THE GREY HOUND.
Without doubt, the grey hound, bred almost solely for speed, is the fleetest runner on earth.
In a general way it may be said that the grey hound pursues by sight only, yet some experienced hunters will contend that they can follow a fairly warm trail successfully, if trained to it. It is not natural for them, however, to take and follow an old track until the game is started, but what they lack in that way is made up in speed.
Good Specimens.
It has been a favorite practice for decades to take advantage of his speed, by crossing with other strains, resulting in courage, tenacity and trailing powers, very useful in several kinds of hunting.
This type of dog, either pure bred or crossed lends himself readily to deer, wolf, fox or rabbit chasing, and is especially successful if hunted in company with good trailers. The latter start the game when the grey hound goes forward and effects a capture, or so interferes with progress, that the other dogs come up and finish the work.
A bit of practical talk on the subject from the pen of a grey hound enthusiast is appended:
I have always had grey hounds. If they are let run with the track hounds when they are young they soon learn to take a track, run away from the pack and catch the game. I have some one-half grey hound and one-half bloodhound or fox hound. No better dogs living. Great fighters, stay as long as the game runs. This kind are good bear dogs. I keep live 'coon to train pups on and commence to train them at 4 or 5 months old. The older they get the longer races I give them.