POINTERS AND SETTERS. 321 



puppies should either be reared at full liberty at a good walk, 

 or they should have an airy yard, and should then be walked out 

 daily, taking care to make them know their names at a very 

 early age, and teaching them instant obedience to every order, 

 without breaking their spirit. Here great patience and tact are 

 required ; but, by the owner walking them out himself two or 

 three times a week and making them fond of him, a little severity 

 has no injurious effect. In crossing fields the puppies should 

 never be allowed to " break fence," even if the gates are open, 

 but should be called back the moment they attempt to do so. 

 These points are of great importance, and by attending to them 

 half the difficulty of breaking is got over ; for, if the puppy is 

 early taught obedience, you have only to let him know what he is 

 required to do, and he does it as a matter of course. So also the 

 master should accustom his puppies from the earliest age to place 

 a restraint upon their appetites when ordered to do so ; and if he 

 will provide himself with pieces of biscuit, and will place them 

 within reach of the dog, whilst he prevents his taking them by the 

 voice only, he will greatly aid the object he has in view. Many 

 breakers carry this practice so far as to place a dainty morsel on 

 the ground before the dog when hungry, and use the word " Toho " 

 to restrain him ; but this, though perhaps hereafter useful when 

 inclined to run in upon game, is by no means an unmixed good, 

 as the desire for game in a well-bred dog is much greater than 

 the appetite for food, unless the stomach has long been deprived 

 of it. 



Besides these lessons prior to breaking, it will be well to teach 

 the dog to come to heel, and to keep there, also to run forward at 

 the word of command, to lie down when ordered, and to remain 

 down. All these several orders should be accompanied by the 

 appropriate words afterwards used in the field, viz. — 



