POINTERS AND SETTERS. 253 



"When tliese orders are cheerfully and instantly complied witli 

 by the puppy, it will be time to take him into the field, but not 

 till then. Many breakers during this period accustom their dogs 

 to the report of the gun, by firing a pistol ofi" occasionally while 

 they are a short distance ofi", and in a way so as not to alarm 

 them. This is all very well, and may prevent all danger of a 

 dog becoming "shy of the gun;" but with a well-bred puppy, 

 properly reared, and not confined too much so as to make him 

 shy in other respects, such a fault will seldom occur. Never- 

 theless, as it does sometimes show itself, from some cause or other, 

 the above precaution, as it costs little trouble or expense, is not 

 to be objected to. It is also advantageous to accustom the dog to 

 drop when the pistol is discharged, and, if he is of high courage, 

 he may be drilled to this so efiectually that he never forgets it. 

 By the aid of a "check cord,^' wherever the dog is when the 

 pistol is discharged, he is suddenly brought up and made to drop 

 with the command " Down charge ; " and in process of time he 

 associates one with the other, so that whenever he hears a gun he 

 drops in an instant. Timid dogs may however be made shy in 

 this way, and unless the puppy is evidently of high courage, it is 

 a dangerous expedient to resort to ; as, instead of making the dog, 

 it may mar him for ever. 



Next comes the teaching to " range," which is about the most 

 difiicult part of breaking. Many sportsmen who have shot all 

 their lives are not aware of the extent to which this may be, 

 and indeed ought to be, carried ; and are quite content if their 

 dogs "potter" about where they like, and find game anyhow. 



