborough Show.