130 TRAINING DOGS FOR THE GUN. 



pose I kave trained a dog, have shot over him several seasons, 

 and he has, at length, become perfectly master of his business ; 

 I lend him to a friend for one day, as good a sportsman, too, as 

 myself; the dog, on being taken into the field, and perceiving a 

 stranger, is unwilling to acknowledge his authority ; the mode 

 and manner of my friend, too, are different from mine, and, con- 

 sequently, unlike that which the dog has been accustomed to ; in 

 fact, the sportsman and the dog do not perfectly understand each 

 other, and a quarrel ensues : the sportsman succeeds, perhaps, in 

 reducing the dog to obedience ; but the latter returns home, in 

 some measure, a different animal ; he has committed various 

 mistakes in the course of the day, most likely, and, on next going 

 into the field, his own master will not fail to perceive that his 

 dog is not the same, but requires, in some degree, training 

 anew. 



The less a dog is spoken or whistled to, the better. When- 

 ever a wave of the hand or a motion will answer the purpose, 

 the silent signal is to be preferred to noise ; and those who are 

 well acquainted with grouse shooting will feel the force and pro- 

 priety of this remark. I have often been surprised at the dis- 

 tance at which the human voice, in common conversation, may 

 be heard on the moors, down the wind : grouse will bear noise 

 less than any other game. 



A well-bred pointer seldom requires excessive correction, 

 Setters, on the contrary, are more unruly ; and, generally 

 speaking, render severe and frequent flogging indispensable ; 

 they are, however, valuable where plenty of employment can be 

 given ; but where incessant labour is not called for, the pointer 

 is far preferable. However, no dog should be corrected in a 

 passion ; nor, after being flogged, should he ever be suffered to 

 run away or leave the sportsman, till he and the dog become 

 reconciled to each other. I have seen foolish, passionate men 

 let their dogs run away immediately the flogging is over, and 



