[MR] running of the hounds

[Alianora Munro]

Not to be a grump, but a few points:

Hunting large game with coursing dogs is mediaeval. 
Lure coursing isn't.

Greyhounds are a period hunting breed.  Lurchers,
usually a cross between a greyhound and a collie, were
also a period hunting dog (and are still relatively
common in the UK).  Whippets were developed later, and
specifically for dog racing.

Sighthounds are not the only period hunting dogs. 
Many breeds of spaniels have their origins in the
Middle Ages, for example.  Spaniels are now regarded
as gundogs, but were used in the Middle Ages with both
falcons and bows or crossbows to flush and retrieve
game.

I am working up some ideas which might be used to
introduce quasi-period-esque activities for those of
us who prefer to own dogs other than coursing breeds. 
My particular biases being what they are, I'm focusing
on fowling and roughshooting as a basis for these
things.  Folk interested in these kinds of activities
are cordially invited to write me privately to chat
about it.

And lastly, a real grump:

> Greyhounds, the perfect period accessory!

No dog should ever be considered an accessory.  I have
spent way too much time on the phone and in the
trenches with Golden Retriever rescues to regard this
lightheartedly.  If the right dog for you happens to
be a greyhound, great.  But get a dog, if you get a
dog, because you can live with the dog, not because it
are "period," or matches your draperies, or for any
other reason.

regards,
Alianora
27 years in purebred dogs and counting ...


=====
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dame Alianora Munro, OL
the website: http://hometown.aol.com/noramunro/Chateau/index.htm
the blog:  http://damenora.diaryland.com

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard
http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree