120 ANIMALS USED BY THE SHOOTER. 



was killed to him, he became as attached to his new owner 

 as he had previously been to his breeder, and never required 

 the slightest encouragement afterwards. 



PREPARATORY EDUCATION. 



Implicit obedience is to be instilled from the earliest 

 period, and a habit of self-control must be encouraged at the 

 same time. Unless the latter faculty is in existence, there 

 will be no steadiness ; for though fear will keep down for a 

 few seconds the desire to do wrong, yet the natural passion 

 for the chase of game will overcome it, and a serious fault 

 will be committed. Many sportsmen consider it unnecessary 

 to interfere at all until the dog is taken into the field, but 

 animals neglected in this way rarely become steady, at all 

 events until their third or fourth seasons. It is quite true 

 that an excessive degree of compulsion sometimes breaks the 

 young pointer's spirit; and then, on taking him out, he 

 cannot be induced to range at all, but slinks behind his 

 master's or breaker's heel. This result is most unsatisfactory, 

 and the fault is very difficult to eradicate ; but it follows 

 upon the abuse, and not the use, of proper means for keeping 

 the young puppy in order. When the education is begun in 

 proper time, harshness is never required, and, as a conse- 

 quence, there is no cowing of the spirit, and no shyness of 

 any kind. The dog may easily be made obedient, and yet 

 full of spirit; and this is every day shown among those 

 which are merely used as companions to man. Still, it is 

 quite true that hundreds are spoiled every year by being 

 broken at too young an age, and therefore it is better for the 

 inexperienced owner to err on the side of delay, rather than 

 risk the unfortunate result to which I have alluded. Much 

 must always depend upon the degree of courage in the 

 individual, for some dogs will bear without injury an amount 

 of punishment and restraint which would ruin others. The 

 breaker should always remember that it is much easier to 

 take the courage out of a dog than to put it into him ; and 

 that in almost all cases, by patience and perseverance, with 

 proper means, the most unruly animal may be made sub- 

 servient to man. 



