TRAINING. 



311 



feet on the person. Occasionally, at long intervals, he 

 may forget himself for a moment, but the slightest 

 reminder adjusts him to instant correctness. 



The habit of barking is another extremely unpleasant 

 fault, and once settled it is scarcely possible to overcome 

 it except by the whip, which it must be borne in mind 

 should never be used except at the immediate time of the 

 offence. 



A few words here regarding corporal punishment. 

 Undeniably in some instances it is salutary, but as a rule 

 it is absolutely pernicious ; moreover, the infinite majority 

 of dogs can be governed by kindness purely. And cer- 

 tainly nothing approaching nearer such punishment than 

 smart taps with the hand should ever be administered to 

 young puppies. After the sixth or seventh month, where 

 mild measures fail the only proper means of correction is 

 the whip, but the use of it even then can be justifiable 

 only after acts of positive disobedience and wilfulness ; 

 and before maturity severe applications of it are rarely 

 ever required. The writer has never found occasion to 

 resort to the whip, for suasion has always proved potent 

 with him, yet he has noted some instances where had he 

 been the owner of the dogs he would have applied it, and 

 perhaps vigorously. In all these, however, manifestly 

 there had been a woful lack of proper management during 

 early life. 



While the opponents to the use of the whip are many, 

 it is a significant fact that none of the notable trainers- 

 appear in their ranks ; and what is still more surprising, 

 with no small proportion of these same people who de- 

 nounce it kicking is the popular substitute. It ought not 

 to be necessary to urge that neither this nor the use of 

 the broom handle or like instrument is ever pardonable, 

 nor will they suggest themselves to other than brutes. 



