Chapter IV: Part 4

The sagacity displayed by a really good sheepdog gathering sheep upon a mountain side, often a mile or more away from his master, must be seen to be believed. When the farmer goes out to gather his flock for shearing or other purposes, far away upon the bleak hillside, little clusters of white spots are all that are to be seen. The farmer takes up a position upon some point of vantage, gives a word or whistle or instruction to his four-footed companion, and the dog bounds away in response till he seems no more than a tiny moving speck occasionally visible in the distance. Sharp and shrill the farmer’s whistle pierces the keen mountain air, and ever and anon, as though by magic, the little white dots begin to move and converge towards a common center. In response to one signal the sound of the dog’s answering bark can be heard; another signal and he drops as though shot, and is as silent as the grave. In the dim distance a few small dots can be seen; they are some stragglers that have been overlooked; a whistle galvanizes them also into motion, but in the wrong direction; a moment later and they are merged into one motionless white blot upon the dark mountain side. The blot moves again, not quite in the desired direction; whistle succeeds whistle in quick succession, and at each one the little moving blot alters its course, zig-zagging this way and that, until it finally becomes merged in the large white patch that marks the remainder of the flock, which keeps on the move, drawing nearer and nearer until the sheep take shape and can be seen coming down steadily with the dog dodging in their rear, till they are rounded up and brought to a standstill within reach of the farmer’s stick. Such a sight is common today upon the Welsh mountain or in the Scottish Highlands, though it is not given to every man to acquire perfect mastery over his animal; so much depends upon both man and dog. A dog belonging to a man who takes no interest, or has not the knack and patience necessary to teach him is worse than useless. The dog often reflects to a great extent his master’s character. An excitable, hasty-tempered man generally has a headstrong, willful dog that is hard to control. Some dogs, born of a long line of carefully-trained sheep dogs, take to working sheep as ducks do to water; a savage, uncontrollable brute, whose only ambition seems to be to worry and abuse the sheep, and there are hundreds of such animals, is simply a hindrance and a source of trouble to its owner, as anyone who is acquainted with sheep and their ways knows full well.

The sheep dog proper must above all things be gentle and patient with its often cantankerous charges, yet firm and masterful enough to inspire the timid sheep with sufficient sense of fear to cause them to move away in another direction at its appearance and approach without creating such a panic-stricken stampede. Such strains of dogs are scarce and highly prized by their owners, though from the show bench fancier’s point of view their often nondescript exterior cannot be classified into those niceties of shape and color in which the judge of show dogs delight. Many a sheep dog that would not attract a second glance from a professional dog judge has won enough in money prizes to turn the whole fraternity green with envy.

Such a dog is, for instance, Mr. J. Moses’ “Old Jem,” not beautiful to look at, but of sterling quality, which has won for his master over $1,000 in cash quite irrespective of the value of himself and his progeny.

Sheepdog trials are now held in all parts of the British Empire, Canada, New Zealand, Australia; in fact, wherever sheep are reared in any quantity.

Perhaps one of the most favorable opportunities the general public has of watching one of these absorbingly interesting spectacles is during the well-known agricultural show held each year in Lord Rothchild’s beautiful park at Tring, England. A description of an actual trial witnessed by the writer in these ideal surroundings will give an idea of the exciting nature of the tests and high standard of perfection to which the numerous entries have to be trained before they can compete with the remotest chance of success.

_When “Penning,” the Man Is Allowed to Assist the Dog._
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A portion of the vast park, some three-quarters of a mile long and about half as wide, remote from the show ground where the exhibits are localized, is divided off by a rope fence; this constitutes the course, of which thousands can obtain a full and uninterrupted view. The competitor takes up his stand near the center with his dog or dogs, for there are prizes for two dogs working together as well as for single dog trials. The number of sheep that have to be driven round the course is three only; this small number greatly increases the difficulties of the subsequent maneuvers. Fresh sheep are provided for each competitor, usually those of the wild, hardy mountain variety.

At a given signal the animals are released from a cart that is out of sight in a clump of trees on a hill some half a mile distant. The dog must then locate the sheep, the master remaining in the center of the course guiding and directing him by voice or whistle as he chooses. The obstacles consist of, first, what is termed “a false fence”; that is to say, two short lines of hurdles so placed as to leave a wide gap through which the dog must drive the sheep; should he allow them to run round the end of one of the lines instead of through the center, the sheep must be driven back and another attempt made. The second obstacle is a flag-post, round which the sheep must be driven in a circle before being conducted through a V-shaped gap made with two hurdles.

