Hang Clogs or Billets of Wood about their Necks to teach them to go coupled.

 

Chapter 9.

The Signs and Tokens which a Man ought to regard in judging whether the Whelps will be good or not.

The ancient authors would say a man may know the best whelps by the dame's teats, and that such as commonly sucked the teats which are nearer the heart of the dame are the best and the strongest, because the blood about that place is most lively and delicate. 

Others have said they might be known by a token they have under the throat, where there are certain hairs like unto dog's bristles, and that if there be odd hairs, it is a token of goodness, and that if there be even, it is an evil token.

Some others have taken mark by the hinder legs, by the dewclaws, for if there be none (say they) it is a good token, and if there be but one, it is also good, but if there be two, it is an evil likelihood. 

Some again will look within the mouth of the whelp, thinking such as have the roof of their mouth black should be good, and such as are red there should not be much worth. And if they have their nostrils wide and open, it is a sign they shall be of perfect scent.

As to the consideration of other parts of the body, there is no great judgement until they be three or four months old. Nevertheless, I take them which have long, large and thick cares, and the hair under their belly hard and great, to be the best, and those marks I have proved and found true. 

Now, because I have thereof spoken a little before, I will speak none other thing thereupon at this present.

Chapter 10.

That is it best bringing up of Whelps in Villages in the Country, and not in Shambles.

When your whelps be brought up two months under the dame, and you see they can feed well, then shall it be good to feed them abroad into the villages to keep in some fair place which is near unto some water, and far from any warren of conies; when they come to be of force, they may chance to be subject unto madness, because their blood will become hot and dry, whereas the water would have made it colder and moister, and yet would also nourish them better. Also, if they should be near unto warrens, they might break out and be drawn to hunting amiss after conies. 

Therefore, it shall be best to bring them up abroad with milk, bread and all sorts of pottages. And you shall understand that to bring them up in villages of the country is much better than to bring them up in a butcherie, for as much as they are not closed up, and they may go out when they will to feed, and to learn the track of a chase. Also because they are accustomed unto the cold, the rain, and all evil weather, and are not so soon subject to running after tame beasts when they are ordinarily bred among them.

On that other side, if they be bred in butcheries or shambles, the flesh and blood they eat would heat their bodies in such sort that when they become great and they run in chase two or three rainy days, they would marfounder themselves, and would not fail to become mangy and to be subject to madness, and to run after tame beasts because in the shambles they feed ordinarily on blood, and neither learn to quest nor hunt anything at all. 

To conclude, I never saw dog come to perfection (especially to become a good harrier) which was fed and brought up in the shambles.

Addition: The true reason of all being those dogs which feed continually on blood and stinking flesh have their noses and other pores so stopped up they lose their scents.

Chaper 11.

In what time men ought to withdraw their Whelps from their Nurse, and what kind of Bread and Flesh is best to give unto them.

It shall be good to withdraw the whelp from his nurse when he is ten months old, and to keep them all together in a kennel to the end they may understand and know one another. 

There is great difference to see a kennel of hounds nourished together, and all of one age; and another of hounds gathered here and there, because those which are brought up together, do better understand each other, and keep closer together in cry than those which are gathered from sundry places. 

When you have brought your whelps to kennel, you must hang clogs or billets of wood about their necks to teach them to go coupled. 

The bread which should be given them should be a third part of wheat, a third of barley or oats, and a third of rye, because being so mired it keeps them fresh and fat, and heals or preserves them from sundry diseases, whereas if it were all rye it might make them scour too much, and if it were all wheat, it would bind them too much, the which would cause many diseases, and therefore it is best so to mire one with the other. 

Men must give flesh to their hounds in winter, especially those which are lean and hunt the Hart, but you should not feed harriers with flesh for divers considerations; for if you do, they will become fleshly and given to hunt great beasts of chase, and will make no accompt of the Hare. And the Hare also doth often convey herself amongst the herds of tame beasts, to be thereby rid of the dogs, and by that means the hounds might chance to leave their chase, and to run after the tamer beasts. 

But Buckhounds and such as hunt the Hart will not so easily do it, because the Buck or Hart is of greater scent than the Hare, in such that his flesh is unto them more delicate and more greedily desired than any other. 

The best flesh you can give hounds, and that will best set up a weak hound, are horse-flesh, ass and mule's flesh; as for beef (either ox or cow's flesh) and such like, the flesh is unto them of a more sour substance.

You should never suffer your hounds to feed upon any flesh until it be flayed, to the end they may have no knowledge neither of the beast nor of his hair.

I allow and praise pottage made of mutton, goat's flesh, and the heads of beeves, for such lean hounds as are harriers. And it shall not be amiss sometime to mingle therewith some brimstone, the which may warm them. Hereof I will more amply devise in the treaty of receipts.