so THE sportsman's VADIi MECL'M. 



better left alone. Nevertheless, I generally teach them some 

 little, taking care never to cow them, one by one. This down- 

 charging must be taught them in a room or any convenient 

 place. Put them into the proper position, hind legs under 

 the body, nose on the ground between their fore-paws. 

 Eetaining them so with one hand on their head, your feet 

 one on each side their hind quarters, with the other hand 

 pat and encourage them. Do not persist at this early age 

 more than a few minutes at a time, and after it is over, play 

 ■with and fondle them. At this time also t«ach them to 

 fetch and carry ; to know their names. Recollect that any 

 name ending in o, as " Ponto," " Cato," &c., very common 

 ones by the way, is bad. The only word ending in o ought 

 to be " Toho," often abbreviated into " ho." This objection 

 will be evident to any pei-son who reflects for a moment, and 

 a dog will answer to any other short two syllable word 

 equally as well. These two lessons, and answering to the 

 ■whistle, are about all that can or should be taught them. 



RANGING, HOW TAUOni. 



Nine months, or better, twelve, is soon enough to enter 

 into the serious part of breaking. This is more to be effected 

 by kind determination than by brute force. Avoid the use 

 of the whip. Indeed, it never in my opinion ought to be 

 seen, except in real shooting, instead of which we would use 

 a cord about five or ten yards long. Fasten one end round 

 the dog's neck, the other to a peg firmly staked in the 

 ground ; before doing this, however, your young doga 

 should, along with a high ranging dog, be taken out into a 



