FOR f HE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 257 



Dogs vary greatly in their capacity for work; 

 Some will perform well every day, while others; 

 again, may not be equal to a satisfactory perform- 

 ance oftener than every other day. The idiosyncra- 

 sies of the individual must govern. The trainer 

 should endeavor to keep the dog at a pitch wherein 

 he delights to work every moment. If the dog pot- 

 ters betimes, or loafs, or is dilatory of execution, he 

 loses accordingly if his opponent is industriously 

 persistent and finished in his work. 



TheDerbys are considered by many as being puppy 

 stakes, but they are so in name only. The age limit 

 is necessarily so liberal that it permits the running 

 of two-year-olds, a trifle more or less as to age, and 

 at two years a dog may be considered as mature in 

 relation to field work. The breeder should, there- 

 fore, endeavor to have his puppies whelped as nearly 

 on or after Jan. i as possible, thereby to obtain the 

 greatest allowable age. Then they can be given quite 

 a thorough training the fall and winter of their first 

 season, beginning their second season as trained 

 dogs prepared to take a post-graduate course, and 

 to enlarge their practical experience. 



In handling a dog in competition, the trainer 



