Part 9

Now really I do not think that I should be ashamed to write even the name of this dog; that it may be left to posterity, that Xenophon the Athenian had a greyhound called Hormé, of the greatest speed and intelligence, and altogether supremely excellent.

Let the ears of your greyhounds be large and soft, so as to appear, from their size and softness, as if broken. Such are best: but it is no bad indication if they appear erect, provided they are not small and stiff. The neck should be long, round, and flexible; so that if you forcibly draw the dogs backwards by their collars, it may seem to be broken, from its flexibility and softness. Broad chests are better than narrow. Let them have shoulders standing wide-apart, not tied together, but as loose, and free from each other, as possible—legs round, straight, and well-jointed—sides strong—loins broad, firm, not fleshy, but sinewy—upper flanks loose and supple—hips wide asunder—lower flanks hollow—tails fine, long, rough with hair, supple, flexible, and more hairy towards the tip—haunches sweeping, and firm to the touch:—with regard to their legs, if the hind ones are longer than the fore, the greyhound will run best up hill; if the fore legs are longest, down hill; but if both are equal, he will run best on a flat. Since, however, it is more difficult to beat a hare on an acclivity, because she runs best up hill, those are deemed the better class of dogs, whose hind legs are longer than their fore ones. Round and strong feet are decidedly best.

The colour of greyhounds is not of any importance; nor does it matter if they are perfectly black, red, or white; nor is a simple, uniform colour to be suspected as ferine. The colours, such as they are, should be bright and pure; and the hair, whether the dog be of the rough or smooth sort, should be fine, close, and soft. The best dogs are such as are large and well put together, and resemble bitches in point of suppleness; and the best bitches are such as resemble dogs in spirit, and muscularity of body.

Now if any one pays attention to these hints, as to the shape of greyhounds, they will fully supply him, in my opinion, with the indications of good blood for his kennel, and the opposite of the reverse.

Nor will the temper of greyhounds afford fewer indications of good and bad blood to a careful observer. Such hounds, in the first place, as are crabbed to all persons alike, are not of a generous breed. But if you find any cross to strangers, and good-tempered to their feeder, it is rather a favourable sign than otherwise.

I once knew a greyhound, who was dull and sullen at home, and took no pleasure in any of the persons about him; but, when led out hunting, was beyond measure delighted, and showed, by smiling and fawning at every body that came near him, that he was vexed at staying at home. This may be held a good sign.

The best dogs, however, are those of most attachment to man, and to whom no human countenance is strange. Such, on the other hand, as are afraid of people, and astounded at noise, obstreperous, and often excited without cause, are senseless brutes of no pluck. Like men that are timid and frightened out of their wits, such dogs as these can never be deemed of generous blood. Those, too, are bad, which, when let loose from couples in a field, do not come back at the call of their keeper, but gallop away. If you call them in mildly, they pay no attention to you;—if threateningly, they keep aloof from fear.

For when a greyhound has had his gallop, and has run about, he ought to come back to his keeper, even without a call,—showing that he is under command at will; but, if the keeper does not choose to take him up, let him again bound away, and again return. Such dogs are well broken in as, at the voice of their keeper, crouch before him; not from fear, but regard and respect for their feeder, cowering like the worshippers of the Great King. It is no good sign for a hound to stand still, when let out of couples on an open plain, unless he happen to be advanced in age, for it shows sluggishness.

The most high-bred greyhounds have a prominent brow, and look proud. Their tread is light, quick-stepping, on their toes; and they walk sideways, extending their necks like horses curvetting.

Some greyhounds eat voraciously, others with delicacy. The latter mode of feeding indicates a dog of better blood than the former. Good dogs are not bad feeders, but fond of bread or gruel. This kind of farinaceous food is most strengthening to them, and there is no fear of their gorging themselves too much with it. I prefer, however, their liking food quite dry; and yet, if it be moistened with water, and they still relish it, it is no evil.

When a dog is sick, administer the broth of fat meat to him, or having roasted a bullock’s liver over some hot coals, and rubbed it abroad, sprinkle it like flour into the broth. This is good also for puppies to strengthen their limbs, when they are first weaned from milk. But milk is the best food for the support of puppies till the ninth month, and even longer; and is serviceable to the sick and delicate, both as drink and aliment. Fasting too is beneficial to a sick dog.

There is nothing like a soft and warm bed for greyhounds; but it is best for them to sleep with men:—as they become thereby affectionately attached—pleased with the contact of the human body, and as fond of their bedfellow as of their feeder. If any ailing affect the dog, the man will perceive it, and will relieve him in the night, when thirsty, or urged by any call of nature. He will also know how the dog has rested. For if he has passed a sleepless night, or groaned frequently in his sleep, or thrown up any of his food, it will not be safe to take him out coursing. All these things the dog’s bedfellow will be acquainted with.

Nothing can be worse than for dogs to sleep with each other; and more especially so, if they touch one another in bed. For as all cutaneous irritation is removed by a man sleeping with them, so, when they sleep together, they generate every sort of foulness of skin by warmth and close contact, and are generally full of mange. To which cause must be referred the very offensive and pungent stench on entering a kennel where many hounds are confined together.

Rubbing the whole body is of great service to the greyhound; no less than to the horse. For it is conducive to the firmness and strength of his limbs—renders his hair soft, and skin shining, and cleanses it from all foulness.

The back and loins you should rub with your right hand, placing your left under the belly; lest the dog, being forcibly pressed down upon his knees, should suffer injury. The sides should be rubbed with both hands at once, and the haunches quite down to the feet, and the shoulders in the same way. When the dog seems to have had enough of it, lay hold of his tail, and lift him up by it; and then having drawn it through your hand, let him go. As soon as he is at liberty, he will shake himself, and show that he is pleased with the operation.

