248 BRITISH DOGS 



stationary in Brace Stakes while his master and the pointing dog 

 road up the game, in contradistinction to drawing up behind the 

 gun opinions differ among sportsmen. This is owing, no doubt, 

 to the difference in the sort of country that they shoot over, and to 

 the dissimilar game that they have to pursue. But, surely, in any 

 case, all young dogs should be taught at first to remain immovable 

 when backing, as by this means they become much less jealous 

 and more careful. Aud for expediency also, looking on public trials 

 as means to the end of obtaining a supply of first-rate dogs for 

 shooting, this absolute steadiness behind should be insisted on ; 

 as one day will suffice to convert a steady dog to the drawing-on 

 method, but the process can never be reversed. 



Reading their game is another faculty in which trial dogs 

 have improved much of late, and, needless to say, it is of primary 

 importance to the grouse-shooter ; for the birds so frequently 

 run on from the point of the dog that, unless on his master's 

 approach he willingly follows them without fuss or encouragement, 

 many a shot will be missed and many a brood escape altogether. 



Stickiness on the point may be cured easily when a dog is 

 young by yoking him to an old one, who will take him up to 

 the birds in spite of himself. 



Before detailing the attributes that are necessary to make up 

 a first-class Pointer, it may be said that there can be no doubt 

 whatever that the standard of points used of late to decide as 

 to which is the best-looking Pointer at the shows, is in many 

 ways fanciful and arbitrary. Indeed, it has made some points 

 essentially necessary that are of no real practical value, because 

 they have no direct or indirect bearing on the dog's utility, nor 

 were they originally characteristic of the Pointer. The pos- 

 session of them does not render him any the more fitted to 

 assist the sportsman with the gun. but contrariwise. That these 

 are not necessary to render a Pointer good at his work will be 

 clearly understood by every sportsman ; and, in support of this 

 statement, it may be added that most dogs remarkable for their 

 excellence in the field do not possess them. That celebrated field- 

 trial winner Drake (sold at seven years old for 150 guineas to 

 Mr. Price, of Bala), a marvel in his day, although possessing in 

 a very marked degree the points of endurance, wear and tear 

 qualities, could not raise any claim to be considered good-looking 

 from the modern show-bench point of view. In general outline 

 he was just the build that should be looked for in a dog of whom 

 a lot of hard work is required ; but on critical examination that 

 is, taking into consideration all the little etceteras which go to 

 make up a show-ring winner he would have been found very 

 deficient. When compared with his kennel companion, the 

 celebrated show-prize winner Wagg, the qualities that made VVagg 



