238 FRANK forester's field sports. 



As in all other tuition, reward and punishment must both be 

 brought into play ; but it is a great thing to remember that, 

 while a dog should neoer be allowed to disobey an order, or to 

 commit a fault unpunished, it is well neither to harass him by 

 unnecessary commands, nor to tempt into faults by over exac- 

 tion 



Moreover, a dog cannot be managed with too little shouting. 

 He should be accustomed always to obey the whistle ; and he 

 will very soon learn to understand the meaning invariably 

 attached to any combinations of that sound, turning his head to 

 observe the gesture of your hand, by which he may be directed 

 to beat this way or that, to back his fellow's point, or to down- 

 charge — the signal for the two latter duties being the same, — 

 the hand held aloft, with an erect arm, open, with the palm 

 facing the dog, the fingers closed, but the thumb extended. 

 This motion ought to arrest a dog at the top of his speed, the 

 instant his attention is called to it, as suddenly as if he were 

 shot dead ; and the advantages gained from the strictest enforce- 

 ment of the rule, are too palpable to demand further comment. 



If, therefore, a Setter, or Pointer, is broke to lie down im- 

 mediately to charge, on the firing of a shot, and to tuni his head 

 at every whistled call of his master, thereafter obeying one or 

 two simple gestures, the necessity for roaring like a bull of 

 Bashan, as is the practice of most dog-breakers, and all cockney 

 sportsmen, will be entirely obviated. The advantages of which 

 will be, that you will not flush four-fifths of all the game within 

 hearing, nor drive your fellow sportsmen crazy, if they happen 

 to be blessed with nerves ; and not render yourself as hoai'se as 

 a waterman on a hackney-coach stand, by bellowing out orders, 

 which your dog, nine times out of ten, cannot hear, being to 

 windward of you. 



A shrill ivory whistle should always be hung from the button- 

 hole of the jacket, and a heavy dog-whip invariably earned in 

 the pocket ; but, although neither of these, in their way highly 

 useful implements, should be suffered to enjoy a sinecure, it is 

 almost unnecessary to observe that of the last, even more than 



