112 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



Conditions which make all clear to the trainer's sense 

 of sight may bt conditions which do not in the least 

 serve the dog's sense of smell. 



If the dog stops to the order without having scent 

 of the birds, it is a meaningless act so far as pointing 

 is concerned, and if he stops to order when he has 

 scent of them, it has no more significance of a point 

 than if the trainer attempted to do the pointing him- 

 self. Ordinarily, when on birds, the puppy pays no 

 more attention to the command "Toho" than he does 

 to the murmur of the gentle breezes. If, then, there 

 is a warfare over the disobedience it is obstructive to 

 his best advancement. 



If obedience is at length pounded into him and 

 there is no other manner of enforcing it in this con- 

 nection interest in the birds is incidentally pounded 

 out of him. 



Nevertheless, some of the old school will stoutly 

 maintain that dogs are beneficially assisted to point 

 by the aid of "Toho," although dogs, as a matter of 

 fact, have learned to point and back in spite of it. 



Punishment in reference to birds is the source of 

 blinking. 



Even for the benefits advocated for "Toho" the 



