162 MODERN TRAINING. 



is hunting for game or merely running about from excess 

 of spirits or vitality. When he ranges and hunts resolutely, 

 reading his birds quickly, pointing, flushing and chasing 

 with determination, he is in very good trim to begin his 

 training. 



It is worthy of special note that the manner of beginning 

 the experience with the gun often determines whether the 

 dog will or will not be gunshy." Gunshyness is frequently 

 the fault of the trainer, although amateurs are prone to con- 

 sider it a fault of the dog. Any dog, however courageous, 

 can be made gunshy. There is no greater mistake possible 

 than to assume that a dog has an inherent knowledge of the 

 gun and its uses, or a hereditary love or fear of it; a knowl- 

 edge from inheritance which the handler himself reaches by 

 education, for man has no intuition of the gun and its uses, 

 and frequently the report of a gun is very startling in its ef- 

 fects to himself, hence he should be more considerate to- 

 ward the dog. By observing the disposition of the dog, 

 whether timid, cowardly, distrustful or courageous, and 

 whether he is intelligent or of weak mind, the'training may 

 be conducted in a manner which will not run counter to his 

 peculiarities, thus much loss of time and the occasions for 

 trouble will be avoided. 



It is of the utmost importance, in all branches of train- 

 ing, but rigidly so in this instance, that the trainer has the 

 dog's confidence and affection before he attempts any train- 

 ing that may alarm him, such as firing the gun, etc. If the 

 dog is shy from whippings or premature attempts to restrain 

 him, all efforts to accustom him to the gun or to train him 

 must be held in abeyance until such time as his confidence 

 is restored. This can be accomplished by giving him his 

 head and treating him with uniform kindness. 



The best juncture at which to give the puppy his first ex- 

 perience with the report of fire-arms is when he is ranging 



