AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



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ttient, and that is, when your Dog is chasing or worrying 

 sheep: and this opportunity seized, will effectually cure a 

 Doo- of this propensity, without the necessity of destroying 

 his life. The effect that this punishment has on the Dog, is, 

 to make him "blink," or run from the game, so soon as 

 he smells it, or, after the report of the gun, to skulk away 

 and hide in the bushes, or go home. 



I know it is unpleasant and mortifying, that a Dog should 

 thus rush in and spoil your prospects of shooting, and at a 

 period, too, the most interesting to the sportsman. This 

 serves to irritate, and the master, in a sudden impulse, com- 

 mits an act of cruelty towards his brute, which, in his cool, 

 reflective moments, he would justly condemn; but he 

 should remember, that it is immaturity and inexperience in 

 the Dog, which causes these seeming errors, and a little 

 forbearance and prudence, at this time, will produce the 

 happiest results. 



When your Dog is approaching game, which is very easy 

 to discover, by his greater keenness and short and hurried 

 ranging, and his wariness to draw closer to the birds, you 

 should always warn him, by saying — " take heed," 

 "mind," or, "be careful." These expressions will, if 

 used a few times, strike his notice, especially if other Dogs 

 are near him, which understand and obey the sounds. 

 When he has drawn so near to the birds as to make a halt, 

 you should speak out distinctly to him, the magic word 

 "toho." This will recal to his memory, forcibly, the 

 lessons you gave him at home, and little or no difficulty 

 will be experienced in bringing him to become a staunch 

 Dog, whenever he scents the game. He now understands 

 the word, and the use of it, ever after, will be to him, the 

 signal of obedience; whether it be to back other Dogs, or 

 stand the birds alone. At the first stand, however, that 

 the Dog makes, it will be well for the sportsman, to endea- 

 vour to get up to him, in order to caress him, and make 

 him familiar with your presence while on his stand ; and, 

 in this situation, the word " toho" should be repeatedly 

 used. This kindness to a Dog, and words of encourage- 

 ment, when fulfilling his duty, have a most salutary effect 

 upon him, and should be as readily embraced, as the con- 

 trary treatment, when fault is committed. It is an impor- 

 tant point to make a Dog fear you, but it is equally impor- 

 tant to secure his affection; as between the two you can 

 manage him to your mind. Next to training your Dog to 

 stand, it is important he should be taught to back-set the 

 other Dogs, which may be effected when the old Dogs are 

 at a stand, by bringing the young Dog up to them, so as to 

 get the scent of the game, and then, by using the expres- 

 sion " toho," it will produce the necessary effect. When 

 you discover one Dog at a stand, especially in high grass 

 or bushes, it should be an invariable rule in the sportsman. 



to use this word, as it will give the other Dogs notice of 

 the presence of game, and cause them immediately to look 

 around for the cause of this expression, when they will 

 most likely discover the Dog at his stand and immediately 

 back him. To enforce this more particularly on the young 

 Dog's attention, the "toho" should be accompanied, in this 

 case, with a sign, by raising the hand. Should you, how- 

 ever, find great difficulty in breaking your Dog, to back or 

 stand, by these ordinary rules, your next, and perhaps only 

 plan, will be the trail-cord, or, as some writers call it, the 

 " trash-cord," and whip. This cord is about twenty or 

 thirty yards in length, of the thickness of a small quill, to 

 be fastened to the collar around the Dog's neck, and 

 dragged by him through the stubble. As this, however, is 

 attended with much labour on the part of the Dog, it would 

 be well to select some field where you know there is a 

 covey of birds; and, in ranging about, the moment he 

 approaches them, he will first halt, and then spring at them, 

 with a view of catching them: this, then, is your time to 

 check him. When he makes a halt, seize the cord, and 

 when you give it a slight pull, cry out sharply, "toho," and 

 also do the same when backing other Dogs. Should he still 

 prove restive, a smart application of the whip, also, will 

 answer. A very few lessons of this kind, will amply 

 reward the sportsman for his trouble; and he ought never 

 to be discouraged at the prospective difficulties of training 

 a Dog, when measures of this kind are necessary, as it gene- 

 rally is the case, that this description of Dogs, after being 

 trained, are of the first order. One of the finest Dogs I 

 ever shot over, I had to train, both with the muzzle-peg 

 and trail-cord, and I believe every other plan would have 

 failed; and his spirit, or impetuosity, was so extreme, that 

 I frequently through impatience was going to relinquish 

 him altogether, as incorrigible, but with steady perse- 

 verance, I had the satisfaction to make him a superior Dog. 

 Having succeeded in getting your Dog to back and stand 

 well, the next very important thing to observe, is, to watch 

 your own actions. A very trifling fault on your part, may 

 have an injurious effect on your Dog. Therefore, when at 

 the very interesting moment of their approach to game, 

 evince no eagerness, and interfere but little with their 

 actions, but be silent and composed until they make a final 

 stop; and the few warning words necessary, should be 

 addressed in a low and moderate voice. Now then, as be- 

 fore stated, is your time to caress the young Dog; after 

 which, walk boldly up to the game and flush it, and, if 

 successful in your shot, show the bird to the young Dog. 

 It should be your invariable rule, to flush the game your- 

 self; and never, on any account, suffer your Dogs to break 

 from their point and do it for you. And to prevent this, 

 you should walk deliberately to the game, and never run; 



