M6 DOG-BREAKING. 



once permitted to imagine that he has a discretionary 

 power respecting the best places to hunt, and the direc- 

 tion and length of his beats, you will find it extremely 

 difficult to get him again well in hand. On the moors 

 his range must be far greater than on the stubbles, but 

 still the rudiments must be taught on this contracted 

 scale or you will never get him to look to you fcr orders. 

 Do you keep entire control over his beats ; let him have 

 almost the sole management of his drawing upon birds, 

 provided he does not puzzle, or run riot too long over 

 an old haunt. Give him time, and after a little expe- 

 rience his nose will tell him more surely than your judg- 

 ment can, whether he is working on the "toe" or "heel" 

 of birds, and whether he diverges from or approaches 

 the strongest and most recent haunt do not flurry or 

 hurry him, and he will soon acquire that knowledge. 



135. As the powers of scent vary greatly in different 

 dogs, the depth of their turns or parallels ought to 

 vary also, and it will be hereafter for you to judge what 

 distance between the parallels it is most advantageous 

 for your youngster ultimately to adopt in his general 

 hunting. The deeper its turns are, of course, the more 

 ground you will beat within a specified time. What 

 you have to guard against is the possibility of their 

 being so wide that birds may be passed by unnoticed. 

 I should not like to name the distance within which 

 good cautious dogs that carry their heads high will wind 

 game on a favorable day. 



136. If you design your pupil, when broken in, to 



