Harry Stephenson
Foxhound Column
Harry Stephenson
by Harry Stephenson
'The Hunt Kennels in the Closed Season'
Ever wondered how young hounds are taught road sense, etc; read this fascinating insight of what goes on at the hunt kennels, during the summer months.
Harry Stephenson with the Bilsdale and Hurworth hounds on exercise | © Judith Skilbeck
Well, the season is over for us. Some packs go until late April, or even May, but modern farming conditions dictate an early finish for most of us: before the ban came into force, and we were hunting foxes, it made sense as vixens are heavy in cub and should be left alone.
By now all Masters and or huntsmen will have long since decided which bitches to put to, and where to go for use of stallion hounds. We have two litters on the floor at the moment: five couple out of Shandy (05) by Statesman (06), chosen because Shandy is a good, biddable, and solid Old English bitch who is good in her work. Statesman was used to hopefully breed a bit of size as he and his sibling litter are big strong hounds.
And four couple out of Ladybird (04) by Hurworth Shamrock (06): Ladybird was used because again she is a good stamp of hound, very biddable and good in her work, and Shamrock because he is a good stamp of dog with a strong voice and is good in his work, as are his brothers and sisters.
We have one bitch called Starlight (06) up at the Percy to be lined by their Porter (06); a match decided upon because Porter is a good working hound, and a very well put together hound, although not a big strong dog, and so Starlight was chosen because she has the size (she is litter sister to Statesman).
And one bitch Liberty (06) has been to the Holderness to be lined by Warwickshire Porlock (06) which is standing there. I liked Porlock when I saw him at Peterborough last summer, and wanted a good looking good working bitch to send to him: Liberty was the ideal choice. We have also used our Speaker (03) over Laurel (07): Speaker is a big strong hard working hound, and Laurel a good medium sized bitch with an exceptional nose; I feel this is a good match and I will watch the result with interest. Lots of puppy walkers will be needed if all goes well.
Harry Stephenson with the York & Ainsty (South) hounds | © George Slack
I believe Old English should look like Old English, and not like dark coloured whippets. The doghounds should have some size about them, not big and common, but looking as though they mean business. The bitches shouldn’t be like mice either, but should be smaller than the dogs. We kennel our dogs and bitches separate and all the dogs should look to be as near the same size and shape as each other, and the same with the bitches. Ours aren’t far off, but there is a bit of work to do over the next few seasons to get it just right.
Obviously one shouldn’t breed for looks alone, and care has to be taken that the bitch selected is good in her work, and that her brothers and sisters are similarly good, and the same with the chosen dog.
I believe that is important to have continuity in the breeding plan. With us it is much simpler because we are Old English and so can only use blood from other old English kennels. Modern English have much more choice and as masters change so can direction in the way the pack is bred. This can be a great shame because the pack can start to look unlevel, and a bit motley. Some hunts have trustees who oversee the breeding and that can be a good thing if the trustees know where they are going and don’t flit from one idea to another.
I like to have puppies born as early as possible, so that come the puppy show they are all looking level. It is important to have them looking their best for the puppy show. The walkers who have given so much time and commitment, and probably have had to re do the garden, will expect to see their charges looking well, and they will all be hoping for a prize.
Some of the puppies when back in from walk are fussy eaters, or a bit sulky. They have not been used to seeing so many other hounds or being subjected to kennel discipline or routine. I take one or two who are shy into a lodge and sit with them and make a fuss of them and call them by their name until they start to come out of their shell.
Feeding is important, but the ones who refuse to eat with the pack should not be fussed over too much. On the other hand it is important that they eat and continue to develop and as puppy show approaches that they look in as good a condition as the rest. We draw feed: that is any shy feeders or hounds that for one reason or another are looking a bit lean, are allowed into the feed yard before the rest. If they don’t feed the first day, chances are they will the next.
When the rest come in to feed the shy ones will stand at the wall and look terrified, but eventually they get used to it and as they start to feed with the rest they can miss the early sitting. What we don’t do is bring hounds back onto feed after the rest have gone because they will never bother to feed with the rest if they know they are going to get a private sitting later. Unless puppy show is a week or two away and something is not looking its best then an exception may be made, but only in these circumstances.