If the dog has negotiated these obstacles successfully he will have brought his charges to within about a hundred yards of his master. Having been successful in bringing the sheep so far, a very different task awaits both dog and master at the “Maltese Cross.” At this, and the final “penning up” of the sheep, the master is permitted by the rules of the trials, to assist his dog personally. The “Maltese Cross” consists of two lanes intersecting at right angles, each passage being only just sufficiently wide to permit the sheep to pass in single file. It must not be imagined that the wild mountain sheep, terrified at their unwonted surroundings and the presence of a strange dog, submit tamely to being thus driven past alternative openings without strenuous efforts to break away and bolt in whichever direction their erratic fancy dictates. The master must be on the alert for these attempts, and be quick and decisive in giving his dog instruction as to how to frustrate these sudden rushes. It is upon the promptitude and correctness with which the dog responds to the signals that success or failure depends. It is at the cross that the innate perversity of the sheep’s nature asserts itself, with the result that the first animal very frequently turns down one or other of the cross lanes instead of going straight through. When this occurs the other two naturally follow, and all three must be induced to negotiate the passage again. Having driven the sheep through straight in one direction, the dog and his master must then bring them back and run them through the other lane at right angles to the original course. Finally, the even more difficult task of “penning up” awaits the competitors. The final pen is formed of four hurdles with a space just sufficient to admit one sheep at a time left open. The slightest over-anxiety on the part of the dog or his master is fatal at this stage of the trial. The difficulty of exercising the necessary self-restraint will be the more readily realized when one considers that it is often a matter of working against time, as should a dog have been a little slow or unfortunate in his previous maneuvers he is extremely liable to exceed the time limit set for the competition, and thus lose the points awarded for penning.

_The Sheep Being Driven Through the Maltese Cross._
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It cannot be laid down as an infallible rule that the best dog for actual field work will always win a competition, so much relies on the master and other incidental details which affect the judge’s decision.

The most important consideration from the competitor’s point of view is the individuality of the three sheep which the dog is called upon to work. Some, when released, are found to be extremely wild, and cause the dog a lot of trouble by frantic efforts to escape. Others often adopt an aggressive attitude towards the dog, and persist in facing round and charging at him instead of allowing themselves to be driven. This type of sheep is most exasperating, both to dog and man. Again, many dogs, more especially young ones, are excitable by the applause of the spectators.

To see sheep dogs work to perfection one should watch them, as the writer has been privileged to do, being practiced and trained upon their own home ground, where one can realize more fully the practical utility of a well-trained dog and the amount of labor which he saves his owner. The north of England and some parts of Scotland have always been noted for good dogs, the original strain being a cross between the smooth collie and the old Scotch bearded collie. These animals are naturally hardy, fleet-footed and sagacious, and for real skill in working sheep will hold their own against any dogs in the world.

One of the most prominent and successful trainers is Mr. J. Moses, of Oswestry, who is manager of Lord Harlech’s Home Farm at Brogyntyn, and the accompanying photographs show some of his famous dogs at work on the farm. Mr. Moses is a great advocate of teaching a dog to work entirely by whistle, instead of giving commands in ordinary language. The great advantage of this system is that the dog can hear and recognize the signals at a much greater distance, and when once accustomed to them is much less liable to misinterpret his master’s meaning than is the case when the command is given vocally. Many people seem to find a difficulty in training their dogs to work by whistle, but if the system is started at the commencement of a young dog’s training he will soon learn to appreciate the distinctions of sounds and obey them more readily.

In order to demonstrate the perfect command that my friend had over the actions of his dog, even at a great distance, for it must have been over three-quarters of a mile, Mr. Moses made “Trim” execute a series of maneuvers, instructing the dog to drive the sheep round a telegraph post, in and out of two trees, take them back again to the original spot in which they were first located, and finally drive them straight up to within reach of his master’s stick. Each and every one of these evolutions was carried out with such skill, intelligence and obedience on the part of the dog that it seemed hard at first to realize that “Trim” was actually obeying implicitly his master’s command, and not just driving the sheep about for his own pleasure.

The maneuvering of sheep at a distance is a feature in sheepdog trials for which more points than are now granted should be given, as it demonstrates unmistakably the excellence of the training and also the actual utility of a dog for field work. Many dogs are under perfect control as long as they are within reach of their master’s stick, but cannot be relied upon implicitly when far away; such a dog is obviously improperly trained.

Patience and firmness are the keynotes of success in training a sheep dog, though everything relies, in the first instance, upon the suitability of the dog taken in hand, for good sheep dogs are born as well as made, and a well-bred puppy will have a natural instinct for the work, which will reveal itself at an early age.

In the next chapter will be found some useful hints on the training of the working sheep dog.

Training the Working Shepherd Dog

Certain technical terms are used in the following article which it may be well to explain for the benefit of those not familiar with the shepherd’s vocabulary.

1. The “run out” means that the dog is sent away to gather the sheep. “Running out” is the act of going for the sheep.

2. “Hauling” in its widest sense means the dog going out for his sheep, taking command of them and bringing them to the shepherd. In the narrower sense, however, the term is confined to the bringing in of the sheep by the dog.

