7 6 MODERN TRAINING. 



after a rest of a few weeks, or when the next season arrives, 

 he may forget or disregard his training entirely ; thus it is 

 perceived that a dog may have the appearance of being per- 

 manently trained when in reality he is not. In relation to 

 making the work habitual, it should be noted as being of 

 special importance that however obstinate a dog may be or 

 however difficult to induct into any particular method, by 

 long continued discipline it becomes so permanently estab- 

 lished and habitual that it is second nature. Discipline, in 

 the sense here used, signifies the regular and formal drilling 

 which is necessary to permanently establish the training, and 

 not in the sense which implies punishment exclusively. 



Invariably one or more branches will be readily learned, 

 while others, perhaps more simple, drag along to a wearisome 

 length without any apparent progress; or the dog may be able 

 to comprehend it imperfectly,or may have a faulty execution. 

 Uniform progressiveness in each branch of training, by one 

 individual, is an extremely rare occurrence. Even when a 

 dog is trained in all other branches, there is usually one 

 branch or other which requires days or weeks to finish. For 

 instance, the dog may not back well, or may be faulty in 

 retrieving, or may have some cranky notion, etc. The 

 necessity of cultivating as much as possible such branches 

 as the dog is backward in, is self-evident. The amateur, 

 however, when the dog learns to point, is predisposed to 

 give his attention to the shooting alone. 



In the training, the dominant traits of character of the 

 dog should be noted and used to advantage, if they are ad- 

 vantageous, or suppressed if they are the contrary. It is 

 seldom that the training can be evenly conducted. The 

 necessary functional powers are infrequently present in 

 such naturally harmonious relations as to admit of each 

 part of the education -being equally progressive, one with 

 the other. From natural aptitude and liking, the dog will 



