310 LIBERTIES PERMITTED. [OH. xvni. 



be by a chain. He would soon learn to gnaw through 

 a cord, especially if a young puppy, who, from nature, 

 is constantly using his teeth, and thus acquire a trick 

 that some day might prove very inconvenient were no 

 chain at hand. You would greatly consult his comfort 

 by having the chain attached, with a loose ring and 

 swivel, to a spike fixed a few paces in front of his 

 kennel, so that he could take some exercise by trotting 

 round and round. 



564. When your dog has attained some age, and 

 hunting has become with him a regular passion, I be- 

 lieve you may give him as much liberty as you please 

 without diminishing his zeal, but most carefully prevent 

 his ever hunting alone, technically called " self-hunting." 

 At that advanced time of life, too, a few occasional 

 irregularities in the field may be innocuously permitted. 

 The steadiest dogs will, at times, deviate from the usual 

 routine of their business, sagaciously thinking that such 

 departure from rule must be acceptable if it tends to 

 obtain the game ; and it will be advisable to leave an 

 experienced dog to himself whenever he evinces great 

 perseverance in spontaneously following some unusual 

 plan. You may have seen an old fellow, instead of 

 cautiously " reading " and " pointing dead," rush forward 

 and seize an unfortunate winged bird, while it was 

 making the best use of its legs after the flight of the 

 rest of the covey some peculiarity in, the scent emitted 

 having probably betrayed to the dog's practised nose 

 that the bird was injured. When your pup arrives at 

 such years of discrimination, you need not so rigorously 

 insist upon a patient " down charge," should you see a 

 winged cock-pheasant running into cover. Your dog's 

 habits of discipline would be, I should hope, too well 

 confirmed by his previous course of long drill for such a 



