80 THE AMERICAN HUNTING DOG 



pect equal results. But any number of sportsmen 

 have succeeded beyond all statements yet in print 

 in the extent and variety of hunting accomplish 

 ments which they have taught their Airedale to 

 master. The thing to do is to get out and hunt 

 with him and let him learn by experience. Let 

 him dig out his own woodchucks, 'possums, musk- 

 rats ; hole up his own skunks and squirrels ; your 

 part being to guide the hunting and get the dog 

 where there is game to be had. Hell soon learn. 

 Take him along with the bird dogs, on a check 

 cord if necessary, but let him be there and he will 

 soon catch on. Airedales sometimes point birds 

 with raised forefoot just like a setter; my own 

 dog Blaze usually raised the forefoot slightly, but 

 his best cue was a trig eager attitude of fixed 

 attention, standing motionless which generally 

 meant a quail or grouse in sight. 



As to size, there is a great variety of opinion. 

 Belmore Browne, the famous hunter, explorer- 

 artist, raised a lot of Airedales in the Eockies and 

 they always kept the smaller ones and disposed of 

 the big stock. His reasons were that as a rule 

 the smaller Airedale, around 45 pounds, was the 

 brainier fighter. On the other hand some of the 

 best lion and bear dog Airedales are picked around 

 60 pounds, and that by well-known handlers. Per* 



