The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-27
TRAINING OF BLOODHOUNDs.
They Are by No Means FerOcfous-
How They TraiI

There is mistaken idea in regard to the
bloodhound used before and during the
war. in the South, by the owners Of run
away slaves for their capture. These
dogs were the ordinary foxhounds
trained for the purpose. In a con-
versation. yesterday, a former owner of
a pack of these man-hunters, stated that
the dogs were never allowed to run game
but were trained from puppyhood the
negro scent. A young colOred boys coat
being taken from his back, the boy was
gwen thirty minutes start and told to
climb a tree when the hounds were near
ing him 0he dogs always baying on the
track) At a signal the dogs were brought
out of their kennels and taken to the
woods in the vicinity of where the boy had
run and, after throwing the coat on the
ground, the dogs were allowed to nose or
smell IL. and then being put the track
they soon overhauled the boy. By constant
practice these dogs became adopts at slave
hunting AS is we'll known the negroes of
the South went bare-foOted and their course
being through the woods, where the scent
held well. dog could run track not
crossed too often by others with remark
able accuracy.
The supposed-to-be bloodhounds used by
the "Uncle Toms Cabin troupes are moth
ing more nor less than great Danes and
not related TO the hound family as gener-
ally understood. with seeming powers.
blooded blCodhOunds in America. j. l..
Winchell. of Fair Haven. VT. has imported
several for breeding purposes. but their
names were their death knen. The dogs
have a peaceable disposition and are not at
all inclined 10 be quarrelsome- While their
scent Is remarkable il is not more so than
the ordinary foXhound Man-hunters were
quite fashionable in the East a year or so
ago when an effort was made 10 popularize
the breed to take the place of the pug
which had run its course and whose poluI-
larity was or the decline \ meeting point
would be decided upon, and many of the
fashionable people would assemble when a
man would start across the country par
aIleling a road, and. after a given time
say half an hour. the dog would be nut on
his trail. IL being the mans duty to try
TO battle the dog by. wading in the brooks
walking fences and by other means cause
the hound To lose the track. After making
a wide circle the man finally met the spec
tatOrs who had been following along the
roadway. and mingled with them The
go from one To another until ne finally To-
Gated his man. BY these trials il was prov
en- the dog knew his business and was
name killed his popularity.
The foXhOund and bloodhound have a re-
markable knack or instinct decipher
scent and TO carry one kind OF scent TO
the end A foxhOund. when trained on
foxes. will only run the trail of a fox;
many other kinds OF animals may cross
the fox track but the dog is never both
cred. II Is the same way with hound
broken on deer and II is the same way
with dog trained 20 follow a human foot
scent. The conditions OF scent must be
favorable for the dog
on dry dusty roads. ploughed fields or
hard surfaces the scent does not hold well
and. as consequence. the dog makes poor
Roadway The soil must be moist. Ii is a
well-known fact that a hound runs better
on meadows or IN the brush where the ami
mai touches the brush grass. leaving n
body scent The opinion, from experience,
would be that dog could not trail a per-
son or animal on a brick walk or asphalt
from the foot scent. ten hours after the
same was made, even with everything ia
VOrable. The smooth surface would pre-
vent the holding OF scent IL would be diff
ferent with blood trail.