CONCLUSION. 63 



the proper development of your pupil than by undue haste to 

 bring him out only partially trained or CD wed and dis- 

 heartened by a too close or too long continued drilling at 

 tasks that should be his delight instead of dread. In perfect- 

 ing our pupil in his work in the field, great .care must be 

 taken that he always peforms his task in a faultless manner, 

 and no thought of present enjoyment should allow you for 

 an instant to relax tl.at constant surveillance and watchful 

 Cire that you have bestowed upon him while practicing him 

 at home. There is no more prolifio cause of the unsteadiness 

 and disobedience exhibited by so many of the dogs we meet 

 as the overlooking of the little faults that scarcely appear 

 worth noticing. As we have before remarked, anything 

 that is worth the doing is worth doing well, and in co'hing is 

 this more apparent than in the education of your dog. We 

 don't mean by this that you should be constantly nagging 

 him and breaking his heart with an incessant repitition of 

 commands, but that when you do give an order you should 

 see to it lhat it is at once obeyed, and to the very letter. 



Especially shcuU he be restrained from manifesting any 

 unsteadiness or uneasiness, when in the presence of crippled 

 birrls. This can only be accomplished by a faithful adher- 

 ence upon your part to the rules that you have established to 

 govern his conduct and by a religious setting of the example 

 that you wish him to follow, as any excitement upon your part 

 or undue haste to secure the bird is sure to be impressed 

 upon his susceptible mind and cause you no end of trouble 

 in the future. Better by far that you should lose a dozen 

 lirds than that your dog should become unsteady. 

 When it is possible, we always shoot a cripple before our 

 young dog, and we have ever found that this course, es- 

 pecially -vrben he cruld see the performance, exercised a 

 steadying iLfluence upon him, and also taught him to love 

 and have confidence in the gun. After sufficient experience 

 in the field, and when your dog appears to understand just 

 what you require of him, he may safely be allowed to cap- 

 ture the fluttering bird, with no fear that it will cause him to 

 become ur steady or depart f;om the teachings of his early 



