462 DOGS USED FOR SPORT. 



mand him to fetch, after insisting upon his keeping the down 

 charge for a sufficient time to entail steadiness. He may not be 

 successful in finding the bird for a time, when you may assist him, 

 repeating occasionally the word " fetch." If you are the first to 

 discover it, call him and have him lift it from the ground, when, 

 as you remove it from his mouth, reward him with notice and a 

 caress. By repeating this method a few times, you gradually and 

 surely impress upon the youngster the utility of that which was 

 taught him before entering the field. 



During the day, you will no doubt have many opportunities of 

 confirming the puppy in the backing of another dog, using " toho" 

 always as the command to stop, punishing with the cord for diso- 

 bedience and non-observance of the order. The young animal 

 that has the example set him of ranging, is wonderfully improved 

 in speed thereby, but it must be remembered that puppies are fre- 

 quently ruined by working them too freely with old dogs. They 

 soon discover that the oldster understands fully how to find the 

 game, and instead of finding, they are content to watch and back 

 the older. Great care must be taken that your animal does not 

 fall into such a habit. As soon as a young dog begins to watch 

 the older, depending upon him to find the birds, he should be at 

 once withdrawn and worked entirely alone until habits of self- 

 reliance are fully imbued, and he depends upon his own individual 

 efforts in the search for game ; when this object has been fully 

 attained, he may again be worked in company with older and well 

 broken animals in order to confirm him in the habit of backing. 



At different times while ranging in the field move in the direc- 

 tion you wish your puppy to take, waving your hand toward it also ; 

 then suddenly taking an opposite course, wave that way also. In 

 this manner you can soon teach that he must go to whichever por- 

 tion of the field you desire, by the motion of the hand. 



Quail are undoubtedly the best birds on which to break a young 

 dog, and you cannot be too particular, the first season, in demand- 

 ing absolute obedience. Allow the least infraction of the neces- 

 sary rules, and he will always be on the look-out for an opportu- 

 nity to exercise his own will. Never allow him to flush for you, 

 even once, as the habit will grow upon him, and he will repeat it 

 with every opportunity that offers when out from under your eye. 



