1 82 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



every time that a bird is flushed within his sight or 

 hearing, whether he pointed it or not. The trainer 

 endeavors also to take advantage of every oppor- 

 tunity which presents itself in the furtherance of his 

 purpose, such as, for instance, walking up beside the 

 dog when he is on point, flushing the bird then, and 

 at the same time, if necessary, giving him a cut on 

 the shoulder with the whip, as when teaching him to 

 drop in the yard lessons. 



The trainer, however, should avoid the extreme of 

 making himself too much of a factor in the rise of 

 the bird, else the dog will drop when he is approached, 

 in anticipation of being forced to drop a moment or 

 two later. By many impressive repetitions of the 

 act in conjunction with the rise of the bird, the dog 

 in time comes to recognize the first sound of wings 

 as an order to drop. 



Patience and careful progress should be observed 

 in giving these lessons. If there is too much hurry 

 or violence, it is quite an easy matter to injure the 

 dog's work in other respects. 



When a dog is over-fatigued it is not wise to en- 

 force dropping to shot or wing too strictly. He may 

 find it such a comfortable position that it is to his lik- 



