CH. viii.] TIRED DOGS. 133 



a time when he is too fatigued to search for it himself, 

 he will crawl after his companion, watching for any 

 indication of his finding. As they become wearied you 

 will have a difficulty in keeping your old well-broken 

 dogs separate much more young ones, however in- 

 dependently they may have ranged when fresh. You 

 may also, to a certainty, expect false points ; but what 

 is of far more consequence, by frequently overtasking 

 your young dog, you will as effectually waste his consti- 

 tution as you would your horse's by premature work. 



225. If he is very young when first entered, two or 

 three hours' work at a time will be sufficient. When he 

 is tired, or rather before he is tired, send him home with 

 the man who brings you a relief. Do not fancy your 

 dog will be getting a rest if he be allowed to follow at 

 your heels for the remainder of the day, coupled to a 

 companion. His fretting at not being allowed to share 

 in the sport he sees, will take nearly as much out of 

 him as if you permitted him to hunt. If you can per- 

 suade John always to rub him down, and brush and dry 

 him nay even to let him enjoy an hour's basking in 

 front of the fire before he shuts him up in the kennel, 

 you will add years to his existence ; and remember that 

 one old experienced dog, whose constitution is uninjured, 

 is worth two young ones. 



226. A gentleman in Eyrecourt, County Galway, gave me, as a 

 valuable present, a black setter thirteen years of age. And most 

 valuable was the setter to my friend, who had carefully reared him 

 from a puppy, and had him well under command ; but with me 

 he was so wild, I make use of the term most advisedly, that 

 he did me more harm than good the only season I shot over him. 

 He was stolen from me, and his teeth were so sound, and he bore 

 so little the appearance of age, that I have no doubt he was sold as 

 a tolerably young dog. He was the best specimen I ever saw of 

 the vigour that may be retained for old age by judicious treatment 

 in youth. The excellence of his constitution was the more remark- 

 able, from the fact of his having always been extremely fond of the 

 water. Few dogs could equal him for flapper shooting, that vilest 



