March 18, 1880.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



129 



perfection of beating and working out the fine points of 

 each shot, let bitn cany the game bag ten yards in the 

 rear of the owner of one or a brace of dogs over whom 

 birds are killed to enable the pot at home to be best 

 boiling. Between this pair or trio the picking np of the 

 scattered bevy has been reduced to a science, there is no 

 one bevv shot, followed by a, few random cracks at the 

 birds when they have been marked down, this finishing 

 it ; but a well-directed plan, well carried out, that in the 

 end tills the game bag, and shows to perfection the well- 

 trained and cleverly handled dog. For the excellence of 

 the art of shooting is to leave behind you at the end of 

 the day the least number of birds unmoved on your 

 beat. 



lu the paragraph above we were led inadvertently to 

 make reference to what is generally known as the " pot- 

 hunter." Now. not wishing at the outset of this paper 

 to be misunderstood, we take the liberty of digressing and 

 giving our views on the subject, because we frequently 

 hear in these civilized parts, the so-called "pot-hunter" 

 held up in derision. First of all, our interpretation of 

 the term "pot-hunter," is one who is compelled to shoot 

 for a living, that lie either kills game which he has the 

 audacity to devour himself, or he carries it to the nearest 

 market where he there disposes of it. However, in 

 either case the game is utilized, which is more than can 

 be said of the spoils of many a shooting trip, so wan- 

 tonly left to rot when it has been shot down. It is not 

 necessary that the -'pot-hunter" or market-shooter 

 should be a poacher, shoot out ©f season, or that he 

 should bunch his birds any more than those who decry 

 him. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred it is this \ cry 

 " pot-hunter " Who is first sought out by city sportsmen in 

 their outings, to act as guide, philosopher and friend, 

 and we remember on more than one occasion seeingthe 

 " pot-hunter's" dogs find all the birds. This has led us to 

 consider this appellation of "pot-hunter," a Speciesof 

 cant used by a class of tyros to whom the birds, bo to 

 speak, are sour. So if you do not break yourself, you 

 will, alter casting about, probably end in sending your 

 dog to a '• pot-hunter " to be broken. 



Before thumbing through the 815 rules for dog train- 

 ing, given us so thoroughly by Col. Hutchinson, and 

 making reference to other practical writers, it may be 

 well to say that we will have to apologize for some 

 errors and no doubt for many deficiencies in attempting 

 to condense a method for the training of dogs. Were we 

 to offer an article based alone on our own experience, we 

 would be at once accused of plagiarism, for no subject 

 has been more thoroughly hackneyed, or written more 

 threadbare, than the education and breaking of dogs; 

 and yet, like Oliver Twist, the public is constantly "ask- 

 ing for more." 



When a dog is six or seven months old his education 

 should begin, although you ought to have required obe- 

 dience from his infancy. Beware of calling your dog by 

 a name similar in sound to words that may* be used for 

 command ; for example: Don — down; Charm — charge; 

 Joe — toho, etc. To simplify the code of command, the ten 

 following words will be found to cover all that is abso- 

 lutely necessary :— 



1st.— The dog's name, to be used at close quarters only, 

 to which he should come in. 



3d, — " On " — to run forward, or to get up. 



3d.—" Careful"— to take heed. 



4th.— "Toho"— to stop still. 



5th.—" Charge" — to crouch on the ground, to drop to 

 hand, at the report of the gun. 



6th,- " Dead" — to encourage to seek for a dead bird. 



7th. — " Fetch" — to retrievethe bird. 



8th, — "Loose" — to drop the retrieved bird in your 

 hand. 



9tb.— "Heel"— to come to heel. 



10th. — "Ha!" — to be used to correct or check any 

 action, such as crossing a fence, etc. 



We would advise every one to adopt a whistle peculiar 

 to himself. We for a "long time have accustomed our 

 dogs to the three notes of the black-breast plover, using 

 the two first in a low tone, to attract the dog's attention, 

 for him to receive the hand signal— and the sharp, shrill 

 Bound of all three, to call him to us. Although whistling 

 is apt to disturb the game, it is an infinitely better call 

 than shouting the name of your dog all over the country, 

 " Penn," in his clever maxims on angling and chess, ob- 

 serves to this effect : " If you wish to see the fish, do not 

 let him see you," And with respect to shooting, we may 

 say : If you wish birds to hear your gun, do not let them 

 hear your voice. 



