94 SECOND DIVISION OF THE 



either the Spanish or Portuguese dog, and capable of longer continued 

 exertion ; but he is apt to be quarrelsome, and is too fond of chasing the 

 hare. 



THE RUSSIAN POINTER 



is a rough, ill-tempered animal, with too much tendency to stupidity, and 

 often annoyed by vermin. He runs awkwardly, with his nose near the 

 ground, and frequently springs his game. He also has the cloven or 

 divided nose. 



THE EARLY TRAINING OF THE DOG. 



The education of these dogs should commence at an early period, whether 

 conducted by the breeder or the sportsman ; and the first lesson that on 

 which the value of the animal, and the pleasure of its owner, will much 

 depend is a habit of subjection on the part of the dog, and kindness on 

 the part of the master. This is a sine qua non. The dog must recognise 

 in his owner a friend and a benefactor. This will soon establish in the 

 mind of the quadruped a feeling of gratitude, and a desire to please. All 

 this is natural to the dog, if he is encouraged by the master, and then the 

 process of breaking-in may commence in good earnest. 



No long time probably passes ere the dog commits some little fault. 

 He is careless, or obstinate, or cross. The owner puts on a serious counte- 

 nance, he holds up his finger, or shakes his head, or produces the whip, 

 and threatens to use it. Perhaps the infliction of a blow, that breaks no 

 bones, occasionally follows. In the majority of cases nothing more is re- 

 quired. The dog succumbs ; he asks to be forgiven ; or, if he has been 

 self-willed, he may be speedily corrected without any serious punishment. 



A writer, under the signature of " Soho," in The New Sporting Maga- 

 zine for 1833, gives an interesting account of the schooling of the pointer 

 or setter, thus commenced. A short abstract from it may not be unac- 

 ceptable : 



" The first lesson inculcated is that of passive obedience, and this enforced 

 by the infliction of severity as little as the case will admit. We will sup- 

 pose the dog to be a setter. He is taken into the garden or into a field, 

 and a strong cord, about eighteen or twenty yards long, is tied to his collar. 

 The sportsman calls the dog to him, looks earnestly at him, gently presses 

 him to the ground, and several times with a loud, but not an angry voice, 

 says, ' Down !' or ' Down charge !' The dog knows not the meaning of this, 

 and struggles to get up ; but, as often as he struggles, the cry of i Down 

 charge !' is repeated, and the pressure is continued or increased. 



" This is repeated a longer or shorter time, until the dog, finding that no 

 harm is meant, quietly submits. He is then permitted to rise ; he is patted 

 and caressed, and some food is given to him. The command to rise is 

 also introduced by the terms ' Hie up !' A little afterwards the same pro- 

 cess is repeated, and he struggles less, or perhaps ceases altogether to 

 struggle. 



" The person whose circumstances permit him occasionally to shoot over 

 his little demesne, may very readily educate his dog without having re- 

 course to keepers or professional breakers, among whom he would often be 

 subject to imposition. Generally speaking, no dog is half so well broken 

 as the one whose owner has taken the trouble of training him. The first 

 and grand thing is to obtain the attachment of the dog, by frequently feed- 



