BREAKING AND HANDLING. 229 



lished, but it will be done in a more irregular manner under 

 less favorable circumstances. 



There is no occasion for hurry in teaching it; in fact, it is 

 harmful. The closest observation must be exercised to 

 teach him to drop and not incidentally injure his other 

 work; also to avoid teaching him unintentionally to drop on 

 his points. It is true that some dogs drop to their points 

 naturally, but it is equally true that the greater number do 

 it from education, the latter of course not being so intended, 

 but is so in effect, since the dog so understands and ap- 

 plies it. 



Every time a bird is flushed to the dog's point, or every 

 time he flushes one whether unintentionally or otherwise, 

 the trainer drops him by oral command or signal. Fre- 

 quent opportunities occur when the trainer can walk up 

 beside him, give him a cut on the shoulder with the whip 

 as the bird rises; this must not be done too frequently else 

 the dog drops when he hears the handler walk up, and this 

 may be the inceptive stage of dropping to point. If he has 

 been trained properly in his preliminary yard breaking, he 

 will drop instantly to a cut of the whip. He soon learns 

 to further associate it with the rise of the bird; finally, he 

 associates the act of dropping with the rise of the bird, 

 and the intermediate element, /. <?., the whip, can be left 

 out. By dropping him with unfailing regularity, either by 

 command, signal, or the whip, he will, after a longer or 

 shorter time, learn to drop voluntarily. 



Occasionally sour, sulky or obstinate dogs will drop to 

 wing when they know that the trainer has the advantage, 

 and will refuse when they have it. Severe punishment is 

 the proper treatment for such cases, making them drop re- 

 peatedly to impress it on their memories in connection 

 with the punishment. 



The training should not be so strict at times when the 



