150 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



known fact that an intelligent dog, even when most 

 thoroughly trained, will refuse to back a dog which, 

 within his observation, false points a few times. He 

 observes that the false-pointing dog is unreliable, and 

 that as there is nothing to the point to be pursued or 

 captured, so there is no use in preparing to seize or 

 pursue. This also denotes that the act refers to him- 

 self, and not a man with a gun. 



In practical field work the only material advantage 

 of backing is that it prevents interference with the 

 pointing dog, although it has the sentimental value 

 of being pleasing to the eye as a spectacular act. 



In such instances as a man shoots alone and owns 

 but one dog, it is not of the slightest importance 

 whether his dog will point or not. But when dogs 

 are hunted together, it is of importance that they be 

 made steady to back; or, if they will not back, then 

 that they be taught to drop promptly to order. 



A dog which, refusing to break, either presses 

 ahead to steal the point or flush the birds, will thor- 

 oughly spoil more sport than all other causes com- 

 bined. Some dogs, otherwise good, behave very 

 badly when working with a dog which refuses to 

 back. Under such conditions they misbehave gen- 



