THE HUNTING DOG 



On Starting Right 



BY W. B. TALLMAN 



In recent conversation with a man who has for 

 years been a prominent and hearty supporter of 

 the hunting dog, the writer was much impressed 

 with the fact that the first dog that a man owns 

 plays a very important part in his development as 

 a sportsman, and leaves an impression that in- 

 fluences his views on dogs as long as he takes any 

 interest in them. The gentleman of whom I speak, 

 related an incident of his boyhood: A friend of 

 his father's, knowing of his fondness for animals, 

 gave him a dog, which for want of a better name 

 was called a setter, and he immediately went to a 

 local shooter and asked him to break the pup, say- 

 ing that it was his first dog and that he would chop 

 wood, run errands or do almost anything in pay- 

 ment for the breaking. The first question the old 

 shooter asked after hearing the description was, 

 "Are you sure that its granddaddy was a bird 

 dog." The question was put in such a manner as 

 to indicate that the boy's request might be granted 

 if he could establish the indentity of this grand- 

 parent; and was followed by the remark, "You'd 

 better start right, Sonny, while you're about it." 

 So the boy went bravely to work, nquiring into 

 his dog's pedigree, only to find that back of its 

 parents was a marvelous mixture of hound and 

 collie blood. This was duly reported, and resulted 

 in the refusal on the part of the man to have any- 

 thing to do with such a dog. The boy was, how- 

 ever, well-stirred up on the subject by this time, 

 and by dint of much "swapping" finally got hold 

 of a straight-bred bird dog. He isn't sure now 

 whether it was all setter or pointer, but is pretty 

 certain that it was one or the other, or both. No 

 hound or collie, anyway. 



This dog was broken, and proved to be a good 

 one. Later on he was bred to an English setter 

 bitch and produced more good ones. The result is 

 that for about thirty years that boy has been a 

 stickler for breeding and has done much toward 

 raising the standard of setters and pointers in this 

 country. 



The importance of starting right cannot be over- 

 estimated. Whether a man is buying stock with 

 the intention of breeding for field or show pur- 

 poses, or is simply buying one or two dogs for his 

 personal use in the field, it is equally important 

 that he start right. The only difference is that 

 when a man is buying for field purposes, with show 

 qualities a minor consideration, or vice versa, in 

 either case there are certain points to which special 

 attention should be given. In buying for show 

 purposes, the first important step is 'to acquire a 



bit of education on the subject of show form, and 

 conformation. Don't study up on the published 

 "standards" or "scales of points." In English 

 setters, there have been different standards written, 

 some of which, if it were possible to follow them, 

 would turn out canine monstrosities, and they 

 serve at all times only to confuse the mind of the 

 person who earnestly tries to interpret them. In 

 a pointer standard you may read: "Brains, nose 

 and speed make the pointer "(!) Brains, nose and 

 speed might make a setter. Brains and speed, 

 minus nose, might make a good fire horse, and yet a 

 fire horse that could smell birds would not be a 

 pointer. The same standard a little further on 

 says that the nose should be "large, long, deep 

 and broad." (This is not the "nose" referred to 

 making the pointer). Its color should be "black, 

 in all except lemon and white." There is a chance 

 for an interesting search. Try to find a black nose 

 on a liver and white dog. But enough of 

 "standards." Few men can review them and have 

 sense enough left to pick a good dog from a bad 

 one. 



In studying either setters or pointers, cultivate 

 an eye for symmetry; leave the standards alone 

 and remember that heads should be of good 

 length and clean cut, necks long and slightly 

 arched, chests deep, and loins and quarters strong; 

 shoulders free and not lumbered up with flesh or 

 fat; legs and feet strong, and so formed as to indi- 

 cate the possibilities of much speed. 



Having acquired some knowledge of what a 

 show dog should be, don't put yourself in the 

 hands of a friend who has a friend who has some 

 dogs for sale. If possible, visit one of the big 

 bench shows, and watch the dogs when they are 

 judged. The chances are that one or two will 

 catch your eye, regardless of how the judge dis- 

 tributes the ribbons. Look them up on the bench, 

 and see if they will stand closer inspection. Run 

 your hand over them and note their condition. 

 If they are soft and don't stand up under handling, 

 try to determine whether this is due to inherited 

 " sloppiness," some structural defect, or merely 

 from lack of proper exercise. Don't pick out one 

 that has to be lifted onto the bench, nor one that 

 can't look you in the eye. Look up the breeding 

 and guard against blank spaces in the pedigree. 

 Then, if the price is reasonable, close the deal. 

 You may have to buy more than one before you 

 pick a real good one or a winner; but there is 

 pleasure in it all, much valuable experience, and 

 sometimes a little profit. 



» When a man starts out to buy a field dog, unless 

 he has had experience, he is apt to take almost 

 any one's advice as to a dog's field qualities, or 



