There is nothing cuter than a hound puppy — and nothing naughtier, either.
All over Britain and Ireland, long-suffering and very kind people have hound puppies to “walk” over the summer. The puppies become socialised, learn how to walk on collars and leads and to obey basic commands, and grow up in a happy, family environment. But puppy walkers know very well that no shoe left carelessly around will go un-chewed, and no rose bed will remain pristine.
After a few months, they go back to the hunt kennels to learn how to live with the pack — and the following autumn, when they are aged between a year and 18 months, they start to learn how to hunt trails with the rest of the pack.
Here are some hound puppies that H&H readers are walking…
1. Arkle and Arrow, Wilton puppies walked by Heather Royle
2. Wilton Arkle meets some rather intimidating-looking sheep
3. Belvoir Shamrock “helps out” Kay Gardner
4. Brocklesby Seldom and Sender enjoying an afternoon nap – sent in by Chris Power
5. Heythrop Volvic and Voicemail help Lizzie Coombes’ hunter Barry polish off his supper
6. Heythrop Volvic at full gallop
7. Ledbury hound puppies walked by eventer Vittoria Panizzon, her head girl Bryony Milton and their team enjoying the comfort of an armchair
8. South Wold Bodkin and Boris, walked by Kay Gardner
9. Four-year-old Andromeda Freegard playing with her new best friend, Crasher, at the West Norfolk hunt kennels
10. Four-week-old West Wexford Harriers puppies, sent in by Aine O’Brien
11. Woodland Pytchley Harborough, walked by Rhiannon and Amber Fitzhugh
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