CH. xii.] BACKING TAUGHT. 205 



dog with him, that you may have the opportunity of 

 teaching him to " back." Be careful to choose one not 

 given to make false points ; for if he commit such mis- 

 takes, your pupil will soon utterly disregard his pointing. 

 Select also one who draws upon his birds in a fine, 

 determined attitude ; not one to whose manner even 

 you must be habituated to feel certain he is on game. 

 Be watchful to prevent your dog ever hunting in the 

 wake of the other, which, in the humility of canine 

 youth, he probably will, unless you are on the alert 

 to wave him in a different direction, the moment you 

 observe him inclined to seek the company of his more 

 experienced associate. By selecting a slow old dog, 

 you will probably diminish the wish of the young one 

 to follow him ; for it is likely that the youngster's 

 eagerness will make him push on faster, and so take 

 the lead. 



351. The example for a few days (but only for a few 

 days) of a good stanch dog who is not a hedge-hunter, 

 has no bad habits, and does not require being called 

 to, will be advantageous to your inexperienced animal ; 

 as an instance : 



352. On one occasion, when I was abroad, I lent a favourite dog 

 to a young friend who had requested the services of the animal for 

 his kennel, not the field. I much objected to any person's shooting 

 over the dog except myself, particularly as it was only his second 

 season. Therefore, very knowingly as I thought, I sent him on a 

 Saturday evening, having obtained a promise that he should be 

 returned to me early on Monday morning and so he was ; the lad, 

 however, had done me ; for he confessed, many months afterwards, 

 that he could not resist the temptation of taking out my pointer 

 snipe-shooting on the intermediate Sunday along with his little 

 liver-coloured bitch ; and with a glowing countenance he observed 

 that he never had been so enchanted, for his young lady seeing her 

 fond companion drop instantly the gun was fired, and remain im- 

 moveable until " hied on," sedulously imitated him throughout the 

 day. It was the making of her, but as it was the first time in 

 her young life she had ever behaved steadily, there was a great 

 risk of my pointer's being much injured ; for, alas ! like poor 



