By Marilyn Swan

I recently had to put my 11-year-old Walker Coonhound, Daisy, to rest. She developed a very aggressive form of lymphoma which took her quickly. Needless to say, I was devastated and could not imagine finding another such loving companion. I had rescued her as a 5-year-old.

A good friend found this beautiful saying and showed it to me.

You can shed tears because they are gone,
or you can smile because they lived.

You can close you eyes and pray they will come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all that they left for you.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see them,
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember only that they are gone,
or you can cherish their memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind and feel empty,
or you can do what they would want...
​
SMILE, open your heart, love... and go on.
(Anonymous)

I certainly allowed myself time to grieve but this saying helped me pick up the phone and call a rescue that had listed a dog on Petfinder, Dixie. I am now in a trial adoption with a lovely English Coonhound/ Foxhound mix. She is very frightened now, but I am committed to working with her. Dixie's owner died in March 2020 and she had been in the shelter since then.

I keep this saying on my desk and certainly need to read it often to "get a grip" when I'm missing Daisy. I thought it's positive encouragement might help others.

​Editor's Note: Marilyn wrote a blog post about Daisy's thunderphobia several years ago. You can read it here.

When I was growing up, I wanted nothing more than a dog I could train with. I taught my childhood Chihuahua a variety of cute tricks, and made homemade agility “courses” for my Labrador. But Hamilton showed an aptitude for picking up new tricks that none of my dogs growing up had. While some tricks aren’t suited to his abilities or his large size (no back stalls for this duo), it’s been super fun to see how far we can take it. It’s been surprisingly accessible, and a great way to earn AKC titles in spite of his quirks.

What training did Ham have before you started working on tricks?

Hamilton and I started training from the moment I brought him home. At first, it was just sit, down, stay, shake, but soon we started to class. Puppy pre-school (a socialization class), puppy obedience, and puppy agility were his first forays into training, and we continued to build up in those different areas. Today, Hamilton is in a Canine Good Citizen level obedience class (though we’re not sure if we’ll get that title) and level 2 agility which involves some simple courses. We’ve also done a bit of scent work together, which is a lot of fun for his nose! ​

NOTES:

To follow Hamilton’s adventures, see training videos, and read about his journey with reactivity, head over to Ham’s Instagram, which is updated daily at http://www.instagram.com/hamiltontherescue.

Dogs of any breed or mix at any age and size can earn trick dog titles. Classes are available in many areas, but trick training is also a great DIY activity. Check local training centers to find an authorized evaluator. The titling entities are American Kennel Club and Do More with Your Dog.

The MUZZLE UP Project (https://muzzleupproject.com/muzzle-training), though no longer being updated, houses excellent resources on training your dog to a muzzle. ​

The opinions expressed in this guest blog are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily endorsed by Coonhound and Foxhound Companions.

Copyright © Covertside Magazine

Retired foxhounds can make it as house hounds with the right training

By Polly Wilson
I have a habit of bringing home strays. Therefore, it should not have come as a surprise that I brought Benny home. Benny was clearly becoming fond of hanging about with the second field rather than hunting, and, although we all loved to have him with us, it was time for Benny to retire. He was one of the original pack members from when the Few Hounds Hunt became the Green Mountain Hounds. Aptly named, there had been only three couple regularly hunted by Elaine Ittleman, MFH and huntsman, at the inception of Few Hounds Hunt. Three years before his retirement, Benny was nose to the ground and in the game. As the last few seasons progressed, he slowed down. By the time Benny was actually retired, he was beyond ready. I called his name and he hopped into the truck. I told friends that he came with his golf shoes and a condo in Florida.

Benny is an example of a retired foxhound who was ready to move from the kennel to the hearth and he did so with ease. Since then, I have taken three other hounds, all with equally big personalities and each with a different take on retirement.