We feed raw flesh all year round, but waste pies from the local bakery are excellent for putting weight on quickly. We often have a few bags of said pies for topping up the puppies. Hounds do not hunt as well if fed on pies though, so raw flesh is the answer if it is available. Some kennels use meal, and I’m sure this works well, and is certainly a lot cleaner! (although perhaps not on the yards in the morning!) We no longer pick up flesh, but fortunately we have enough dropped off at kennels by farmers to feed our hounds. We have to make a small charge because of the cost of disposing of the offal, but it is still a good service to the farmers.
Hound exercise is one of the many summer activities, and one that I think is very important. People tend to think that walking out each morning, and then on bikes, is a lazy, easy affair. It should be easy and relaxed, but it is the time when the huntsman sets the mould for what will be during the season. By that I mean if he doesn’t set the standard for his hounds during the summer, no one will be able to do it for him later on, and then the pantomime will start around opening meet.
During the season I only walk out twice a week, usually a Thurs and always a Sunday. We don’t go far, just a stretch of the legs on the lane behind the kennels. My kennel huntsman takes them the other days, or they go in the grass yard.
We hunt of course two days a week. Once hunting finishes we have the joy of puppies to get going on, and then hopefully quickly off, couples. We try to make a start with some in February, and it is amazing how quickly they learn: each youngster is coupled to an old hound to teach it road sense, response to the huntsman’s commands, etc.
When our pups initially come back into kennels they are kept separately from the hunting hounds, and only moved up to their yards when they are going on couples. They learn much better this way as they are not influenced by pups not yet subjected to the rules. This also applies when walking out. If two were let off couples together, one will take lead from the other when it runs on ahead or tries to chase a rabbit, and then you have to start all over again with them both.
We only take a max of three on couples at a time: Usually three or four times out and we can take one off - we leave the couple trailing so the pup, although free, still feels some restraint. Once that one has learned to do as it is told, a couple of days later another will be taken off, and so on. Then we can put a fresh one on couples and the cycle continues.
My k-h thinks it’s great when they charge up behind me, one each side with the couple hitting me right behind the knee: great fun. Some puppies come in from walk never having been swung: that means never having had a collar and lead on, and so when coupled up - go absolutely berserk, and pulling and twisting so much the old hound it is coupled to lays into it, and so frightens it still more. We lead them first, and if all is well they are coupled up.
Couples are fastened without using the keeper, so that if a fight does break out the couple can be released with a simple pull on it. Anyone who has tried to undo a set of couples while the two hounds are fighting will realise the sense in this. If a hound will not lead on a couple, we fasten a couple around its neck, and couple it to a five gallon drum half full of water. The pup can pull the drum around the grass yard and fight with it as much as he likes without any harm being done. The following day he will go on couples without problem.
I like to go on hound exercise in virtual silence, with hounds only being spoken to if they really need to be. That said, I make a fuss of any hound that comes to say hello. If hounds look into a field, then we carry on walking and the hound sniffing grass in the field comes hurtling on to catch up. He has learned something then, and that is - unless he pays attention, he will be left behind.
I like hounds to run on ahead and play, but if I stop without warning they should stop and turn and come back to me without being told. We teach hounds to get over and very importantly to hold up (together). I stop in a gateway and tell them to hold up, and obviously the old hounds stand stock still. A puppy that has been let off couples will stand for a bit, and then probably move. The whipper in needs to be sharp here and send the pup back quickly and quietly with a flick of the whip and by the use of the pup’s name. The old hounds will grumble at the pup when it rejoins the pack, as will I, and another valuable lesson is learned.
Harry Stephenson with hounds holding up together at the meet; which is how they should be - packed-up together: not with hounds raking about all over the place at the meet, knocking over the host’s drinks tray, and generally causing havoc | © George Slack
By 1 May each year, we aim to have all pups going well without couples and so can then set about teaching them what is and isn’t permitted during the summer, so that when we start hunting the pups have been subject to discipline and any misdemeanours that occur early on, can be swiftly dealt with.
If anyone should doubt foxhounds are caring intelligent animals, I will share this true story. After hunting one day, two hounds were missing and after walking up a few fields towards woodland blowing the horn one hound appeared. She wouldn’t come though, and kept turning around and trotting on the way she had come from, then turning to make sure she was being followed. About half a mile on in the wood she stopped, and next to her was the other missing hound, caught up in a snare. Hounds tend to stop howling after about twenty minutes if they are trapped, either in wire or a snare, and just wait to be found. Both hounds went home safely.
So, as the season draws to a close, and thoughts turn to summer shows, BBQ’s, holidays (what are they?) etc; think on this….It’s only about 20 weeks to autumn hunting! Summer well.
Harry Stephenson