52 TRAINING vs. BREAKING. 



that he be not kept too long at work. We have ev. r found 

 that the best results were obtained when we have taken our 

 dog home after an hour or two, or even sooner, when his per- 

 formance had been satisfactory. We have often taken him 

 home at the end of a few minutes even, when everything had 

 gone just right and we had by abundant praise and caresses 

 impressed indellibly upon his mind that his behavior was 

 pleasing to us, thus leaving him to ponder over the matter in 

 a happy state of mmd that would cause him to look forward 

 with eager anticipation to future enjoyment of other blissful 

 hours among the birds, instead of going on and, possihly, be- 

 ing obliged to take him off at a time when something of a 

 disagreeable nature had occurred that would exert a depress- 

 ing influence upon his susceptable mind and, perhaps, cause 

 him to dread or, at least, to feel indifference about repeating 

 the performance. After one or two outings, and he has be- 

 come somewhat accustomed to the new experience, you 

 can safely commence to teach him as to what he may and may 

 not do; you can in a measure control his range and dictate a3 

 to the direction that you wish him to take, using great care 

 that you do not restrain him too much at first, bu^ very 

 slowly and by easy step3 gradually teach him to look to 

 you for guidance ; and if you pursue the proper course hi 

 will soon obey your lightest word as readily as when taking 

 his regular lessons at home. This result can be obtained in 

 this manner much sooner and much bet'er than by trying 

 tocon'rolhim and to make him do everything just right 

 from the start, only bear in mind that when you do ordir 

 him to do anything insist upon prompt obedienca every time. 

 Among the first things that you should endeavor to instil 

 into his mind is the knowledge that he must ' ' work to the 

 gun." This can be very easily accomplished if you will pursue 

 the proper course. In the first place, under no circumstan- 

 ces should he be allowed to flush the birds. Not so much 

 perhaps that it will make him uns'eady, for many dogs can 

 be taught to flush their birds to order without detracting 

 from their steadiness, but such a course we have ever found 

 decidedly unsteadies the wary grouse and renders them less 



