268 BREAKING AXD ENTERING. 



or elevation of tlie hand of his master, without the slightest 

 hesitation. It is not, therefore, necessary to dwell upon this 

 part of his education, further than to remark that after each 

 point, or, indeed, directly after birds rise under any circumstances, 

 the dog should be made to drop by the voice, using the order 

 " Down charge ! " or by raising the hand if the eye of the dog 

 can be caught. When this practice is made habitual, there is 

 little trouble in carrying out the order until the gun is added ; 

 but then it will be found that great patience and forbearance 

 are required to prevent the dog from running to his birds as 

 they drop ; for, if this is allowed, it is sure to make him un- 

 steady in every case as soon as his eye catches sight of game, 

 whether after the point or not. It is now that the advantage 

 of having made the dog drop to the gun is manifested, for the 

 first thing he thinks of when the gun is fired is the necessity 

 for dropping, and if this is encouraged all goes on well. Too 

 often the shooter himself produces unsteadiness, by disregarding 

 his dog at the moment when he ought to attend to him most 

 particularly, and by running in himself to take care of his 

 "bag" considering that more important than the steadiness of 

 his dog. It is true that a runner is sometimes lost by the 

 delay of a few seconds while the discharged barrel is reloaded ; 

 but in the long run, the shooter who keeps his dog down till he 

 has loaded will bag the most game. 



The faults which chiefly require correction at tJiis stage are: 

 blinJcing, shying the gun, pottering at the hedges, hunting too 

 wide, and chasing fur. The vice of hlinldng has been caused 



