238 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



necessary to place the pupil in the charge of another 

 trainer. 



Much has been written on the heredity of gun-shy- 

 ness, but most of the writers on it have succeeded 

 better in proving that they were not quite familiar 

 with what constitutes heredity than that the dog's 

 fears were transmitted. Dogs of a highly nervous 

 and excitable temperament, with a silly mentality, 

 show alarm at any strange noises, whether caused 

 by the gun or anything else. Inherited nervousness 

 or cowardice would be a better term for the trait. 



