64 



RECREATION 



shall be so effectually taught that nothing 

 shall induce the dog to move and one quar- 

 ter of an hour will generally effect this. In 

 all probability the dog will be much cowed 

 by this treatment. The trainer should then 

 go up to him, pat him, lift him up, caress 

 him and take him home for that day." 



There is no more severe or more gentle 

 method of breaking than this ; more or less 

 run being put into the check according to 

 the nature of the animal. It never fails to 

 daunt the most resolute, audacious dog, nor 

 yet does it cow the most timid after the first 

 or second attempt, for it is necessary in the 

 first instance that they shall obey. Coming 

 "to heel" 1 is also taught by means of the check 

 cord. 



After the young dog has learned to 

 "charge" when ordered the peg should be 

 dispensed with and the breaker or trainer 

 should take the end of the cord in his hand. 

 Some self-styled trainers make poor sub- 

 stitutes even for the peg, but if they have as 

 much intelligence as the young dogs possess, 

 the dogs will become steady under this treat- 

 ment. 



The pupil having learned to "charge" and 

 to remain in that attitude until ordered to 

 "hold up," and to range, the next step is to 

 teach him to quarter. This is difficult and 

 somewhat tedious, but very important. A 

 field of about 200 yards in dimension, where 

 there is no game, is the best for this pur- 

 pose. Cast him off at the words "hold up," 

 to the right or left "up wind," which means 

 against it. It seems unnecessary to explain 

 why the dog should always be cast off "up 

 wind," but for the benefit and instruction of 

 young sportsmen, new to the trigger, be it 

 said that all pointers and setters hunt en- 

 tirely by scent and that the indefinable air 

 taint caused by the game comes down the 

 wind to the dog's keen olfactory organs in 

 something to them akin to the most delicious 

 perfume, which causes every nerve to quiver 

 and every sense to be on the alert. 



The young dog must not be allowed to 

 turn inward when quartering and he prob- 

 ably will not attempt to if started in the 

 right direction, but should a young dog turn 

 inward the trainer must get before him, up 

 wind and whistle just before he turns. This 

 if persisted in, will break him of the habit. 

 The breaker should also walk in the direc- 

 tion the dog is going. When all this is ac- 

 complished he may be sent off to the right 

 or left, indiscriminately, so that when shoot- 

 ing with a companion both will not start off 

 the same way. 



When considered quite steady continue 

 the lessons in a place where there is game. 

 Most likely he will flush the first bird he 

 comes across and chase it. Follow him 

 crying "charge." He will, in his order, dis- 

 regard the command, but sooner or later 

 will recover his senses and become ashamed. 



Do not beat him brutally, but remember that 

 the very ardor that set him off will later be 

 a most valuable characteristic. He must 

 now be taken to the spot where he flushed 

 the bird and rated and made to charge. 

 Gradually, on repeating this, he will chase 

 less and will learn to drop at the rise of 

 the bird and not at the report of the gun, 

 which is an important distinction. 



Wellbred dogs should point the first time 

 they scent game. When they do so, call 

 "charge," checking them if they do not. It 

 is wise to teach young dogs to charge when 

 they point, as this makes them much steadier. 

 After they become absolutely steady this 

 need not be insisted upon. A young dog 

 should be hunted alone until he has be- 

 come steady. The spirit of emulation, not 

 to say jealousy, predominates in all dogs, 

 and when a brace is taken into the field too 

 soon, each dog distracts the attention of the 

 other and this causes trouble. Of course 

 the cord cannot be constantly carried, but 

 recourse to it from time to time, as occasion 

 may require, will be amply rewarded. 



Some dogs retrieve, while some do not. 

 Those that do must have been taught when 

 quite young. Some soft substance like a 

 ball is thrown when the pup is in a playful 

 mood and he is coaxed and petted until he 

 brings it. He will not like to give it up, 

 even after bringing it in, and here the most 

 gentle persuasion must be used, otherwise 

 he will give up then and there and all at- 

 tempts to make him resume the game of 

 romps will be useless. As soon as the young 

 dog understands what is desired of him, and 

 no sooner, can he be expected to obey. 



Rewards should be more frequent than 

 punishment throughout the young dog's edu- 

 cation and in teaching him to retrieve, pun- 

 ishments should never be inflicted. 



Having killed the first bird over the pupil, 

 all other requirements having been fulfilled, 

 he should be ordered to "seek dead" in the 

 direction that is indicated by a wave of the 

 hand. Coolness and deliberation are neces- 

 sary. If the excitement of the presence of 

 game overcomes the master, how can the 

 young dog be blamed if it proves too much 

 for him? 



Dog breaking is not as difficult a task as 

 it appears. Anyone with the requisite 

 amount of patience can accomplish it with- 

 in a period that will surprise him. Hot- 

 headed men, unable to control their own 

 tempers, should not attempt it, but should 

 hire a trainer to break themselves as well 

 as their dogs. 



In dog-breaking no single - breach of dis- 

 cipline should be overlooked in the hunting 

 field, and this applies to dogs already broken. 

 Punishments, though light, should not be 

 omitted, for dogs soon learn to be tricky 

 and it is emphatically true — if you "give 

 them an inch they will take an ell." 



