498 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
judgment he displays in conducting his efforts and his 
honesty of purpose and cheerful effort in working to 
the gun; these qualities, in sporting parlance, being 
known by the comprehensive term “bird sense.” 
But a dog which has a knowledge of approved meth- 
ods in work to the gun, and skill in combining them 
successfully according to ever varying circumstances, 
combined with endurance, cheerfulness and loyalty, is 
a rarity indeed. He is the genius of his kind. Never- 
theless, however excellent a dog may be naturally, un- 
less he has an affection, or at least a tolerance, for the 
shooter, he will not perform at his best, even if he will 
perform at all. 
So much for the trained dog. Left to his own un- 
hampered will, the natural proclivity of the untrained 
dog is to impetuously follow his own impulses when 
in pursuit. At first he trusts to his speed alone. After 
a certain amount of experience he begins to use his 
intelligence. When hunting for himself he displays 
great enthusiasm and industry. This natural method, 
called self-hunting, is not in accord with the best inter- 
ests of the gun. 
The true theory of training is to preserve the dog’s 
best natural methods, enforcing only such restraint as 
the needs of the shooter require. No trainer can force 
a dog to hunt if the latter is disinclined to do so. 
The dog’s natural inclination, after locating the 
birds, is to spring in to capture, but this being against 
the interests of the shooter, the dog is trained to check 
his impulse to spring while still encouraged to main- 