3. “Shedding” means the dividing of a lot of sheep. Supposing, for example, a shepherd wishes to separate lambs from their mothers, the act of doing so by the dog is called “shedding.”

4. “Wearing” means keeping a sheep from going in the wrong direction. Supposing, for example, a sheep bolts up a wrong road, the dog is sent to turn it back. Turning back is the “wearing.”

5. A “cut” simply refers to a number of sheep. Supposing, for example, a shepherd herds five or six hundred sheep and goes for forty or fifty to take them to the market. The number so taken is called a “cut.”

6. “Flying off” means where the dog yields to the sheep instead of facing up to them. In “wearing” this is best seen. A dog which will not come in close to stubborn sheep, yields to them when pressed, is said to “fly off.”

7. A “soft-tempered” dog is one which shows little grit when pressed by wild or stubborn sheep. It won’t stand up to them and shows little fight, and generally evidence of a soft disposition. The contrary expression is “hard tempered,” which means a dog that will not yield to wild or stubborn sheep, but will face up to them, and as a last resort will even grip and show his teeth and other signs of temper and determination.

Believing that some instruction as to the methods employed in the training of the working collie will be helpful to those who desire to bring out the best gifts with which Nature has endowed this king of all utility dogs, we append a few suggestions from the curriculum of Mr. T. P. Brown, of Oxton, Berwickshire, Scotland, than whom no one is more qualified to speak on this important subject.

In the first place, it must be acknowledged that unless the master has himself studied the subject with the utmost care and keen perception, success in teaching a dog to work sheep will not fall to his lot. Many a good dog has been spoiled in the hands of an unthinking and unsympathetic would-be trainer, and, conversely, many a vicious, timid, or “wild” dog has been converted by the master hand into a brainy, intelligent servant.

With few exceptions, any collie can be taught to work sheep; therefore, as a general proposition, it is the man who makes or mars the dog’s natural bent.

To achieve the greatest measure of success the sooner one starts the elementary first lessons the better. The puppy should be taken in hand when three or four months old.

The very first step is to teach him to run up to you. Use a thin, low whistle with the lips, and pat and make a fuss of him when he comes up.

The second lesson is to get him to go down quickly. This is best done by a hiss. If he does not put his head down, press it gently down with your hand. This has generally to be repeated a good many times before he does it nicely. Some pups go down of their own accord when they see the sheep. This is no real drawback, but as a rule they require a little more training to go down _when commanded_, instead of waiting till they get to a place where they want to go down.

After the pup has learned to go down nicely, put him down and walk away, and see if he will lie still until you give him the whistle to come up, and don’t rest satisfied until he does so with alacrity.

When he has learned to do this to please you, begin to stop him half-way up, and always see that he puts his head in the proper position. He should be proficient in this before he is ever taken to the sheep. No pup should ever be taken to the sheep until he is under complete control in the run up and lay down. To introduce him to sheep until he has thoroughly mastered these simple but highly-important commands has a tendency to spoil him and get him into bad habits. No matter how fast he is running, if you give him the hiss to stop he should drop like a stone; and, on the other hand, he should obey the command to come on quickly and without the least hesitation, and on no account should he rise until told to do so. To fall and rise when commanded, and _only_ when commanded, is the most important point in the training of a collie. Having progressed so far, the pup should now be taken to the sheep.

If he is off a good working strain, he will either circle away round his “quarry” or he will “set” and crawl forward.

If he circles round and goes down, and the sheep do not come away, he is apt to lie still, but if you use the call whistle and bring him a little forward, then drop him. The sheep will most likely come away, and you must take care that he comes straight behind them, and not too quickly.

Don’t use the call whistle very long at first, just a little to get him to understand to start the sheep. Get him used to start either with a sheep or a short whistle.

If in running up to the sheep he does not go right round, you must go up to the sheep and move them in the direction you want them to go. Then use the whistle, sound or words by which you want to shift him (some trainers say “Keep wide” or “Keep wide, away out,” but it is better to use only distinctive whistles).

You should thus keep the sheep moving about, making him move to what spot you want. Others use a combination of whistles and signs (motions of the arms). This latter method has its advantages when working at a distance and under certain climatic conditions.

When the dog has become expert in moving about, teach him to “run out.” Don’t try him too far away at first, and if possible let him see the sheep.

A perfect run out should be in the form of a good wide circle all the way until he gets well behind the sheep. Then he should double back behind the sheep when he sees he has them all rounded up, and he should be allowed to move them a little before you put him down.

In “haulding” them he should come straight behind the sheep, and not too near them. If they come steadily, he should be allowed to follow them in. When “haulding” a few sheep, say five, he should bring them in straight; but with a large number he should “flank” them from side to side in half-moon circles, as by this means he gets them forward in better time.

By this time the dog should have learned to go down at a distance from the shepherd, a distance which is only restricted by the impossibility of hearing the whistle.

In all these processes one requires four different kinds of whistles—one for the “call,” one to go out, one to stop and lie down, and one to hauld.

To teach a dog “to shed,” get the sheep to pass quietly between yourself and the dog several times; the dog during this time must lie down.

Then divide the sheep and give him the call whistle to come in to you, and drop him when he is in between the two lots. Then go behind one of the lots and press them on to the dog and get him “to wear” and turn them to you.

Repeat this several times, and in giving the call whistle make sure that he never rises until commanded, for a dog that moves about as the sheep move will never be a good “shedder,” as he always mixes the sheep up when you are preparing for a “cut.” Be sure also that he shifts every time you ask him, and that he turns the sheep in to you, instead of flying off them.

At this stage in his education the dog should be approaching his complete training. To teach him to come in front of the sheep, draw him to you by the call whistle. He will think at first that he is to come in to you, but when you see he is far enough past the sheep to give him plenty of room to work, give him the whistle to go to the sheep. He will then turn and face the sheep, and as he does so drop him there. After being several times repeated he will do this as readily as he has learned to go round behind the sheep.

The next lesson is to teach him to go from one side to the other, passing between you and the sheep.

Let him go half round the sheep, then get him to go forward on the sheep from any point he is stopped, by either driving straight from you or from the left side to the right side. This feat is most necessary for driving away or for pole work at a trial.

The art of wearing a single sheep has not been touched on, because unless the dog is naturally gifted with this it is almost impossible to make him proficient at it, though one can help him a little.

Much depends on the nerve and compelling power of the dog’s eye. Leave him pretty well to his own resources until he has the sheep stopped before you drop him.

Some pups are naturally born with tendencies to wearing single sheep, including to run too wide or too near, and, worst of all, stopping before they go round the sheep. Be guarded to immediately check these faults, and remember that command is the most important lesson of all.

One hears a great deal about bad-tempered dogs and soft-tempered ones, but it is not so much a display of temper as nervousness. If a dog keeps his eye on the sheep, no matter how soft he is in the temper, any capable trainer can make him a good dog, but the one who won’t keep his eye on the sheep can never become proficient in his service to his lord and master.

Police Dogs

It is admitted on all hands that the dog is capable of training to do his master’s bidding in a great many different ways.

Other chapters appear in this work detailing with what purpose he is used as an aid to the hunter, sportsman, courser, for the drawing of quick-firing guns into the firing line, for ambulance work, for sentry duty, as an indispensable aid in all Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, to say nothing of the sport certain breeds give us as racing and performing dogs.

The purport of this chapter is to indicate with what success he is being trained as a branch of the police force. Thousands of dogs, mostly of the German and Belgian sheepdog variety, are at this present time enrolled in the widely scattered police and other municipal forces of America and other countries.

In the training of dogs for this work a special aptitude on the part of the “handler” or “guide” is essential. Given a reasonable amount of common sense, unlimited patience and an understanding of a dog’s nature, success is assured in a large majority of cases.

The police dog trial is an old story so far as Germany, Belgium and Holland are concerned. Americans are now taking this highly instructive work in hand and the displays create a tremendous amount of enthusiastic interest. The objects of such trials are:

1. Obedience exercises.

2. Detective work.

3. Protective work.

The obedience exercises called for are:

1. Heeling on leash.

2. Heeling without leash. The guide turns to right or left. Runs, walks and stops with the object of confusing the dog.

_The Police Dog is Trained to Attack on Command_
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3. Refusing food offered by strangers or thrown or found on the ground. The dog is made to lie down both free and in the absence of the guide, and he must refuse bread, meat or other tempting morsels of food. Then a dish of food is placed within his reach, but he must not touch it under penalty of lost points.

4. Guarding objects. This is considered a most important acquisition. Every possible effort is made to remove the object by the judge. The dog is chained beside the object, which is well within his reach, and he is taught to lie down quietly beside it and not to move or growl or show his teeth until the judge makes an effort to take the object away quietly. If a vigorous attempt is made to snatch the object then the dog is to defend it and himself in energetic fashion. Even when the judge threatens the dog with a stick, or by coaxing, the faithful tyke will be proof against them all. Bad marks are recorded if he gnaws the object or otherwise misuses it.

5. Giving “tongue” on command. This must be done continuously on command. It is insufficient for him to bark once and imitation barking by the guide is forbidden.

6. Retrieving objects weighing two pounds. The dog must sit down quietly and await instructions. Then he must bring it coming over a fence or hedge promptly and sit down again before his guide until relieved of the object. The varying heights of the fence or wall provide a number of diverse exercises in the retrieving lesson.

9. Scaling wall.

10. Going ahead. The guide walks across the trial ground with the dog at heel. On command the dog runs ahead in the direction given to a distance of about 30 yards. He shall “drop” immediately on command and stay there until told to rise.

11. Lying down. The dog is shown free in this exercise and immediately on command he must rise and go away.

The detective work is conducted as follows:

1. Searching for objects left by a stranger at the end of a trail of 250 yards long and half an hour old. The trailer proceeds on a track, directed by the judge, walk at his natural pace and at the end of the trail stand still for one minute, wipe his feet well on the ground, place the object between his footprints and then take the shortest cut to a place again directed by the judge. An interesting variation of this is provided by the object being placed thirty yards away from the end of trail and at right angles thereto.

_Police Dog Scaling Fence 8 ft. 6 in. High_
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2. Search for object left by a stranger on a trail 500 yards long, and barking at the trailer when found. This is done both with the dog free and also when on leash ten yards long, and it is particularly desirable that the dog be taught to bark on finding the object or person discovered.

The protective work comprises:

1. Scouting over ground and barking at any large object found. The dog follows the direction indicated by the guide and covers the ground carefully, searching every nook and corner not so as to encircle the guide at a short distance. Three hiding places are provided. As soon as the dog finds the hidden person he is taught to watch him and by barking attract the guide’s attention.

2. Transporting “prisoner” without nipping. When found, the dog follows behind the “prisoner” quietly without barking or nipping. Any object dropped inconspicuously must be picked up at once by the dog and brought to the guide, then continue the transport without waiting for the command. If the “prisoner” attempts to escape, or attacks the guide, the dog must attack him immediately, without waiting for command to do so. During these attacks the “prisoner” shoots twice into the air.

3. Watching the “prisoner” quietly when latter is quiet.

4. Arresting and holding the “prisoner” on attempted flight. The “prisoner” attempts to drive the dog away with blows or a whip or by throwing pieces of wood at him. The dog must watch him alone and twice stop an attempted flight. As soon as the “prisoner” is quiet the dog must leave him alone and watch him until the guide returns.

A high percentage of points are given for general obedience.

The whole attitude of the dog is taken into consideration especially between the different exercises if he remains at heel; also how he controls himself between the exercises toward the “prisoner,” and whether he needs holding in check by the collar and in other ways indicates that he understands when he is on duty and when he is not.

Unquestionably these trials throw a good deal of light on the training of dogs used by the Continental nations for war purposes as well as for police work, and it is hoped that greater facilities will be given for such in other parts of the world.

The Hunting World and the Use of Dogs

It is to the Normans that the English-speaking races of the earth today owe their hunting hounds in all their varieties. The Talbot hound was introduced into England at the time of the conquest by William the First.

All are not agreed as to the color of these Talbot hounds. Somervile, the great sporting poet, describes them as “white as Alpine snows.” There is, however, reason to believe that they are invariably of a reddish tan and often with a black saddle. In form, color and shape they are very much like the English bloodhound of today; indeed, that noble animal is supposed to be the bedrock of all the breeds of hunting hounds that are now in use the world over; and this because of that sentiment and recognition of the variety as the chief pillar or the stay of several of the most valued breeds, that the bloodhound is placed first in the stud books of England and America, and the breed is number one in the catalogues of the all-round dog shows everywhere.

_English Foxhounds in Full Cry_
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It was and is desirable that the head of a hunting hound should be of the above description—that is, if a close-hunting, unerring hound is required to hunt singly, rather than in a pack. The formation of the head above described, is one that is “made” for the purposes of hunting; and in such a head are to be found the highly developed olfactory nerves which communicate with the brain and actually inform the hound when he strikes the scent of an animal and whether the effluvium is recent or old.

It is the gloriousness and health-giving surroundings that have made the chase so popular with nearly all peoples, and that is the reason hounds are bred with such care and may generally be found in the ownership of the well-to-do and the high personages of the world.

In the early days the English pursued the chase on foot, and their objects of pursuit appear to have been principally the wild boar and the wolf. The Anglo-Normans might be considered as the more polished, more noble, and more scientific hunters, and they introduced that powerful and pleasant assistant in the chase—the horse—as well as a great variety of objects of pursuit. They chased the stag, the roebuck, the fox, the hare, etc., and hunting the less dangerous animals seems to have constituted their principal amusements; though the wolf and the boar occasionally occupied their attention, and in all these branches of the hunt dogs of varying degree were used.

Every village in England has its beagles, and nothing is more enjoyable than an old-fashioned fox hunting, or chase, where hounds belonging to many owners are packed together, and, jumping a fox, they run him for hours on end, their glorious music resounding throughout the woods and delighting the ear of the sportsman. The American foxhound appears to have more of the old harrier or English southern hound blood in him than is allowed to remain in the hound of the English. There are some broad-headed and long-eared and heavy-lipped hounds in the United States which remind the observer of the hounds of France and other Continental countries—hounds that still bear a good deal of resemblance to the old Talbot hounds—the hounds of the Normans. Finer and finer the English bred their hounds as stag hunting gave way to fox hunting. The old staghound was only one remove from the Talbot, and he was a big and picturesque creature and these hounds are to be found in France today.

