ENTERING AND BREAKING THE SPANIEL. 141 



allowed to do so; but they soon learn to "down charge" 

 strictly, and then the retriever goes to the dead bird, and 

 retrieves it for his master. In first entering young spaniels 

 to hunting the hedgerows, if the breaker is out alone, they 

 should not be allowed to go through to the other side, but 

 should be kept carefully on the same side as the shooter ; 

 afterwards, however, when they are accustomed to the range, 

 and keep watchfully eyeing the sportsman, to see that he is 

 within reach, they may be sent to the other side, and put to 

 hunt everything out on the same side as the gun, which is 

 always the most effectual mode with a single shooter. When 

 the young spaniel is first put into a large wood, and is beyond 

 the supervision of his master, he often ranges the entire covert, 

 and does immense mischief to the sport, driving everything 

 out of shot. He should be well loaded with lead in a leathern 

 collar, or one of his legs should be taken up into his collar, or 

 a strap should be buckled tightly just above the hock, which 

 will prevent his using that leg. He must be put to hunt with 

 two couple of steady old dogs, even if he is so confined as to 

 do nothing. He will soon learn to imitate his fellows, when 

 he sees them pay all attention to the gun, and when he finds 

 that game falls to their hunting, whereas he has never yet 

 succeeded in obtaining such a result. After a time, his leg 

 may be set at liberty, and he may perhaps take to his work 

 kindly enough, and refuse to leave the other dogs far. He 

 will not probably do much good, as this work requires great 

 experience, but he will do little harm. It cannot be ex- 

 pected that the spaniel will learn his business in one season, 

 and he is seldom perfect in two ; but he will help to do the 

 looking-on part, and will animate the old, stale, but steady 

 and clever dogs, to increased exertions. Many sportsmen are 

 constantly encouraging their spaniels by cries of " Have at 

 *em!" "Cock! cock! cock!" &c. &c. ; but this is perfectly 

 useless, the slightest whistle being sufficient to indicate the 

 whereabouts of the gun, and more than this, interfering with 

 the sport, because it shows the game what they have to avoid, 

 and when to avoid it. If the spaniel is fond of his master, 

 and accustomed to work for him, he is as much occupied in 

 watching his motions as in seeking for game. These dogs 

 have a very strong love of approbation, and very fortunately 



