26 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



CHAPTER II. 



INSTINCT, REASON AND NATURAL DEVELOPMENT. 



As TENDING to a better understanding of dog 

 nature, consequently as tending to a better applica- 

 tion of the ways and means of a dog's education, a 

 brief discourse on the instincts of pointers and set- 

 ters, their powers of reason in the abstract and as 

 applied to field work, and the best manner of develop- 

 ment from the sportsman's point of view, is essential. 



To the average beginner, all dogs are simply dogs, 

 and all dogs are alike, a natural consequence to com- 

 mencing as an educator without first acquiring any 

 correct ideas as to how dogs learn and what they 

 learn. 



Indeed, without any thought of the matter even 

 after he commences the training it never occurs to 

 him that the apparent stupidity of his pupils may be 

 an index of his own inability to teach. 



A man may be ever so able to instruct one of his 

 own kind, whose mental capacity, being similar, he 