No dog should be taken in the field until he perfectly 

 understands the meaning of certain words and signs ; 

 and in pursuance of the plan, you ought to give these 

 lessons when you are alone with the dog, and"in a place 

 where his attention is unlikely to bo attracted by other 

 matters. Give them also when he is fasting, as his facul- 

 ties will be clearer and ho will be more eager to obtain any 

 reward of food. A quarter of an hour's daily house- 

 breaking for four weeks will effect more than months of 

 constant workingin the field without preliminary tuition. 

 Allow no one, whether wife, children, or friend to assist 

 you ; nor at any time while the dog is being educated, to 

 interfere in any way. Call the dog" to you by the whistle 

 you propose always using, and attach a check-cord to his 

 collar. Throw him a small piece of meat, saying. "Dead, 

 dead." Repeat this several times, tossing it into dillereui 

 parts of the room, and let him eat what he finds. Then 

 throw a piece, saving, " Dead," and the moment he gets 

 to it, check birn" by jerking the cord, at the same time 

 saying, "Toho." By pressing on the cord with your 

 foof, you can restrain him as long as you please. Do not 

 let him take what, you have thrown until you say the 

 word "On," accompanied by a forward movement 6f the 

 arm. Let all your commands be given in a low voice. 

 After a few trials with the cheek-cord vou will find your- 

 self enabled, without touching it, and merely using the 

 word "Toho," to prevent his seizing the meat until you 

 say "On," Should he draw toward the meat before he 

 has obtained leave, jerk the cord and jerk him back to 

 the spot from which he stirred. He is not to quit it until 

 vou order him, occupy yourself as vou may. At odd 

 times let him take the meat, the moment you throw it. 



that his eagerness to rush forward to seiee it maj Be 

 continued, only to be instantly restrained at yDJir COrn- 

 niand. To teach him to "charge.'' tai» vour arm 

 perpendicularly and call out, " Charge 1" when BO holding 

 lip the hand, and press him down with the otb 

 assumes a crouching position) Make him lie well down, 



Mil 



aftei 



a, n 



ufficient time c 



all) 



am 



hargi 



ng i 



-cry thoroughh 

 vaik-s, always i 



I P 

 em 



his fore legs extended and his head resting between them. 



Nothing is more slovenly than to allow him to sprawl on 

 his side, or Should he be of timid disposition, roll over 

 on his back, with his legs in the air. Do not let him raise 

 himself toasitting posture, Walkabout him, around him, 

 dm to you. Perfect him 

 iractice him at odd times 

 .mibering that your com- 

 the dog's ideas. As dogs 

 en dog will aid you very 

 : in this difficult part of 

 ry uncertain, unexpected 

 :vvi,,nslv stealthily taken 

 h should be a long, light 

 id. If he does not in- 

 •d violently and drag him 



i : vou must have implicit, 



When vou quit him he 



after you. If he 



panionshjp will tend to enlargt 

 are wry imitative, a well-brol 

 materially at an advanced stag 

 your puppy's education. At v 

 times catch his eye, having j. 

 hold of the check-cord— whi< 

 one— and then hold up your ha 

 stantly drop, jerk the check-Co 

 back to the exact spot where h 

 down. Admit Of no compromise 

 unhesitating, instant obedience, 

 must not lie allowed to crawl 



attempt it, drive a spike into the ground and attach the 

 end of the check-cord to it, allowing the line to be slack ; 

 then leave him quickly, and on his running after you he 

 will be brought up with a sudden jerk. So much the bet- 

 ter ; it will slightly alarm him. If the clog is not of timid 

 disposition a spiked collar can be used to advantage at 

 this period of his education. Take out your whip — it 

 should be a stinging one— and let him feel it as you take 

 him back to the precise place he quitted. Do this in- 

 variably, though he may have scarcely moved. Then 

 make him again " charge," always observing to jerk the 

 cord at the moment you give the command. After a 

 short time he will be certain to lie down steadily, until 

 you give him the order, " On!" to move. Most probably 

 he will not at first rise when he is desired. There is no 

 harm in that. Go up to him, pat liim, repeat the order, 

 " On I" and lead him for some paces, "making much of 

 him." When he is well confirmed in this important les- 

 son take him on a level, cleared piece of ground, and as 

 practice only makes perfect, continue the instruction, al- 

 lowing the dog to range about, dragging the check-cord 

 after him. 



