8 THE DOGj AND HOW TO BREAK HIM. 



Even during the season, when permitted to rest 

 for any length of time, they were apt to become 

 wild and nnrnly. It need hardly be said, that 

 having to flog a dog when out shooting is not only 

 a most vexatious circumstance, but, in nine in- 

 stances out of ten, completely fatal to diversion, 

 by rendering the shooter unable to perform his 

 part if the birds happen to lie — which is not often 

 the case — or leaving him no part to perform if the 

 birds take alarm at the noise and become wild. A 

 dog knows as well as his master when he has done 

 wrong ; and dogs which have required much flog- 

 ging during their education, when they have com- 

 mitted themselves, are not easily caught, having a 

 very natural repugnance to undergo the merited 

 correction. 



The great mistake in dog-breaking, and which 

 often renders it an unpleasant and difficult task, 

 is permitting the animals to acquii'e too much 

 strength before the first lessons are inculcated. 

 What would be thought of those professing to 

 educate our youth did then* lessons not commence 

 until the pupils were almost full-grown ? Fidl- 

 grown puppies are like full-grown men — obstinate 

 and headstrong, and less apt, too, at profiting by 

 instruction than those of more tender age. The 

 teaching of dogs cannot commence too early, even 

 if the puppies have to be lifted over the fences. 

 If taken amongst game occasionally at three 



