MODERN TRAINING. 



CHAPTER III. 



. THE AMATEUR TRAINER. 



The amateur trainer usually has the necessary enthusiasm 

 and pertinacity, two qualities which are essential to the best 

 success; but, in his first attempts, he invariably displays 

 faults which are due to want of discipline in himself. The 

 most common and serious fault is the irregular temper and 

 the consequent much punishment and little teaching to 

 which the dog is subjected. He does not consider that 

 promiscuous, therefore misdirected, punishment, inflicted for 

 not obeying commands which are not understood, is not 

 training in any profitable sense of the term; on the contrary, 

 it is decidedly injurious to the dog and obstructive to 

 the training. The trainer should not set up his own 

 knowledge as a standard for the dog, and by which to 

 conduct the training, as many unconsciously do. He 

 should intelligently study the dog's capabilities and pecu- 

 liarities, modifying his methods and efforts in accordance 

 with the dog's capacity. Ideas which appear simple and 

 effective to the trainer may be comprehended with extreme 

 difficulty by the pupil, particularly if the trainer has an im- 

 perfect system of teaching. The novice usually assumes 

 that the dog has, at least, a fair knowledge of the English 

 language, for he multiplies orders, and frequently has 

 different orders for the same act. The ignorance of the 

 dog is ascribed to obstinacy or stupidity, and punishment 

 follows. If a strong man were to give a small boy commands 



