52 PRINCIPLES OF DOG TRAINING. 
stand the moment he sees another on a point. 
Although the attitudes of dogs at a point and at 
a back are similar, — the one, possibly, more mo- 
tionless and fixed than the other, — there is a dis- 
tinction. A point is when a dog stands at the 
scent of game; a back is when he stands another 
dog —in other words, he realizes the situation, 
and fears to move lest he disturb and flush the 
game which his brace-mate is holding. This, I 
think, is acquired in most instances from associa- 
tion, although I have seen many young dogs back 
instinctively, but they were of strains the innate 
tractable qualities of which were very notable. 
It so often occurs that a youngster runs up by the 
side of an older dog on his point, and stands at 
the scent, that it is but reasonable to suppose 
that in the course of time he learns to associate 
the presence of game with the attitude of his 
comrade; he cautiously approaches, and eventu- 
ally backs him regardless of distance. Now, in 
order to train a young dog which seems averse to 
backing, or persists in rushing up to the scent, 
my plan is to command him softly to ‘heed’? — 
which means that he must stop —when I know 
he sees the dog pointing. If he has been made to 