It is now the proper time to introduce him to the sight 

 and sound of a gun and to the report of which he should 

 be trained to drop, and for the following sufficient rea- 

 sons : — 



If there is any fault to which a dog can become ad- 

 dicted more vile than another it is that of "running iu." 

 When once admitted, it heads a list of vices that not 

 only stamp the dog as perfectly worthless to his owner, 

 but it makes him a spoil-sport and nuisance to every one 

 with whom he comes in contact. When this habit is once 

 established it is an extremely difficult one to eradicate. 

 If the dog does not charge at the firing of the gun he will 

 soon begin to "run in" to retrieve his birds without wait- 

 ing for the proper order. After two or three rough and 

 tumbles with a crippled bird he will begin to chase those 

 that axe not winged. From this moment all discipline is 

 gone, and unsteadiness and llushing will become the order 

 of the day. The neighborhood will be awakened with 

 shouting "and shrieking, the gamut of the whistle will 

 sound in the air, to be followed by the cracking of the 

 dog whip and the grunts and yells of the luckless brute. 

 It is about this time that the " breakers with cold lead" 

 heave in sight, and shortly the air is tainted with the 

 fumes of sulphur and the odor of perspiration and blood. 



Almost every reader that has had any experience in 

 the field has been a witness to some similar scene. Has 

 it occurred to you that the dog was not the one in fault, 

 but the handier, on whom all the blame should rest ? If 

 not, be assured that it is so ; and if you are not an im- 

 passive person, but one who is apt to speak your mind, 

 direct all remarks on the subject to the animal with the 

 two legs — and may they do him good, 



In the days of the muzzle-loader it was very much 

 easier to consistently enforce the dropping to shot than 

 it is now with the breech-loader in the hands of every 

 dog-handler. Thus you, as well as the dog, have a lesson 

 to learn, and you should always remember not to move 

 on until you have seen that your dog has charged. For 

 no matter how thoroughly you have him under control 

 at the start, unless you keep him on all occasions up to 

 his duty he will soon deteriorate and drift into bad habits 

 that will be hard to break him of and make him anything 

 but what he should be— a first-class dog. Therefore, 

 break your dog to drop to shot, and the moments that 

 are consumed in keeping him at his charge will be re- 

 turned by hours and days of pleasant sport. The min- 

 ute's rest will neither hurt you nor your dog, but tend to 

 steady the nerves of each. 



We can well understand that if a dog could be broken 

 to stand perfectly still instead of crouching down he 

 would be much better able to mark bis birds, and that in 

 cold weather, in wet places, charging is severe on him. 

 But not one young dog of the right sort out of a thousand 

 can be made to stand immovable, and the difference be- 

 tween lying and standing in water is not so very great 

 after all ; the dog in the long run having to suffer more 

 from numberless floggings than he ever would from the 

 cold. 



- — ■• 



Entbteb for the Derby.— New York, March 15th, — 

 I send you additional entries received since your last 

 week's issue, which, be kind enough to insert in next :— 

 Drake (Tory-Jaunty), white and liver pointer dog; 

 Trinket (Tory-Jaunty), white and liver pointer bitch ; 

 Lena (Tory- Jaunty), white and liver pointer bitch; Me- 



dog ; Trap 

 og; vnnngtTory- 

 targnerite CFausV 



•■r"d by St. Louis 

 | : I IUsMa( radio- 

 ed by Mr. W. 0, 

 O-Gypsej Queen), 

 -r, entered by" Mr, Wm. A. 

