14 THE dog; and how to break him. 



When the game rises a pistol ought to be 

 fired : the wheljjs ought to drop immediate^ at 

 the sound of it, having been previously taught to 

 do so ; but it is possible that they may manifest a 

 disposition to chase, in which case " Down charye^^ 

 in angry words first, and subsequently the whip 

 must be used, until they are perfectly obedient to 

 the words "Down charged' From this position 

 they must on no account be suffered to move 

 without being told. 



Having got thus far. nothing more remains for 

 the dog-breaker but to practise until the animals 

 under his care are perfect ; and to show them as 

 much game as possible, that they may know what 

 it is they are intended to pursue, and not take to 

 hunting small birds. But hares will come in 

 their way at times ; and though nothing is more 

 easy than to prevent very young dogs chasing, it 

 becomes a difficult matter when they have ac- 

 quired strength and a will of their own. 



If a dog cannot be prevented from chasing 

 hares b}^ the application of the whip, a trash-cord 

 to drag some fifteen to twenty yards on the 

 ground, with a knot at the end, so that it may 

 check the dog when the foot is placed on it, must 

 be resorted to. If the breaker can succeed two 

 or three times in suddenly checking the dog v, hen 

 he starts to run a hare by means of this cord, and 

 give him a jerk upon each occasion so as to throw 



