MANAGEMENT OF SPORTING DOGS. 73 



CHAPTER IX. 



SPORTING DOGS AND TliKIR MANAGKMKNT AM) 'JP.AINf.VG. 



THE poiriU^r and the. HcMcr aro th(; two univorHally rccoi/iim'A] 

 dogH for hiiiit.in^f ^^arnc. hird.s. Ah to which of the two is tho 

 better variety authorilieHdiflerj and niiicfi (h'^cudn upon circum- 

 BtanceH. For hot olimatcH the pointer han rnon- enrJuranee than 

 the setter, hut he in alHo more tender and would Hufler in a eohj 

 climat^i. PointerH do not require ho careful trainin^f, and with 

 HportHrnen who an;, as in the case with many, Ioohc in their 

 manner of training', a pointer will he a pannahly well hehaved 

 dog where, with the nanje laxity, a setter woiild he ntUtrly 

 worthlcHH. Ah the value of a dog in hunting depe^nds in Huch a 

 great degree upon hin proper underntanding of the work in hand, 

 and his jirornpt and faithful exf^eution of the dutie.H ineurnhent 

 upon him, Ujo much pains cannot he taken with his training. 



PK i;LJM I \A liY TRAINING. 



The education of sporting dogs should begin in eaj-liest pupf^y- 

 hood. L'nIeHH they are early taught obedience, it will f>e diffi- 

 cult to overcome this neglect by after training. JJis first Ich- 

 Hon may be given with the aid <A' a piece ef beef placed hefore 

 him on a plate. Naturally he will evince an eagerness to obtain 

 it. Prevent his doing ho, by gently tapping him upon the hea/3, 

 at the same time cry, '' toho !" iiy repeating this word each 

 time you check hiH eagerness, he is taught t^j aHSociate the slap 

 with the word and to stop when the word is uhcA. 'J'his makcH 

 the '' point." In a few moments after you must cry, '^ hie on," 

 and allow him t/> seize the meat. " Steady "is the next lesson, 

 and consists in allov/ing him slowly to approach the plate as 

 you keep repeating the word at short intervals. When near 

 the plate cry, " toho," and never allow him to reach the meat 

 until you give the command, "hie on!" When you wish him 

 to break his point but not to "pitch in" to the meat, tfie com- 

 mand, " close on " should be used. Hefore he reaches the plate, 

 cry, " toho," and then, " hie on ;" when he has pointed, by 

 " close on " he must understand that he is to move cautiously, 

 and this he is taught by the oft repeated command of "steady." 

 All these commands may be taught with patience, and p'di'M-.ncAt 

 is abs^ilutely necessary. No harshness should he used, and no 

 new leH8^>n sliould be attempt/^d until the old one is fiilly maH- 

 tered. You should always feed the dog yourself. 



When the j^recedlng Ichsotjs are thoroughly acquired, 