 )aj abridge (Gladstone-Clip), 

 -i (Gladstone-Clip), blue Bel- 

 Mr. L. H. Smith, of Strath- 

 re. T, Canada; Sir Alfred (Derg-E&tMBenJ, pure red Irish 

 Better dog; Prince Hal (St, Klmo-Maida i, orange and 

 white sdivr dog, entered by Dr. S. Fleet Speit, Brooklyn, 

 N. Y.: Max (Dash IH.-Giffc), white and black setter dog, 

 fcrj Mr, A. E. Sterling, Cleveland, Ohio 



Chas. Djs RONGE, Secretary, N. A. K, 0. 



Bred.— E. H. Mercilliott's Champion Grace to P. H, Morris' 

 Champion Lark, 



phisto (Faust- Zeal i, while and liv 

 (Tory-Jaunty), white and fiver pointer d 

 Jaunty), white and liver pointer dog ; ] 

 June), white and liver pointer bitch, en 

 Kennel Club, Chas. H. Turner, Secrete) 

 Fire-Ely), red Irish setter bitch, entei 

 Harding. Stamford, Conn.; Clyde (Eld 

 red, white tipped Iri.-" 

 Mcintosh, l-'ittr-i ... , 



&wm to wmmmfoWb 



X. Y. Z., Washington, Pa.-Send us your address. 



G, F. B„ Boston, Mttss.-See note on Brule Lake in last weei's 

 issue. 



T. 9. H.— Write to the Commissioner of Immigration, Lansing, 

 Mich. 



Com. P.— Articles on time allowance and measurement will be 

 continued next week. 



F. W„ Erie— Concerning importing yachts from Canada, see 

 yachting columns this week. 



Pioneer, Florida— Thanks for your letter on yacht caul) house 

 for Florida. Will publish shortly. 



L.C. W.,New York.— You can have your pin fire changed. to R 

 central lire by Messrs. Clark & Sueitler, of Baltimore. 



Constant REAoi:R.-See Lyman's advertisement of "Bow 

 Facing Rowing Gear." it is very useful and practicable-. 



A. B.C.— lain a quandary about Salem Ray nod would like to 

 know the bearings by compass of the bay the Salem Hay Y. C. 

 derives its title from. 



High Speed, N.Y.— Write to nerreshoff Manufacturing Com- 

 pany, Bristol, R.' I., for estimate. Advantages stated in 

 last week. Read again. 



SrmsrjRiBEK, North BJoomnold, O.-Yoa n ill find a report of the 

 English gun trial of 1178 in Greener's book, "Choke- Rom Guns." 

 2. Nitric acid and wood puip. 



W ., No. 8, Columbus, O.— When your 8-gauge gun puts an aver- 

 age of from 100 to HO pellets of .lion. No. t shot into a 30-inch cir- 

 cle at sixty yards, you may be sal islied with tho pattern. 



A.W.E.— You send letter for information. but fail to five any 

 post-office address. The party you mention is undoubtedly had. 

 and will soon get his deserts. Go\ eminent officers are after him- 



Entucsiast.— The London Field is nut in favor of length 

 measurement. It knows too much to bo caught by any such 

 clap-trap affair. Wo will take the matter In band tu your satis- 

 faction. 



iNQuntEB, N. Y. - The safety appliance for preventing tho cap- 

 sizing of open boat will shortly bo advertised iu this paper. Sail 

 with fixed ballast by all means, unless you are practising for a 

 circus clown or a coal heaver. 



Pkosano. -Apply tbe shellac first, then light coat of Ratal ail I 

 varnish over all. Or omit the paint, which will make, tbe canoe 

 lighter. Wet the canvas when you stretch it ovor the frame, eo 

 that it will shrink on without wrinkles. 



Q. ( Long Prairie, Minn.— My rubber boots have been punctured 

 by anail, and as they are yet new I wish to know if there is not a 

 way to stop tho leak effectually. Ans. Bend to the rubber if tea 

 for rubber cement. See addresses in our advertising pages. 



M. N., Grand Rapids, Mich.— I have a gun, the stock of which in 

 too straight for me. Can you give me the name of some repu- 

 table person or firm by whom I can have the stock bout, so as to 

 remedy the defect. Ans. H. C. Squires, No. 2 Cortluudt street, 

 New York. 



W.C.C.S.,Brookline, Mass.— I find that grass linos (like sample 

 Unclose) are very kinky. Can that fault be remedied? Ans. All 

 theso lines have the same fault. You can only partially remedy 

 it by putting your line full length in the water, and when reeling 

 In taking good care to wind Btraigkt. 



