172 ON THE WING. 



as the other. Afterwards I should begin with a medium- 

 sized, leather-covered ball — such as the dog can easily 

 manage, throwing it and teaching him to bring it and 

 drop it on the ground or in the hand, and making him 

 " down " at the same time. This part of the training 

 is usually only half done. It should be repeated every 

 day until the dog is thoroughly familiar with his les- 

 son. 



Make the dog keep his distance and his place in all 

 his trainings. Don't let him jump on you, and do not 

 fool with him ; if you do, your teaching will be in a 

 great measure lost. Always treat him evenly and kind- 

 ly, and he will s6on know what you mean. Many peo- 

 ple, and especially boys, spoil good hunting dogs that 

 are naturally excellent ones, by kicking them at one 

 moment, and caressing them at another, until the poor 

 creatures do not know what to expect or what to do 

 under any circumstances. 



Then a dog should have but one master, and the 

 master should keep his temper while training, bearing 

 in mind that he himself has been twenty-one years in 

 learning to be a man. 



After the dog retrieves well, and will drop the ball 

 to your feet or hand, and will down at the word, take 

 your gun, and after letting him see it and smell it, 

 snap a few caps before him so that he may become 

 used to the sound. There is much risk of frightening 

 a dog at this point, and to such an extent as to render 

 him useless. I have known dogs with excellent points 

 irreparably injured at this stage of their training, by 

 having a gun suddenly fired at or near them. I would 