Hunting is a foremost sport all over the world, and there can be little wonder that the spirit and standing of the peoples may be gauged from the quality of their hounds. The panoply of the chase is among the more glorious sights of the world, and in the pursuance of the various sports connected with hounds, large and small, a vast amount of money is spent, and a large number of persons employed, in the piping times of peace.

The beagle should be 15 inches or under, measured across the withers. If he is ever that height he becomes a harrier; and a harrier over 19 inches becomes a foxhound, and a foxhound standing 24 inches at the shoulders and 30 inches round his girth is indeed a splendid creature and a beautifully proportioned one to boot. The hound is indeed a beauty and a joy forever!

In England alone there are more than 800 packs of hunting dogs. Roughly, there are 326 owners of hunts or hunting establishments in France. Some of these hunts have 50 or 60 couples. In Belgium foxhounds are kept, and the chief packs of hounds in Germany are the Royal Hounds, at Potsdam, and the Hanover Hounds. They both hunt the drag and the boar. The conditions of hunting in Austria and Hungary are much better than in Germany. It is a good wild country and full of foxes. The Roman hounds are world renowned. Fox hunting was introduced into Italy by Lord Chesterfield in 1842, and the sport has flourished ever since. In Spain the Calpa foxhounds show much sport in the vicinity of Gibraltar.

In the United States there are about forty well-known and properly established packs of foxhounds. Throughout the Indian Empire there are numerous packs, many of them being of the bobbery or mixed kind. The jackal is the most frequently hunted animal. The Bombay Hounds are the chief pack in India.

In South Africa the jackal is hunted with foxhounds, and a single hound is used to drive buck to the rifle or gun. American foxhounds have recently been introduced to British East Africa for the purposes of hunting lion. These hounds have been of great use in bagging such large and dangerous game, and in the case of cheetah and other tree-climbing animals, the American foxhounds have not had the slightest difficulty in driving their quarry at such a pace and with so much persistence that the large cat is glad to see the supposed shelter of a thorn or other tree standing out like a sentinel on the vast expanse of plains.

The foxhound, the harrier and the beagle are also of great use in Africa for driving certain of the antelope, which keep in the bush, to the gun, and a good deal of sport may be had in some of the rivers otter hunting, and when otter hunting, a monitor, or huge lizard-like creature, is often started in a swamp, and the reptile, taking to the water like an otter, he will provide a good deal of sport. The otters in the Eastern province of South Africa are plentiful and of good size. The rivers are very huntable, for they are not deep and there is no great width or volume of water at certain seasons of the year. There is much sport to be had on the Mooi River, in Natal, where a pack of pure-bred otter hounds is kept. And these hounds will not only hunt the water dog but the aforesaid African monitor. Everywhere the hound is useful and especially is this the case in a big and open country like Africa, where a dog is required to be not only a hunter, but a guard and a friend.

In Australia there is a good deal of hunting and the Melbourne hunt is a well-organized institution. Australia is a country in which all animal life increases and multiplies rapidly. In 1864 one dog fox and two vixens were imported from England. There soon became enough foxes in Victoria to last the colony, now the province, forever. But red deer and kangaroos are sometimes hunted with foxhounds, and in Western Australia, in the neighborhoods of Freemantle, Perth and Kalgoorlie, there has been much sport experienced in hunting the brush-tailed kangaroos. This form of hunting was introduced by Mr. Cairns Candy in the late nineties.

In Tasmania, the island province off the main Australian continent, there is some hunting with properly constituted and maintained packs of hounds. In this lovely country, noted for its apples and the matchless complexions of its pretty women, they hunt deer and hare. In New Zealand there is a good deal of hunting, and harriers are principally in use. There is a fine open country, and that in the North Island will remind the hunting man of some of the shires of England.

The hounds of Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia have been discussed, and now we will find ourselves back in America. And this country may well be proud of its old-fashioned, long-eared, heavy-jawed and deep-throated foxhounds. That American foxhounds are suitable for hunting American foxes, and where foxes are shot before hounds, there can be no manner of doubt; but they do not kill many foxes, neither may this killing quality be placed to the credit of the English foxhounds in this country. Once a fox is able to sit down and listen to his pursuers, then a foxhound or a pack of foxhounds have as much chance of overtaking the quarry as a short-winged hawk has of catching a swallow on the wing. A century ago, it is recorded, it was not unusual in South Carolina to drive out of one large swamp, deer, wolves, bears, foxes, wildcats and wild turkeys. The sportsmen were ready to shoot all of these.

