104 Modern Breaking 



of ground better and handles much easier than 

 the dog which goes twisting about in circles. 

 Dogs which are taught to quarter naturally 

 acquire a restricted range, for they must be 

 taught in a comparatively small field and must 

 be kept well within the hearing of voice and 

 whistle. They may work just as fast, or may, 

 as a matter of fact, be worked faster in a small 

 field than in a larger one, but their range of a 

 necessity will be shortened. Once they have 

 learned to quarter they may be thrown upon 

 their own resources of judgment and develop a 

 wide range, preserving enough of the idea of 

 quartering to prompt them to "come around" 

 and cross before their handler to the other side 

 of the course. 



For ruffed grouse or woodcock shooting 

 quartering is a very desirable accomplishment, 

 as the dog must . have a contracted range and 

 hunt regularly to the gun. In narrow swamps 

 the quartering dog will beat out all the ground 

 at a moderate pace, while the handler may walk 

 in the open on either side of the swamp. In the 

 woods, of course, the dog will beat out all the 

 ground on either side of the handler, crossing 

 and recrossing in front of the gun. 



It may be said, therefore, that it is advisable 

 to teach all dogs to quarter. The virtue may 

 be preserved in the ruffed grouse and woodcock 

 dog, and practically discarded in the case of the 