Last year, a hunt member who was considering retiring a hound from her hunt had asked Terry Hook, MFH, what he knew about re-homing a hound. Terry then referred her to me. It has occurred to me that fellow hunt members might (in secret) be calling me “the crazy hound lady.” After a couple of emails about what to expect from a hound in the house, she thanked me and sent a picture of her new family member. I began to wonder how often people take retired hounds home. Is it common practice with hunts in general? How successful is the practice of letting members take on hounds? So, I put out the question to followers of Foxhunters on Facebook and to the huntsmen I knew, and this is what I found.

WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT
Kate Selby, huntsman for Green Mountain Hounds, says that she believes that it becomes clear when to retire a hound. “An older hound who is slowing down is one thing, but when they can’t physically keep up they can become a danger to themselves. Exhaustion, increasing lameness issues, and inability to recover quickly from a day out are all clear signs that hunting days are coming to an end.”

Ittleman has two retirees from her days as huntsman.   She would rather see a hound in work for as long as it enjoys the hunt.  When it is time to retire a hound, however, she prefers to see hounds go to a hunt member who understands what kennel life has been like and will understand the personality of a foxhound. Lorraine Groneau of Limestone Creek Hunt has retired out many hounds. “Some just do better to stay at the kennels and some have great second careers as house hounds,” Groneau says.  When Limestone Creek hounds are adopted, a formal agreement is signed by the huntsman, MFH and the new owner. Terms are clear that the new owner is responsible for the hound and will incur all expenses henceforth. For hounds who prefer the consistent life of a kennel, Lori lets them stay on and employs them to teach the puppies their manners. Some hunts have designated retirement kennels. The Iroquois Hunt has The Hound Welfare Fund, a non-profit run separately from the hunt, which allows their venerable retirees to continue their lives in the kennels. The Hound Welfare Fund works hard to raise money to support the retired hounds.

Deb Riley of Middlebrook Hounds is, whether by choice or by proxy, the staff for the retirement pack. Her farm, Finalea Farm, is aptly named for the hounds who get the pleasure of retiring there. She also confesses to keeping a couple of retired staff horses, and a few cats, too. 

Riley says, “First, you must know that foxhounds are the most grateful of all the dogs I have ever had the honor of taking care of ... or loving. They go day-to-day having the love and affection of one person — the huntsman. They return his love by hunting and working hard to find chase for him and the field of followers. They look at him with love and affection and then tiredly return to the kennel awaiting his next arrival. In the end, they transfer that love and affection — if only for a brief time — to the people that show them love until they leave us to go hunting with the ultimate huntsman above.”

THE HOUND IN THE SINK
Retiring a hound from its pack can be stressful. It’s a bit like what Eliza Doolittle went through in “My Fair Lady.” Until you witness it, you have no idea how refined a life house pets have in comparison to kenneled pack life. The good news is that, generally speaking, foxhounds are smart. They learn fast and they want to please. The bad news is that foxhounds like to run. They have a curiosity that makes great hunters, but can cause havoc when they decide to check out the new neighborhood. Hounds have a hard time figuring out what is okay and what is forbidden when it comes to countertops, tables, and other high places. Finding a hound in the sink is always a surprise. If you have other dogs, they may be stunned at how fast a hound can devour its own food and then grab its companions’ dinners as well. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention that house-training an older hound is tricky and should be the number one priority to maintain peace in the house. Once again, the good news is that they do learn fast with firm instruction.

It takes a bit of time and patience to retrain a hound. One key element to making the transition easier for everyone is making — and keeping — boundaries. If you love your white couch, then make that room off-limits. If you can’t get out for a walk for exercise, then fence in an area for your hound to move about. Expect holes.  Digging is what dogs do; hounds do it really well. I find a large dog crate creates harmony for all the occupants of my house, including the hound himself. It is a cozy place to den up.

It might be six months before you see the changes, but your hound will adapt. Or, as my friend and fellow hunter from Old North Bridge Hounds, Suzanne Adams, says, “I’ll never have another kind of dog but foxhounds. They are so devoted.”

As this season end approaches, you may notice a hound in your pack who has slowed down, and prefers to stay by the huntsman’s stirrup. Maybe the hound missed a few meets. This will be the hound that needs a retirement home. Step up and ask the huntsman or staff if there is a need for adoption. You will not be disappointed and neither will the hound.

