POINTERS AND SETTERS 123 



conscious imitation of movement, yet so perfect has occasionally 

 been the imitation of the movements of the advance dog by the 

 one behind, that, step for step, stop for stop, crouch for crouch, 

 and drop for drop, the one has copied the every action of the 

 other, as if the pointing dog's nervous system was affecting the 

 muscles of both inch by inch. Not only has this been so, but 

 the hesitation of a lifted fore leg has been reflected by the 

 image behind. This kind of thing generally arises from two 

 dogs being constantly used together, being particularly equal, 

 and also being frequently tired in their work, so as to make it 

 habitual for one to be glad when the other has found game. 

 At field trials, if the competing dog is not sorry to see a 

 competitor's point, his master probably is (it may mean .100), 

 and the feelings of the man are apt to be reflected in the dog. 



By "nursing" a team of dogs in the way mentioned above, 

 it is wonderful how few will keep a pair of guns going day after 

 day. If dogs are run to a standstill one day, they will want a 

 day's rest the next, and the fewer dogs a shooter can get 

 through the grouse season with, the better and more experienced 

 each canine servant becomes. Consequently, economy and 

 excellence go hand in hand. 



The better to further both designs, the buyer should have 

 some regard for make and shape, and a minor regard for size. 

 The dog-show ideals will not assist much. The principal wants 

 of a working dog, to enable him to go on long, and day after 

 day, are good shoulders. The nearer the tops are together the 

 better indeed, in imitation of the shape of a good hunter's 

 withers (that is, narrowing as they approach the top of the 

 back). Powerful muscles in the hind legs, especially in the 

 second thighs, big hocks set low down and well bent stifle 

 joints, but not necessarily well bent hock joints, are all 

 essentials, but only in proportion to the weight to be moved. 

 Big fore legs below the knee and loins the same width from 

 end to end that is, with no dip horizontally or vertically in the 

 middle is part of the formation essential to stamina. But, after 

 all, the only point wanted is proportion. With true balance the 

 lighter a dog weighs the better, and yet the bigger he is the 



