32 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



ing for the comforts of the parlor and forbears steal- 

 ing food unless he has a safe opportunity. 



The moral nature of the dog never reaches to a 

 height which commands much confidence. He is 

 naturally a predatory animal, and his marauding in- 

 stincts, though reasonably dormant in his own home, 

 are quickly brought into activity on outside oppor- 

 tunity. In the home of his master's friend, where 

 he is for the first time, he most brazenly searches 

 every nook and corner, disregards his home manners 

 and does not hesitate to appropriate to his own use 

 any food he may find. According to his point of 

 view he is doing no wrong. Such is his nature. 



In time, with more thumpings and more painful 

 experience, he learns that the rules in force at his 

 own home are also the rules to be observed when 

 he is in other homes, and he governs himself accord- 

 ingly. However, he easily drifts into vagabond 

 habits if opportunity offers, such as sneaking off into 

 the fields and woods on self-hunting trips, associat- 

 ing with vagabond dogs, etc., and at such times he 

 will indulge in many freaks and fancies of which he 

 would not be guilty if under the eye of his master. 



He has a profound affection for his master, but 



