The Field Book: or, Sports and pastimes of the United Kingdom: compiled from the best authorities, ancient and modernMaxwell, W. H. (William Hamilton)
History
The Field Book: or, Sports and pastimes of the United Kingdom: compiled from the best authorities, ancient and modern
Maxwell, W. H. (William Hamilton)
Amusements -- Great Britain; Sports -- Dictionaries; Sports -- Great Britain
_To enter hounds._—The first thing to be attended to in young dogs of
all kinds is to make them understand their name well, and answer to it,
before training; for which they should be rewarded and caressed. After
foxhounds have learned to follow freely, they should be coupled, and led
out among sheep, deer, &c., and made to understand that such is not
their game; but two dogs should never be coupled together, as they are
sure to quarrel. A few at a time should be let loose amongst sheep, and
if they attempt to run after them, should be severely chastised, and the
cry of _ware sheep_ be often repeated to them; which cry will,
generally, on future occasions, have the effect of stopping them from
sheep-running, without the necessity of using the whip. Great care is
necessary at the offset to prevent them from worrying a sheep, which
they will sometimes do under the management of careless trainers; for if
they be allowed to taste the blood, it will be very difficult afterwards
to break them from this bad habit.
Young hounds should be often walked about the courts of the kennel,
followed by the whipper in, who should rate them after the huntsman.
They should also be frequently taken out with people on foot, which
teaches them to be more tractable and attentive, and much more
manageable. It is better to take them out to their walks in a country
where they are to be hunted, as the sooner they acquire a knowledge of
it the better; and when they are thrown out, or left behind, are more
likely to find their way home.
In entering fox-hounds it should always be at their own game; although
some are foolish enough to begin them with hares, which just requires a
second training to break them from that pursuit. Nothing is so good for
rendering young hounds obedient as walking them frequently out amongst
sheep, hares, and deer, and restraining their pursuit of these animals.
This probation will teach them to be steady. A fox-cub should then be
turned out before them, in the company of some old hounds as leaders,
which train them in a short time instinctively, as it were, to hunt
themselves. After they have tasted blood, it will be more difficult to
repress their ardour than to excite it. Every means of encouraging them
should be used in the earlier stages of their training, and punishment
only administered after they have made some progress. In flogging a
hound for a fault, the whipper-in should use his voice at the same time;
this teaches him to know for what he is beaten; and Mr. Daniel suggests
the propriety of introducing a live hare into the kennel, and to flog
the dogs soundly whenever they attempt to approach her.
_To enter Hawks._—While the hawk is _waiting on_ at a proper height, his
head being turned inwards, a partridge tied to a creance is to be thrown
up; and when the hawk has taken it, he must be allowed to eat it on the
ground near the falconer, who is to walk round him, and whistle to him
as usual.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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