Br.0OK1.tn.— The Brooklyn Y. C. is not as yet represented in 

 the N . Y. A. The person claiming to represent that club and who 

 had himself made Chairman of the preliminary committee is tin 

 impoBtor. He has been ousted from the N. Y. A. at the instiga- 

 tion of this journal. Have no dealings with him. 



Reader, New York City.— 1. The largest size of shot used in 

 choke-bores without chambering is No. 1. 2. Dr. Henshall, of 

 Cynthiana, Ky., is preparing a book on the black bass, and this 

 will probably be what you wish. 3. You will find excellent black 

 bass fishing at Oswego, N. Y. See late files of this paper. 



D. L., New York.— Your $15 gun is a fair and safe weapon. The 

 name on the lock-plates is not that of the maker, the latter being 

 as mentioned by you. Barrels Of Connecticut steel arc made of 

 steel and iron scraps welded together. Tho barrels of your gun 

 are made of different kinds of iron without the steel. The charge 

 of 3drs. is safe. 



C. M. S.—Rushton builds ten canoes to everyone of Everson. 

 We nld advise a modification of the "Shadow." See back files 

 for canoe building. Will give further directions shortly if pos- 

 sible. Or get Baden-Powell's book, " Canoe Cruise in tho Baltic," 

 which contains much information, from W ill ja ms & Co., 283 Wash- 

 ington street, Boston. 



W. I J . C, Hinghamton, N. Y. -The fish-hooks seut for our inspec- 

 tion reflect credit upon the ingenuity of tho maker, but us fish- 

 hooks go, we should not advise your friend to uudei I ake 1 lieir ex- 

 tensive manufacture with high anticipations of tbe mercantile 

 side or the venture. The best made hooks of the day am the re- 

 sult of a great many years' experience and a large outlay of cap- 

 ital. 



.1. J. B., Ontario, Can.— Last fall while shooting in 'Westara On- 

 tario I killed a fine specimen of a bird; it bad a beautiful red-crest 

 or top-not, a white riug around its neck, and white rips on tho 

 wings; the rest of the bird was very black. It was no doubt of 

 the woodpecker species, as il mado the woods ring with its bill 

 and chattering noise. Now was it the bird doscrihtd by Mr. 

 Yenor, of Montreal, in last week's issue, plicated woodpeeker, 

 Hj/totoHlttS pitaltuj? or was it the Picus borecHtSJ The inhabi- 

 tants called it the "Cock of the woods." Yenor calls it " v. ood- 

 coek." Whoisright? I never saw but one before; theyitro \erj 

 rare specimens in this part of Canada. Aus. You say nothing 

 about the size of the bird, a very impoi tanf point. It certainly 

 was noi. h'h-u-H l».»; titix, and probably was the plicated woodpecker, 

 rj,/mtomiM p ileal us. 



Snascnrr.KR, Muncey, Pa.— 3. Is there a hammerless guu now- 

 made over which tile shooter lias as good control ul hummers, 

 i. f.,in raising and lowering them at pleasure, as our old guns with 



hammers! "■ En an 



after being raised, 

 them flown! 3. Wo 

 that could be loadt 

 without cocking by 

 raisei! and lowered 



y hammerless guj 



old not ill."' hive 

 d or broken dow 

 so doing, and on 

 u pleasure, have 



i now.made can hamoicrs, 



ly other way than to are 



itor of a lianmiiMiess gun 

 i into position for loading 

 • whose bilmmei-a cot 1(1 hi 

 a good thing V An*. 1. Tho 



shooter has praotie 

 ordinary gun. Win 

 may bo cocked aga 



u opened 



ii-..i ... i,. •,-. as in the 



..-. . . ■ 1 shells i.Uc gun 



ttplj 1. ■.!■■. - 1 tfil '1 ..■■ 



gcrs. 2. The haminerless gun. when loaded 

 uncocked by opening and closing; wlillf tl 

 back. 3. We could not decide without eve mining a 

 ing the two actions. The present liammerless is m a 

 pie and rapid manipulalion go could bo wlbbed for 



