130 ANIMALS USED BY THE SHOOTER. 



should at the time be somewhat tired, and therefore ready to 

 obey orders. Let the old dog work forward, and keep the 

 young one either near the breaker, or in such a position that 

 the latter can interpose between the two as soon as the old 

 one finds. The moment this takes place, the breaker sings 

 out " Toho !" and, with his hand up, stops the young one 

 wherever he is. At first his attitude, when thus stopped, is 

 merely that of irresolution; but in process of time, as he finds 

 by experience that his fellow-dog has game before him, the 

 association of ideas induces the rigid attitude peculiar to the 

 breed, and the firm " backing" is the result, which comes at 

 various periods and in different degrees of intensity, according to 

 the purity of the blood in each individual. A half-bred pointer 

 may be made to point with a little extra trouble, and he may 

 be also made to stop when he sees another point; but his 

 backing thus induced is without rigidity, and it can rarely 

 be depended on except in positions where it is of little use 

 that is, whenever the master is close at hand. If there is much 

 difficulty in developing this " steadiness behind," the young 

 dog must be hunted in a check-cord; and when he rushes up 

 to his fellow to deprive him of his point, he must be severely 

 checked, and made to stand till his master comes up ; when 

 the position is still to be maintained, but with encourage- 

 ment, by the use of the words " Toho ! good dog, toho !" The 

 great point is to stop at once any tendency to draw up 

 to the pointing dog, for this unsteadiness behind has two 

 ill effects : it induces jealousy in the old dog, and it makes the 

 birds lie worse than they otherwise would. The fourth 

 quality, or DRAWING, is one which cannot be fully taught at 

 this time, inasmuch as it requires great experience on the 

 part of the dog. Neither should it be permitted until he is 

 quite to be relied on for steadiness, for it is apt to degenerate 

 into the opposite extreme until the dog fully appreciates the 

 object for which he is used, and is ready to work with and 

 for his master instead of himself. On the moors, " drawing" 

 or "roading" is especially necessary, for sometimes a dog 

 catches scent and stands, but before his master reaches him 

 the grouse are a hundred or a hundred and fifty yards off. 

 Here, if he can gain no information as to their whereabouts, the 

 -shooter has little chance of getting within shot, while the 



