I EVILS OF FLOGGING DOGS 293 



the dropped birds — a most fatal fault, and a habit only 

 appreciated by poachers who are pressed for time. 

 I The thrash-cord and spiked collar should always be 

 carried in the game-bag when young dogs are being 

 used, as one can never tell when it may be required to 

 repress the eagerness of an over-anxious youngster. 

 The keeper should never go forward to pick up birds 

 until after the guns have passed them, especially when 

 young dogs are out. I have seen many a dog ruined 

 by a keeper beating a retriever or setter for running in 

 to where a bird has fallen, and then going forward to 

 pick it up himself Such training only serves to teach 

 a dog to 'run in.' If birds are left alone until the line 

 of guns reaches the place where they dropped, dogs can 

 then do no harm in ' seekino- dead '; but if doofs are 

 allowed to rush ahead the moment a bird falls they are 

 ruined for ever, and all the yelling and whistling on 

 earth will never train them. I have seen Scotch 

 keepers flog dogs most shamefully, under the impres- 

 sion that such castigation would cure them ; but 

 though, perhaps, cowed for the time, they were never 

 cured, and dogs so treated often become so crippled 

 with rheumatism, brought on by the free use of the 

 stick, that they can hardly range, or retrieve, even at 

 a walk. Dogs ill-treated generally die early in life, and 

 never become trained. 



When a high-mettled dog runs in innocently, no 

 notice should be taken of it for a minute or two, but it 

 should be allowed to become ashamed of itself ; the 

 trainer should then lead it back to where the shot was 

 fired, and fasten it to a stick run through its collar as I 

 have described and leave it, the shooting-party making 

 use of another dog. I have never found this plan fail. 