In descriptive poetry of the earliest date, hunting is frequently alluded to; even in the most important action of the whole Iliad, the death of Hector, the pursuit of him by Achilles is thus introduced:

“As through the forest, o’er the vale and lawn,
The well-breathed beagle drives the flying fawn,
In vain he tries the coverts of the brakes,
Or deep beneath the trembling thicket shakes,
Sure of the vapor in the tainted dews,
The certain hound his various maze pursues.”
—_Pope._

The Gun and Coursing Dogs of the World

If there be one study in connection with dogs more interesting than another, it must be that which has reference to the gun dogs and the coursing dogs of the world. Since time immemorial, dogs have been used by man for certain purposes and those which he has bred, maintained and improved for his services, have kept time with the ever-changing methods whereby the human is able to obtain and have for himself the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. The first men who went after game hunted it for food; and they very soon found out the most suitable dogs for their purposes and they bred and produced dogs for different kinds of work. It is fair to write that no domestic animals are better represented throughout the world than are thoroughbred dogs of one kind or another. The pure-breeds are to be found in countries that are foreign to their varieties, and what is more, they are highly and justly prized by their owners and even the very community in which the imported dog has its new being. For let it be known, there are less distinctions than owning a superior dog, and as these dogs are capable of reproducing themselves, and both the males and females are prolific breeders, there is almost at once, or within one year, established in the kennel of the new land the high-blooded and moreover most useful dogs of other nations. And that is the reason that wherever we may go we shall probably find the particularly good gun dogs of Great Britain. These consist of the pointer, the English, Irish and Gordon setters, the retrievers and the Labrador or Lesser Newfoundland dogs, and the various spaniels, which have all been practically made perfect in the British Isles and distributed to the four corners of the earth. Dogs have been produced that will hunt as well in one country as another; but one can generally find that dogs—gun dogs and coursing dogs—are mostly chosen with an eye to the environment in which they will have to hunt.

_A Fine Group of Gun Dogs._
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_The Hunter and His Dog_
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Both the pointer and the spaniel originally came from Spain, so it is said. But the original Spanish pointer was too heavy and slow in his pace for the English gunner, so he was crossed with the lighter foxhound, and it is even said with the greyhound, so that he should be more active and able to cover his ground better. Furthermore, the heavy-headed Spanish pointer had the kind of head and lips that proclaim a hunting dog that is inclined to keep his nose to the ground, rather than carry it highly and thus better obtain the body scent of birds and other game in the distance. The setter was originally the large spaniel, and was taught to “set” or sit down when he had come upon birds, so that the game could be encompassed by the fall-net, or the hawk or falcon might have the better opportunity to fly at her quarry. When the small pellets of lead were invented and the shotgun first used then the setters of the netters and falconers became gun dogs, and as such we will find pointers, setters, retrievers and spaniels of English origin in every country where the sportsman may be found. Gun and coursing dogs are not only imported into America as workers but as show dogs, and in the great majority of cases these dogs are thoroughly broken or trained as well as being good to look upon. Then these gun dogs may compete at the various field trials now run off all over Europe, the United States and Canada, or even South Africa, or at the coursing meetings in every country of the world. The coursing dog is found most useful in Canada, especially in the prairie provinces, where coyotes are destructive and a curse to the sheepman and even the horse breeder, for a pack of prairie wolves will attack and kill a foal. As a part and parcel of the farm, the ranch, the station and estancia the gun dog and the coursing dogs are invaluable. Pointers, setters, spaniels and retrievers are useful under all circumstances, and they perform the same work in all climates and under the various and dissimilar conditions. In some countries pointers are preferred to setters; but, on inquiry, it will generally be found that the alleged fitness of one variety of dog over the other, is merely a matter of taste or “fancy.” A man who owns setters prefers setters; the individual who possesses pointers has a preference for pointers. ’Tis his fancy—his hobby, and that gentle leaning towards one breed often means the fellow’s antipathy to another breed.

In a land or country that has been indifferently cultivated or is wild, there are several kinds of burrs that inconveniently fall at the very time when the hunting or shooting season begins. Some say that the pointer, because of his short coat, will not be so troubled with these prickles as will the long-coated setter, which is feathered on the legs and picks up the burrs wherever he may go. On the other hand, the setter admirer avows that the feathered and better protected foot of the setter saves him from being lamed so often as the clean and unprotected footed pointer. So it will be seen that these preferences are mostly imaginary and may be traced to fancy.

