POINTERS AND SETTERS. 269 



by over-severity in punishment for chasing poultry, &c., and 

 takes a great deal of time to remove. Indeed, until the dog 

 sees game killed, he seldom loses the fear which has produced 

 it. It is therefore frequently useless to continue the breaking 

 in the springs although such a dog sometimes becomes very 

 useful by careful management in the shooting season. Generally 

 speaking, it is occasioned by undue severity, either applied for 

 chasing cats or poultry, or for chasing game when first hunted. 

 The former kind of castigation should be very cautiously applied, 

 as the pupp3^ is very apt to associate the punishment given for 

 the chasing of game with that due to the destruction of poultry 

 or cats ; and as he has been compelled to leave the latter by 

 the use of the whip, and has been afterwards kept " at heel," 

 so he thinks he must do so now, and in fear he comes there, 

 and consequently " blinks his birds." This defect is only to be 

 remedied by instilling confidence, and by avoiding punishment ; 

 but it is often one which gives great trouble before it is got 

 over. It is not so bad as the obstinately refusing to work at 

 all, but is onl}^ next to it. Both occur in dogs which are 

 deficient in courage, and both require the most delicate and 

 encouraging treatment to remove them. Let such dogs run 

 " riot," and commit any fault they like, without fear for a 

 time ; then afterwards (that is, when they begin to be quite 

 bold, and are full of the zest for game) begin very cautiously 

 to steady them, and something may yet be done. In very bad 

 cases all attempts at breaking must be given up at " pairing time," 

 and the gun must be relied on as a last resource, the killing of 



