234 BREAKING AND ENTERING. 



beat their ground, I have now to consider the best modes of teach- 

 ing them (1) to point, set, or stand (which are different names for 

 the same act), (2) to back, (3) to down charge, (4) to retrieve, if con* 

 sidered desirable, and (5) how to remedy certain faults, such as 

 blinking, etc. 



Pointi :2~, setting, or stinding can be readily taught. It will, of 

 course, be discovered in practice that, in teaching the range, most 

 dogs begin to point, and nineteen out of twenty, if well-bred, be- 

 come steady enough without the gun, before they are perfect in 

 the proper mode of beating their ground. For these, then, it is 

 unnecessary to describe any other means of teaching their trade ; 

 but there are some few exceptions, in which, even after a fort- 

 night's work, the dog is still deficient in this essential, and, though 

 he beats his ground in ever so perfect a manner and finds his birds 

 w 11 enough, yet he invariably runs them up, sometimes with great 

 zest and impudent disregard of his breaker, and at others with evi- 

 dent fear of the consequences. Here, then, something more must 

 be done, and it is effected by taking the young dog out with a 

 steady companion and hunting them together ; then, keeping the 

 old dog within forty yards, let him, if possible, be the one to find, 

 and take care to walk up to him before the } r oung one comes up, 

 which he is sure to do as soon as he catches his eye on the point. 

 Now use your voice in a severe but low tone to stop him ; and, as 

 he has been accustomed to halt with the wora " Toho ! " he will at 

 once do so, generally st.mdmg in a cautious attitude, at a distance 

 varying with his fear of his breaker and the amount of courage 

 which he possesses. If the birds lie close, let him draw up and 

 g^t the scent. The excitement will then be so great, that, if the dog 

 is under sufficient command to be held in check by the " Toho ! " 

 he will be sure to assume the rigid condition, characteristic of his 

 breed Now go quietly up to him, pat him, and encourage him, 

 but m such a tone as to prevent his running in, still using the 

 " Toho ! good dog , toho ! "and keeping him for a few minutes 

 where he is, so iong as he can scent his birds, which he shows by 

 champing ana frothing at the mouth. After the lapse of this time, 

 walk quietly forward, keeping your eye on him, and still restrain- 



