PUPPY WALKING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20338, 21 February 1928, Page 13

PUPPY WALKING.

A foxhound puppy usually arrives, with from four to eight blind little whimpering brothers and sisters, in late February or early March, and begins his working life next spring, first hunting when he is about • eighteen months old. In the meanwhile, when he can leave his mother, he is put, usually with one other, “ out to walk.” It difficult to say who first, thought of this brilliant method of keeping down hunt expenses and protecting the puppy from some of the ills which hound-flesh is heir to when herded together until h© is strong enough to have a good chance of recovery. But it certainly works, and has worked splendidly, and for the puppy, at any rate, it is the time of his life. In most cases puppy-walkers are women, girls genuinely keen on hunting whether they can afford to ride' or not, farmers’ wives, gamekeepers’ wives, and so on. Two of them will win prizes at the hunt’s annual puppy show; but to most of them the knowledge that they have helped to maintain the greatest sport on earth is their only reward. And puppy-walking is not all joy. When he first arrives there is the responsibility of looking after a creature so weak and helpless that he can eat only bread soaked in skim milk. Later, when promoted to hound meat and meat scraps, lie develops tastes for things well outside his dietary—hens, and even eggs, for instance, or til© household joint. Many a promising puppy has returned early to kennel because of a craving for these forbidden fleshes or the yet mor© heinous sin of chasing cows. Another great danger in these days is. from motor cars. If he is to grow fit and strong a puppy must be allowed to roam about, and he has a firmly fixed idea that he is the most important thing on the road. Motorists who are hunting people realise that he is right and give way accordingly. But ail motorists are not’ hunting people, and are unaware that a foxhound i s the most stupid creature on earth where a motor car is concerned. If the puppy survives he returns to kennel—a grief-striken moment for walker and puppy alike—in the spring to begin learning his life work, and, except at the puppy show, hie late hostess knows him no more, until one day at a meet a great form will rear itself out of the pack, two muddy feet will be placed on her shoulders, and two liquid brown eyes will ask pathetically, " Don’t you remember me? ” And then all the labour involved in bringing him to triumphant maturity will be amply repaid.—Daily Mail*