THE WHIP; ITS USE AND ABUSE. 469 



ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," so too you will find 

 that the earlier you indoctrinate your puppies with a love for the 

 gun in some such method as stated, the less frequently will 

 you have to complain of gun-shy animals in your kennel. At 

 all events, if you are so unfortunate as to have such an animal, 

 do not give it up as incurable without an earnest attempt at eradi- 

 cating the habit. Moreover, we pay some respect to the theory 

 that dogs become gun-shy after a certain age, those periods vary- 

 ing with the different species of dogs. Just as with old people, so 

 do the nerves of old dogs become weak and sensitive. Setters 

 and pointers become gfun-shy after reaching their fourth to sixth 

 year. 



WIDE RANGING. 



To use a Hibemianism the cure is best accomplished by its 

 prevention. Break your puppy to obey the whistle, and turn at the 

 first sound of it. Some young dogs are so fleet and rash as to re- 

 quire a stout check cord, sufficiently heavy to moderate their speed 

 and tire them down. Few dogs are, however, too fast if they have 

 good noses and are staunch on game. Many persons judge of the 

 speed of their dogs before they have time to run off the wire edge ; 

 but take the field with these runaway fellows and it will be found 

 that not one of ten will keep up the gait for more than three or 

 four hours. 



In general, wide ranging may be overcome entirely without 

 punishment or speaking a word to the animal. The dog which is 

 continually disappearing from sight and hearing, will continue to 

 do so as long as you indulge yourself in shouting after him. Cease 

 this, and he will soon tire of your lack of attention, particularly if 

 you make it in your way to lose him once or twice, and will there- 

 after work as well as could be wished. 



THE WHIP; ITS USE AND ABUSE. 



It is a great mistake to suppose that the whip is essential to 

 the government and regulation of a kennel. To castigate a puppy 

 ten minutes after he has committed a gross error, would be ab- 

 surd, as his latent natural instinct is almost lost for the time being ; 

 but if he is punished the instant the fault is committed, he at once 



