88 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



not see it or refuses to obey. In cases of decided refusal he must 

 be punished, but this should be done in the same way as in yard- 

 breaking, by twitches upon the collar rather than by the whip, 

 which in fact should, with the great majority of dogs, be never 

 used till they are well advanced in field work. Breaking point 

 should never be allowed with a young dog, and any attempt at it 

 should be promptly restrained. Later, when the dog has gained 

 experience and become thoroughly reliable, he may be trusted to 

 determine his actions by his experience and his nose. 



UNDER THE GUN. 



When the dog can be depended on to road cautiously, point 

 stanchly, and not to chase, he may be shot over. Many breakers 

 accustom their dogs to the gun before putting them to field work, 

 and if at all inclined to shyness, this is proper so far as to over- 

 come such timidity, but apart from this, we have found it best not 

 to use the gun till the dog is sufficiently advanced for its use to 

 bring him a reward for his exertions in the form of killed birds. 

 When the dog points, the breaker should walk quietly up to him, 

 and after a reasonable time flush and kill a single bird, not more, 

 for this is a new experience, and the sight of the falling bird and 

 its possible tumbling about on the ground if only wounded, will 

 be very likely to excite the dog, and the breaker will have enough 

 to do to prevent his breaking point without attending to more 

 shooting. This is the time to teach the dog to drop to shot, or 

 stand in his place, whichever the breaker prefers. If the former, 

 the command " drop" must be given instantly upon the shot. If 

 the latter, all that will be necessary is to see the dog does not move 

 from his point, and stop him if he attempts it by a sharp " ho." 

 Experience will soon teach him to be steady under fire, and to 

 drop or stand without orders. 



It is bad practice to send a young dog to retrieve a wounded 

 bird when first shot over, and the breaker will do far better by 

 killing it with a second barrel. For the command to retrieve we 

 like "dead bird," accompanied by a forward wave of the hand, 



