The Chase Magazine
March 1944, Page Seven
On Breeding Out The Faults
By John Thomas Benbow
Major, M.C.
I have read with interest what our dearly beloved foxhunter, Mr. Hewitt Meriwether, of Jackson,
Tenn., has to say in regard to breeding out the faults in our foxhounds. I would like to add this to
what he had to say. If you mate two babblers, their offspring will have that one habit multiplied
within them, ten times as great as either of their parents. This is true with any bad trait. All bad
traits, provided that both parents possess the same bad trait, will be multiplied ten times in their
offspring. Then, on the other hand, if we mate two hounds with the same outstanding good
qualities, that good quality is also multiplied in the pups, but not always ten times as strong as
their parents possessed. But occasionally it will be multiplied ten times as strong, or rather it will
be ten times as hard to eliminate that one good quality in their offspring by reckless breeding.
I thoroughly agree with what Mr. Meriwether says. But life is just too short to ever accomplish
anything along that line. Our great-grandchildren might not know exactly which bad traits we
were trying to eliminate by the time the hounds get in their possession. The best way to eliminate
faults is to select two game, level-headed hounds that possess the same good outstanding
qualities. Never breed to anything that is not game no matter how many good qualities he or she
may have. Mate these two foxhounds that have the same good traits. By so doing you will get
some pups that will possess that one good trait so strong that it will take a long time to breed it
out by reckless breeding. This litter might not be exactly what you want, but they all will have
plenty of the same good that existed in both parents. Some of this litter are more apt to have
some other good trait. If so, look about and mate it to some game hound that possesses that
same good trait; taking into consideration that this hound is not weak on that one good trait that
you have multiplied in your first breeding. This hound does not have to be strong or outstanding
on this first trait. But he should not be weak on it, as he might retract some of the good trait that
you are striving for. Some of this second litter will have multiplied within them two traits which will
take some time to breed out even if one should try. Take one or two of this last litter, examine and
observe them, and see what other good trait might be strong in them. You are more than apt to
find at least one of this litter that is outstanding in some good quality other than what you have
been breeding for. If so, get busy and find another game hound which is strong on this third
outstanding quality. Mate them, provided this new hound is not weak on what you have multiplied
in your hounds by previous breeding. Then remember that by producing three strong
outstanding good qualities from them. Search and observe this litter carefully and see if you can’t
find, in addition to the three good traits, one or two pups in this litter which not only have three
good traits multiplied within them to the extent that reckless breeding will take some time to
eliminate, but which has a fourth desirable quality. Then be sure to mate this one with a game
hound with an outstanding good quality that is the same as your pups show a little of. By so
doing you have multiplied this fourth good quality, and also automatically eliminated a fourth bad
quality. Keep this up until you have eliminated all the bad traits possible. Then you will have quite
a few hounds that should be hung up by the heels, and have their throats cut. But a greater
percent of your hounds will be outstanding provided they are given the proper training, and not
run when they are not right. A hound can’t tell his master or trainer that he has a pain in his side,
or that he has a fever. We sometimes expect too much of a hound that is sick.