It is a point of equal importance with any other, that greyhounds be confined during the day; otherwise they will unavoidably become intractable, and, whenever fastened with a collar, will be impatient under the restraint, and whine, and gnaw the straps, so as even to require chains like malefactors. Besides, a hound that is at liberty must needs eat every thing that falls in his way; and, from running about during the day-time, lose the acme of his speed. But, though generally at rest, they should still have their appointed times for walking out.

Four times a day, at least, take your dogs out of kennel to a level and open field, and there loose them from couples, to empty themselves, gallop, and run about. But if they have quite ceased coursing, let it be done more frequently. Slip them in pairs, a brace at a time, so that by contending and playing with each other, they may enjoy their pleasure, and take their exercise together. But on no account let many loose at once, as they sometimes do great mischief by falling on each other. Never slip a strong and full-grown dog with a puppy; for the old dog is an overpowering and distressing antagonist for the youngster, easily overtaking him in pursuit, and as readily running away from him, and leaving him behind; whereby the pup must of course be cowed and dispirited, having in either case the worst of the contest. And farther, such as are spiteful towards each other, never give these their liberty at one and the same time, lest they injure one another. For there are dogs, as well as men, with mutual antipathies, and others again with mutual attachments. Those of the same sex are particularly inimical to each other, dogs to dogs, and bitches to bitches; and this generally from spiteful jealousy. These matters are not to be made light of.

In the winter season feed your dogs only once a day, a little before evening; for the days are short, and the greyhounds are to be so managed, that if you need their services for coursing till a late hour, they may be able to bear the necessary fasting. But in summer it is right to give them a little bread in addition, that they may not be exhausted by the length of the day; and if thirsty, they will drink with less detriment after having eaten. To thrust down a dog’s throat a piece of salted suet is also found beneficial. But if the weather be very hot, I would have you take an egg in your hand, open your dog’s mouth, and push it down, that he may swallow it at one gulp. This will be nourishment enough for him, will cherish his wind, and quench his thirst.

You may go out coursing frequently in spring and autumn, these seasons being attended with the least risk to your dogs—but rarely in summer, lying by, generally, when the heat is oppressive. For greyhounds are impatient of heat, and often, when pursuing a hare with all their might, have been suffocated from a stoppage of their wind. To guard against which, a courser should carry eggs with him, and administer them entire, if his hound’s breathing be exceedingly distressed. For there is no better refrigerative, nothing that appeases difficulty of breathing so much. It is not unattended with danger for a dog, under these circumstances of distress, to drink immoderately.

For the reasons given, then, be cautious of coursing in hot weather. Never go out in winter when the cold is severe, and, on no account, when the ground is frozen hard. For dogs bruise themselves in frost, lose their nails, lacerate the soles of their feet, and if very high-couraged, break even the bones of their toes against the frozen ground from running with excessive eagerness. Whereas the hare is light, with woolly and soft feet, and trips along without injury in frost.

Whoever courses with greyhounds should neither slip them near the hare, nor more than a brace at a time; for though the hare be remarkably swift-footed, and have often beaten many dogs, yet being just started from her form, she cannot but be fluttered at heart, and terrified at the hallooing, and the hounds pressing close upon her:—and in this way, many a noble hare has often ignobly perished without an effort, showing no diversion worth mentioning.

Let the hare, therefore, creep away from her form as if unperceived, and recover her presence of mind. And then, if she be a racer, she will prick up her ears, and bound away from her seat with long strides; and the greyhounds, having capered about as if they were dancing, will stretch out at full speed after her. And at this time is the spectacle worthy indeed of the pains that must necessarily be bestowed on these dogs.

Those are the strongest hares which have their forms in open and exposed places; for, from boldness, they do not conceal themselves, but seem to me to challenge the dogs. When coursed, they do not fly to the woods or groves, however near, for immediate liberation from danger, but stretch away to the open country; and during the contest, if they are pursued by slow hounds, they moderate their own speed according as they are pressed; but if their pursuers are fast, they run with all their might.

Often when they have turned aside to the champaign country, if they perceive a fleet dog following so close as to overshadow them, they throw him off by frequent ricks and turns, and again make for the woods, or wherever they know of a place of refuge; and this should be deemed a proof that the dog has beaten the hare. For coursers, such at least as are true sportsmen, do not take their dogs out for the sake of catching a hare, but for the contest and sport of coursing; and are glad if the hare meet with an escape: if she fly to any thin brake for concealment, though they may see her trembling and in the utmost distress, they will call off their dogs, and more particularly so, when they have run well.

Often, indeed, when following a course on horseback, have I come up to the hare as soon as caught, and myself saved her alive: and then, having taken away my dog, and fastened him up, allowed her to escape. And if I have arrived too late to save her, I have struck my head with sorrow, that the dogs had killed so good an antagonist.

On this point alone I cannot agree with my namesake. I allow indeed that a man may forget every other object of which he is enamoured, when he sees a hare found, and pursued at speed; but to see her taken is, I own, neither a pleasant nor striking spectacle; but disagreeable rather, and not at all likely to make us forgetful of other objects of attachment. And yet we must not blame Xenophon, considering he was ignorant of greyhounds, if even the capture of a hare appeared to him a grand sight.

I am aware, (even if my instructions were opposed to it), how strong the inducement is to halloo, when following a course, and that even a dumb man might break forth, as is related of the son of Crœsus.

It is proper sometimes to speak to the greyhounds; for they are pleased at hearing their master’s voice, and have the consciousness of his presence, and of their brilliant running not escaping his notice, as an encouragement and reward for their exertions.