On the Continent of Europe we find many kinds of most useful dogs; but both the pointers and setters are only modifications of the old hunting dogs that came from Spain. There are rough-haired and smooth-coated pointers in Germany, and they are very handsome animals with excellent formation and with hunting qualities of the highest order. The griffons of France, Holland and Belgium are particularly good dogs; rough and ready in appearance, with excellent brains and great scenting powers. In him we will recognize a lot of hound blood which may have come from the otterhound or the hounds of Vendée. But they are just the sort of dogs that a man wants for rough-shooting in the woods or swamps. The griffon is an active dog, does not throw his tongue when immediately close to game or in sight of it, as does the hound. The griffon makes a good woodcock, “partridge” and duck dog; and as such he has been found of the greatest use in America. The griffon is a good dog in the water as well as on land, and in this way he proves himself a thoroughly serviceable all-round sporting dog. The wolf-hounds of Russia are most useful dogs, and as their name foretells, they are used as wolf-coursing dogs. Three are slipped to the wolf after he has been driven from cover by foxhounds or beaters. When they come up with their game they bump into the quarry and at the right moment lay hold of the beast by the neck and hold him until the hunter arrives and either dispatches the game with a pistol or knife, or placing a stick in the wolf’s jaws, twists a rope around the muzzle and neck, and thus preventing him from accomplishing any harm, captures the creature alive and practically uninjured. The Russian wolf-hound is the best killer of any of the coursing dogs. Like a bulldog, he holds on to what he seizes; his jaws are very powerful, and it is because of this tenacity that the Russian wolf-hound, or borzoi, as he is frequently called, is used for crossing purposes on the English greyhound and the Scottish deerhound or on the progeny of these two breeds, for the purpose of producing what is known as the “long dog” of the Canadian prairies, where he is used principally for coursing and killing the coyote. The Russian wolf-hound has also been successfully crossed on to the deerhound in Australia, either for straight out kangaroo dogs or dingo killers. The Russian wolf-hound goes to the throat of his enemy, and such a dog is required for the prompt killing of dingoes. The long and strong limbs of the kangaroo are means of defense, both as propelling powers in his long and swift bounds or jumps and for fighting when it comes to the more serious defense as against dingoes or the domesticated dogs, hence the kangaroo dog is taught to attack from behind.

The slugi or greyhounds of Arabia, Persia and Egypt may be noticed. In these we will find small examples of the Russian wolf-hound, but they have down or setterlike ears as opposed to the half-cocked or fully pricked ears of the Northern dogs. The dogs of the near East have generally long feet and these are feathered, as are their ears, legs and tails. They are used to course antelopes and hares, and one of the most ancient of sports is to not only course the antelope with these slugi, but at the same time fly hawks at the fleeing buck, which has the advantage over the dogs in sandy places and over stony or rocky ground. The big and somewhat picturesque greyhounds of Afghanistan are large dogs much after the form of the near Eastern dogs; they are used for the same purposes, and because of their surroundings in high altitudes, they grow large and woolly coats to aid them against the vicissitudes of the cold climate. In India, indeed, all over Asia, the different gun dogs generally associated with the British Isles are used and they cannot very well be done without on the small feathered game which is plentiful. In Japan and China the pheasant shooting is very good, and Americans who have gone over to shoot in those countries have taken their dogs from this country with them and have found them to accomplish all that was required of them.

If we leave Asia and continue our wanderings and huntings to the South, and reach Africa, we will find plenty of work for our hunting hounds, our coursing dogs and gun dogs. The slugi or greyhounds were the most valued dogs of the Pharoahs. In the ancient monuments the dogs’ places are at the sides of some great personage. It would appear that the tastes of the Egyptians of old were exactly those of the ancient Britons, for there is an old Welsh saying which states that “a gentleman is known by his horse, his hawk and his greyhound.” The slugi in its native or home state is now principally to be found in its purity among the Bedouin Arabs. They place the greatest value on these dogs, and they are as difficult to obtain from the wandering Arabs as are their thoroughbred horses. Furthermore, there is an Arab saying that the most valued of all things among the highest of these nomads and hunters are “his horse, his slugi and his wife’s earrings.” The Arabian greyhounds are primarily valuable for coursing antelope in sandy countries and where the sun is felt with all his power. They also thrive in temperate climates.

_Incident in a Waterloo Coursing Meeting_
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Our old friends the pointers and setters are used in Northern Africa, as they are in the South and the East, the West and Central of that enormous and game-holding country. American foxhounds have been found most useful running on the trail of the lion; furthermore, they have the good sense to keep away from the great cat when it comes to close quarters. These hounds will soon tree a cheetah and the rifles or the arrows of the natives will accomplish the rest. In Africa, generally, there is much bird life, as that term applies to partridges, snipe, quail, etc. In that country there are several small and dangerous snakes; but it has been found that the dogs’ sagacity has been such that they, of their own initiation, immediately become alive to the dangerous natures of these reptiles and that they will return to the shooter when they get near a snake, either in the grass or on a branch overhead. Greyhounds are used in Africa for coursing the smaller bucks and hares, and such dogs, fleet of foot and able to run down an antelope, may be bartered “up-country” for produce of great value, the natives, especially the chiefs of powerful tribes—practically nations—having been known to give mining and other concessions where first class dogs have been given as presents.