CONCERNING DOGS. 155 



useless job to attempt to break a dog who has 

 passed his youth, and is well into his second 

 year ; dogs who are worth breaking, should be 

 taken in hand when from eight to twelve months 

 old. 



Let the young dog hunt at liberty over land 

 where larks and partridges are plentiful, he 

 will then first begin to hunt the larks, next 

 turning his attention to the partridges, and, 

 after this, he will know that he is hunting for 

 game, and will chase the birds with delight. 



Next he must be taught to 'drop to the hand/ 

 and for this you must make the following pre- 

 parations. Drive a stiff peg, about the stout- 

 ness of a fold- stake, into the ground, leaving 

 from eight to twelve inches exposed. Then 

 take a strong cord about twenty yards long ? 

 fasten one end to the peg, and the other to the 

 dog's neck, so that he cannot slip it over his 

 head, but not so as to let it 'jam ' or you will 

 throttle your dog. Now take your dog up to the 

 peg and tell him to ' down,' at the same time put- 

 ting him flat on the ground, but he will not stay 

 down for a moment after your eye is off him. 