Polly Wilson hunts with Green Mountain Hounds, where members call her “The Hound Lady.”

by Emily S. Plishner

Coyotes are  becoming increasingly common throughout North America, and have been implicated in attacks on both pets and people. While a single coyote is unlikely to attack a dog as big as a coonhound or foxhound for food, they will attack for territorial reasons, or to protect a recent kill, or to protect their young. They will also run a hound off carrion or a treed coon. And hounds and coyotes are close enough kin to interbreed, so a hound or coyote bitch in heat can provoke aggressive behavior between males of either species vying for her attention. 
 
Coyote hunters often use foxhounds to trail coyotes, and sometimes use coonhounds as well. Some hounds will hunt coyotes instinctively, others fear them instinctively, but most coonhounds and foxhounds are afraid of coyotes only at night. One of my hounds isn’t the least bit afraid of coyotes and sings to them when he hears them at night to warn them off. My other hound will come running back to me if we are out coon hunting at night and he encounters a coyote--unless his larger, louder, and braver brother is there to protect him. 

While most coonhounds and foxhounds can take an individual coyote if it comes to an out-and-out fight, coyotes usually travel in small packs, and can be quite crafty about luring a hound into a situation where it will be outnumbered. And, coyotes in some parts of the continent are considerably larger than others--the coyotes in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada are much bigger than those out west, with scientists claiming they have some wolf DNA in the mix. 

Coon hunters frequently run into coyotes in the woods at night. The coyotes will sometimes come into coonhounds barking up a tree in order to steal their quarry, and can be quite aggressive about it. Coyotes are much bolder at night than during the day. At night, the best defense is light. If you have a flashlight, shine it right in the coyote's eyes. If you are at home, switch on all the lights in the yard if you hear coyotes yipping nearby. 

My hounds wear collars with bright LED lights at night. Each dog has a different color light on. That tends to keep the coyotes at a distance, and helps passing cars see them too. The LEDs cost around $20 each and are available at hunting supply stores. They slip right on the dog's existing collar. Most have settings for continuous or flashing lights. I usually keep them on flashing because the batteries last longer that way.
 
Coyotes are much less brave during the day. If a coyote comes at you or your dog during the day, shout at it and throw the nearest large stick or rock toward it. In most cases, it will run off. If it doesn't run off, it is probably guarding its young (most common in early summer) or a large meal stashed nearby. Retreat slowly without looking away. 

Occasionally, a coyote will actually bite a hound. Be very careful about reaching in to intervene. Usually, your best bet is to grab a convenient branch as a weapon--one long enough to  keep you out of biting range. Thrash at the coyote with the stick. With luck, the coyote will clamp onto the stick momentarily giving your dog a chance to get away. If you are carrying firearms, be very circumspect about firing into a fight--its very easy to hit the wrong animal. Coyote hunters with hounds prefer to avoid shooting at anything less than point blank. 

Coyotes usually travel in packs. They are smart enough to send out scouts. If you see one coyote, there are probably others nearby. Sometimes coyotes will lure a dog back to the pack and overwhelming force. Do NOT let your pet hound chase any coyote. Coyotes are tough! 

Coyotes tend to live in underground burrows, usually with multiple entrances and exits. There will often be bones scattered about outside the burrow left over from previous meals. Coyote dung looks like that of a medium-size dog, but is usually packed with fur remnants, typically cottontail rabbits or other small mammals. I’ve found coyote dens on a college campus and other places surprisingly near frequent human activity. Be alert for signs of coyotes in the area where you are walking. 

While coyotes generally view hounds as competitors or threats, be aware that much smaller dogs will be viewed as meals.  If you also have small dogs in your home, make sure that they are indoors or well attended when outdoors if you have coyotes in your area.  Even in urban areas, letting your small dog out for one last potty pass at night can be fatal, particularly if you live near one of the creek beds that coyotes use as nighttime highways.