BREAKING AND HANDLING. 217 



migrate about the same time to the same latitude; bees con- 

 struct their honeycomb of the same material and in the 

 same shape, and all without knowing for what purpose these 

 acts were performed. It might be shown that intelligent 

 acts performed by one individual differed greatly from those 

 performed by other individuals, being quite as variable as 

 the intelligence of the individuals; but the subject is too 

 voluminous to dwell on at length. Suffice it to say that the 

 dog comprehends the purposes of backing since he distin- 

 guishes between a reliable dog and an unreliable one; that 

 he improves in the application by experience; that the act 

 varies greatly in different individuals; that opportunities are 

 necessary to learn it; that it varies a great deal in different 

 dogs according to their inclination or intelligence; that it is 

 serviceable to him in a wild state, and that therefore it is 

 not an instinct implanted to oblige some man with a dog 

 and a gun. 



Nevertheless, if the amateur has a veneration for tradition 

 and honored beliefs, and hence believes it instinctive, it will 

 not adversely affect the training if he follows the directions 

 hereinafter given. 



If the young dogs are worked together before a certain 

 degree of discipline is established, they will probably be 

 more or less unmanageable in all branches, although, singly, 

 they may be good workers. It is very beneficial to have 

 the puppy prepared to such a degree that he will work with 

 regularity and is under fair control, before working him in 

 company; with a timid dog this is indispensable. Besides 

 being under better control, he then has a better comprehen- 

 sion of details. As before remarked, the first lessons should 

 be with a dog which is not given to false pointing. If the 

 dog cannot observe some desirable results from the act of 

 pointing, it is meaningless to him. 



When the dog is pointing, the handler should call the 



