142 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



CHAPTER IX. 



BACKING. 



BACKING., backsetting and backstanding denote 

 the act of one dog standing more or less rigidly by 

 sight to the point of another dog. The backing dog 

 generally assumes much the same attitude when 

 backing that he does when pointing, though in many 

 instances the rigidity and intenseness therein are less. 

 Not infrequently some backing dogs stand in a slack 

 position, as they do naturally when there are no 

 points at all to consider. 



However enthusiastic and spirited may have been 

 the backs at first, they in time, as the enthusiasm of 

 youth and novelty pass away, generally become per- 

 functory. The dog learns that the purposes of the 

 back, as enforced by the trainer, are repressive, 

 that he is not to interfere with the pointing dog, and 

 that therefore there is nothing of self-interest in it 

 for himself. The backing act, which the dog dis- 



