BREAKING AND HANDLING. 251 



eral, unrestrained, preparatory course, but permit him to 

 break shot more or less until well advanced in training. 

 Unquestionably the mode is superior if applied by a skillful 

 trainer, since it infuses dash, self-confidence, eagerness to 

 hunt, and encourages the marking of the flight of birds. It 

 is particularly superior if the puppy shows timidity; more- 

 over, in such cases, it is the only correct one. The amateur, 

 however, would do well to restrain the liberties of an obsti- 

 nate, hard-headed dog as soon as possible, consistently with 

 his peculiarities. 



After the training to the gun has begun, chasing rabbits 

 should be corrected as soon as possible, unless the dog has 

 some peculiarities which will be benefited by permitting it; 

 hence sometimes it is a fault, sometimes not. To break him 

 of this fault when.it is such, watch for a favorable opportu- 

 nity, in a chase, to shoot the rabbit ahead of the dog. This 

 opportunity happens frequently. For a moment the dog 

 thinks the chase a grand success. Put a short cord on his 

 collar and hold it and the rabbit in the left hand. Hold the 

 whip in the right. Thrust the rabbit in his face, at the same 

 time giving him a sharp cut with the whip, and give the ex- 

 clamation Hi ! Hi! or any other order which is commonly 

 used to make him desist. Continue the punishment accord- 

 ing to his needs and disposition. A few corrections, thus 

 applied, usually cure the ordinary cases. When a dog is 

 unusually resolute, he needs a correspondingly greater whip- 

 ping. After a few corrections, he may forget himself for a 

 moment, but the warning cry, Hi! will suffice to stop him. 

 This treatment is sure to cure him in time regardless of his 

 disposition. It is simply teaching a dog to blink rabbits in 

 the same manner that the trainer sometimes unintentionally 

 teaches him to blink birds. The punishment for flushing, 

 breaking shot, etc., is very similar, hence the distinction in 

 the matter is chiefly in the idea of the trainer; if persisted 

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