tHESETTEn.] FOR MOUNTAIN, FIELD, A\D FARM. [tue setter. 



in trainings the setter, tliore are some of tlioni, 

 when taken into the fii-ld, alVeoteil witli what is 

 called "gun-shy." A gentleman, whilst shoot- 

 ing with ft iriend, on the Cluno Moors, in 

 I^Ioravshire, observed that one very handsome 

 setter was invariably left behind ; and, upon 

 askin'' the reason, was informed that ho was 

 " f^un-shv," and " ran home ;" but that " icifhouf 

 lilt' gun, no dog could boat him on the hills." 

 lie was too good-looking to be tlirown away, 

 though bis owner had but slight hope, after 

 running home, that any good could bo done. 

 However, he tried, and the plan adopted was the 

 following : — He coupled him to a retriever (:i 

 stronger dog than the setter), and took them 

 on the hill; at first, the "gun-shy" setter 

 wanted to bolt, but the retriever was too fond 

 of the sport to allow it, when a sort of " pull 

 devil, pull tailor" performance commenced, 

 always ending in favour of the retriever. 

 This went on for three successive days, each 

 day the gun-shyness wearing off; and, on the 

 fourth morning, no symptoms of it were 

 risible. This dog was shot over for several 

 months, and came at last to be pronounced 

 by far the best dog in his kennel, which is 

 by no means the worst in the North. Let a 

 dog see what you are firing at, and not blaze 

 over him in a kennel or yard. 



Another sportsman, who had much experi- 

 ence of gun-shy in setters, found the only suc- 

 cessful means of curing them was, by taking 

 them out with some hunting terrier or dog, 

 where game was abundant (whether winged 

 game, or quadrupeds, was immaterial), and 

 allowing them to run riot as they pleased for 

 several days ; then, while at a distance, and 

 the dogs alone, to fire an occasional shot, 

 never allowing them to see a whip, or even 

 speak angrily to them, until their ardour be- 

 came excessive. Then, for a dog, he would 

 shoot a hare or rabbit, and give him the en- 

 trails ; and should this have proved unsuccess- 

 ful in removing his terror, he would break him 

 off the way, by tying up one of his fore legs 

 with a pair of couples, close under his neck, 

 and then take up amongst the guns, and check 

 him with a check-line (a long line annexed to 

 a collar put round his neck, by which he may 

 be held to a set), at which time the gun would 

 be continually used, and no harsh severity 

 whatever. 



A spurtsmaii, writing to The Field, Havs — 

 " I have now a setter bitch— the best, I may 

 any, 1 ever saw out — which was, at one time, 

 under the inlluenco of this fever (gun-shy). 

 I had almost despaired of removing liiis alarm, 

 when it occurred to me, as I wished to propa- 

 gate the stock of an old dog setter, I would 

 try what 'warding' would do. The effect 

 was wonderful. On the 1st of .September, I 

 think it was, my keeper took her out after her 

 lovo affair, and shot two-and-a-half brace of 

 birds over her ; she never bolted, nor has she 

 evinced any feeling or symptom of fear at a 

 gun, or the report of one ; and is now, and lias 

 been since that time, one of the best dogs I 

 ever shot to. I should recommend this plan 

 of putting the dog to a bitch. If this does not 

 succeed, he cannot do better than follow a 

 work on dogs, written by Colonel Hutchinson, 

 which work, I observe, other correspondents 

 have recommended. Patience and kindness 

 must cure the evil ; squibbing off, occasionally, 

 (leaving the dog) may accustom him to the 

 report of a gun — increasing the load by de- 

 grees, and patting the dog, and giving him a 

 piece of biscuit, cake, &c., after each discharge. 

 Taking him out, also, with an old dog may do 

 wonders, as a dog will more readily learn oi 

 his own species than from any other means. 

 I have known the above remedy of ' warding' 

 succeed in many instances." 



Setters have been known to be affected with 

 gun-shy up to eighteen months old, and after 

 that turned out very well. These have not 

 been actually gun-shy, but would not work off. 

 If the dog runs away when the gun is fired off, 

 some think they never get over it. 



Mr. Richardson says — " The setter is by 

 some sportsmen preferred to the pointer ; and 

 where water is to be got at occasionally, during 

 a day's shooting, there can be no doubt of h.is 

 superiority. He cannot, however, work with- 

 out a drink as long as the pointer can, although, 

 if he can obtain a sufiicient supply, he can 

 work still longer than that dog. In disposi- 

 tion, the setter is more affectionate, and more 

 attached to his master individually, than the 

 pointer is. He requires more training than 

 the latter dog ; but that training must be of a 

 very mild and gentle description, lest the dog 

 be hJinJced, or spirit-broken. The setter will 

 always work best in cold and wet weather. 



439 



