TRAINING BETTER3] FOK MOUNTAIN, FIELD, AND FAllM. [and pointerb. 



cuiilod, in a cjrcat inoasuro, by circumstancoa. 

 If a dog be ofmiKl temper ami naturally docile, 

 neither collar nor cord will bo required, and 

 be may bo made to go down without bavin<:: 

 recourse to severe means ; in which caso it will 

 be merely necessary to place him at a particular 

 spot, and keep him down with the hand, pro- 

 nouncing audibly at the same time the words 

 *' Down, down !" giving a stroke or two with 

 the whip, in the event of his evincing a dis- 

 position to move; and, when ho ia thus far 

 obedient, his instructor must retire from him, 

 like a courtier after kissing hands, keepmg his 

 evo upon him till he reaches a distance of forty 

 or fifty yards, holding one hand up, and not 

 permitting him to move till bo either calls, 

 whistles, or makes a movement with his arm. 

 In the event of his moving before he is ordered, 

 he must bo taken back to the precise spot 

 where he was first placed, and made to lie 

 down ; and this lesson must be repeated till it 

 fullv succeeds — by which we mean, until the 

 dog goes down at all times the instant the 

 words "Down, down!" are pronounced, the 

 baud being invariably simultaneously held up. 

 The object of this is, that the dog may ulti- 

 mately go down and back at all times on his 

 seeing the hand raised, without its being 

 necessary to call to him, as speaking would be 

 disadvantageous when birds are wild ; it being 

 expedient, when having a brace of dogs at 

 -^ork, to make one dog stop instantly by a 

 silent signal when his companion may have 

 suddenly made a point unperceived. 



"When the above means are found insufficient, 

 the collar with a cord may be used ; and some 

 think the spiked collar will prove more efiectual 

 than the plain one, with a cord of about five 

 yards in length, the end of which can either 

 be held by a boy, or fastened to a stake. When 

 this first lesson is imparted, the efficacy of this 

 plan will soon be perceived, if the dog is at all 

 unruly or obstinate, by his gradual and pro- 

 gressive obedience. In the first instance he 

 may resist; but when he discovers that he 

 can neither escape nor avoid punishment if he 

 disobeys, he will yield to his instructor, and 

 go down when required. The greater the 

 difficulty, the more certain and implicit will 

 be the obedience, when the former is once 

 thoroughly vanquished. Should the dog rise 

 without permission, or move, he must be forced 

 3n 



back to the precise wpot, and umdo to go down, 

 receiving at the same time several slmrp jorka 

 with the cord, and the eamo method of inatruc- 

 tion adopted as wo have just suggcated. This 

 mode of infiicting punishment ia preferable to 

 the use of the whip, as following immediately 

 any act of disobedience ; it ia more intelligible 

 to the dog, and makes a more lasting impres- 

 sion, consequently is more effective. 



AV'hen this lesson has been thoroughly and 

 completely inculcated, so that the dog ia under 

 perfect command, and will go down instantly 

 ho is called to, or on the hand being raised, 

 then he ought to be taken out and taught to 

 range his ground. The day should bo fine 

 and suitable ; a slight breeze would be all in 

 the dog's favour; more than that would bo 

 prejudicial. In the first instance, it will be 

 better to go whore game is thin ; and, when ho 

 is somewhat fatigued, to where it is more 

 abundant, especially if he has evinced symptoms 

 of progress. It must be expected that he will 

 chase in the first instance; but if the collar 

 and cord be on him, as they should be, these 

 will check him considerably ; but, oa each 

 occasion of his committing any ofi'ence, by 

 either running in or chasing, he must ha 

 caught and spoken to sharply, and receive a 

 few smart jerks with the cord — "Down, 

 down !" being several times simultaneously 

 repeated.' A steady old dog, taken out with 

 the young one, will afford considerable facility 

 in imparting instruction, particularly if thej 

 are acquainted with each other, as the young 

 dog will naturally look to the old one, watch 

 his movements, and go to him when he makes 

 a point. On these occasions, the breaker must 

 get up as promptly as he can, in order that ho 

 may exercise all his influence in encouraging 

 his pupil if he is doing right, and in re- 

 straining and punishing him if be is disobe- 

 dient. The chances are in favour of a dog's 

 runnino' in the two or three first times, 

 although he should make a short temporary 

 point, in which case he must, on each occa- 

 sion, bo caught, spoken to sharply, and receive 

 punishment ; and, should he continue to run 

 in without showing any visible signs of 

 amendment, then it will be advisable to take a 

 boy out to hold the cord, so that he may 

 receive prompt and immediate punishment, if 

 1 he attempts to dash forward, either on his 



457 



