THE DOG 79 



mechanically crossing his ground thoroughly, and later, 

 when he increases in wisdom, you may permit him more 

 freedom of judgment. Neither is it good to allow your 

 dog to be working half a mile away, either on the beat 

 below you or the one above which you intend to take 

 next. By teaching the proper " range " thoroughly at 

 first you avoid this, nor do you find him at the far end 

 of a field of " roots" before you have hardly entered. 

 The nature of the work required will determine the 

 requisite training : you require a more bold and free- 

 running dog for a moor, where birds are few and far 

 between, than for a well-stocked moor or on low ground, 

 where you are working in enclosures. For this reason 

 your training will be different on a well-stocked moor 

 on the mainland, from what it would be if moor shooting 

 were on the western islands. 



Pointing. As a rule this is not a difficult matter 

 to teach most puppies will stand on scenting game, 

 and the example of an old dog may be useful. Here 

 the use of the check-cord is of the greatest value, for it 

 enables you to steady him for any length of time you 

 wish and effectually prevent chasing birds when they 

 rise, rendering excessive punishment unnecessary. A 

 good plan is to find your birds with an old steady dog, 

 which the young one is quick to observe, then with the 

 end of the cord in your hand you " steady " him also for 

 a few minutes the chances are that he also gets their 

 scent, then flush your birds, putting both dogs " down," 

 and carefully mark them down. Now take up the old 



