Choosing a S booting Dog 171 



winner. He did not locate at all well at that 

 time, but when used in regular shooting became 

 accurate and skilful in his bird work. Lady 

 Maud Mannering, a clever winner, also devel- 

 oped this fault for a time. Sport's Gath, a fine 

 shooting dog as well as a distinguished field trial 

 winner, would do a great deal of false pointing 

 when he was worked, without any shooting to tell 

 him what kind of game was wanted. To make it 

 clear, I should add that in treating this fault as 

 venial I am considering dogs which in the im- 

 portant respects show character and intelligence. 

 If a dog is silly or stupid his pointing will con- 

 tinue silly or stupid. 



Gun-shyness is a trouble which amateurs and 

 clumsy trainers are unable to deal with success- 

 fully. Except in extreme cases, however, it gives 

 a good trainer little trouble. Many of the finest 

 dogs begin that way. While nobody would call 

 it a merit or a good sign, it is not to be regarded 

 as any great misfortune, if only the handler 

 possesses a little tact and knowledge. Jingo's 

 Light, the pointer, became badly gun-shy from 

 rough handling his first year. He is but one of 

 a number of great performers which went through 

 the same experience. 



There is one fault which does come under the 

 head of good signs. That is flushing in the 

 heyday of youth and inexperience. A young dog 



