7 2: 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
fJuLY U, 1897. 
SCHOOLING THE DOG.-Vll. 
Bavins taught the puppy ihe meauiDa; of the orders, 
* Come in" and "Go on," his further special training may 
iref>t tili he is naturally developed 1o a reasonable degree, 
mentally and physically, say at the age of about ten monlhs. 
In the intervening time, if Ihe trainer in his walks makes a 
companion of him and give him freedom under proper con- 
ditions at other times, he will hecome vpay-wise, and from 
his own powers of perception w\\] learn to adjust his actions 
to the governing circumstances of his life. 
A puppy kept on chain or in cocfinement can learn noth- 
ing, for the reason that under such conditions no opportunity 
to learn is afforded. The aged chy dog which for the first 
time is given a run in the country, is filled with amazement 
at the sight of a cow, and often is divided in his mind as to 
whether it is better to flee and escape or stand and fight, 
though his bristling hair and saucy barkings at a safe dis- 
tance, with waverings to and fro, in alert retreats and reluc- 
tant advances, indicate that his heart is filled wi hmany 
alarms and misgivings at tbe sight of the strange monster. 
And so it is with him in a thousand other circumstances 
equally trifling. They either fill him with wonderment, or 
he is forever at cross purposes with them. 
A dog which has his liberty learns the meaning of all the 
things about him, and adjupts his deportment accordingly. 
If confined constantly, he grows up in ignorance, mentally 
dwarted and physically mferior and misshapen, with a 
soured; temper and a general depreciation which is lifelong. 
The education which the dog gains from his own personal 
experience is the r-eal education. The education given by 
tbe trainer is but a tiny fraction when compared with it. 
Without this self educaiion, so necessary in life, and which 
can be' acquired only from experience, the relatively trifling 
special education which the trainer gives to subserve his own 
purposes is worthless. In long confinement, the dog being 
ignorant, his understanding dormant, and his bodily powers 
injured, the mere training of him to obey a few commands 
does nothing toward fitting him for active practical service. 
The serious part of the yard training may be begun by 
teaching the dog to "drop" or "charge," which is simply to 
teach him to lie down to order and so remain till he is ordered 
to rise or to go on. It is much more difficult to teach than 
either "Go on" or "Come in," inasmuch as the dog is re- 
quired to cease all effort and to lie still, which nearly always 
run counter to his inclination. Furthermore, he is required 
to drop promptly to the command whether he be nearoy or 
not. if at a distance, he feels that his nimble heels are suf- 
ficient warrant for disobedience. After he has been taught 
the naeaning of tie order, and will drop promptly to it, it 
rtquiies a long schooling to establish discipline. He may 
drop;to it, then become impatient and rise up the next mo- 
ment. He must be schooled to lie reliably as long as the 
trainer desires him to do so. In theyaid, where there is 
nothing to excite his interest, he may remain down steadily 
till ordered up; while ia the fields, where he wishes to be at 
hirge, or where there isluror feather to distiact him, he 
may utterly disregard all orders. 
His disciphne 's not properly established till he drops 
promptly to the order, wherever he can hear it, far or near, 
and remain till the trainer orders him to rise or go on. 
Schooling the dog to lie down to order should be persisted 
in LiH obedience is prompt and reliable ISo Jong as the dog 
obeys leluctantly or imperfectly, his scbooliug should be 
confinutd. If imperfect obedience isactepied, obedience 
will* be less and less till at last there will be no obedience at 
all. ' • 
It is desirable many times that the dog should I'e down at 
the will of his master, either about the house or in the field, 
to prevent prowling and annoyance, or to make him cease 
hunting. So long as he is on his lett he will be moving 
about, when lying down action ceases. 
Some sportsmen desire that their dogi be taught to drop to 
shot and wing, they contending that it puts a more artistic 
finish to the dogs' performance and prevents them from 
h-'t aking shot or chasing. So far as any finish to the per- 
formance is concerned, it is one of fancy, not of u'ility. It 
is in the class of tiicks, and if a dog were to turn a summer- 
sault when the bird rose or the gun was fired, it would be 
quite as pertinent to the occasion. There is nothing what- 
ever in the rise of a bird or the report of the gun which can 
be usefully supplemented by the drop of the dog. It is of no 
importance as a preventive of chasing or shot-breaking, 
for there is nothing easier to leach than steadiness to 
shot and wing. A dog can be broken to sleadinef s 
miich easier than he can be taught to drop. The mi<^- 
taken claim of greater finish in work to the gun and on 
bitds, and of greater steadiness, is all that can be advanced 
fol' it Oq the other hand, there are a number of important 
considerations to be urged against it, First, on wet or 
sloppy ground, or in mud or swamps, particularly in cold 
weather, there is a certain inhumanity in requiring a dog to 
dtop on his ttomach and there remain until ordered up. Ia 
briers and thorns it is often painful for the dog to drop. 
Sometimes, if he flushes in cover or at a distance from the 
shQoter, where the latter cannot see him, hi will remain a 
long time dropped to wing waiting for the order to get up 
and go on. After dropping to wing for a time, the dog an- 
ticipates the rise as the shooter walks up to flush, and there- 
fore drops before the birds take wing. When fatigued, he 
finds that lying down on point is restful and agreeable. He 
thei^efore anticipates the rise more and more, till at length 
he may drop on hia points wholly. Many a dog drops to 
his points from' a beginning which referred only to dropping 
to wiog. A dog which drops to his points aads greatly to 
the diificulties of the shooter, since the latter must watch 
him unceasingly; for if he drops when the shooter does nol 
:see him, it may require a long search to find him, as little 
•cover will conceal him when lying down. Under such 
^circumstances, it not infrequently happens that the dog can- 
not be found at all, and it ia necessary to whistle or call him 
•from his point So much for the advantages and disadvan- 
itages of dropping to shot. 
The manner of teaching a dog to drop is very simple. 
'Tie a short cord to the dog's collar. Hold it in one hand; 
;gi,'Fe the order "Drop," and push the dog down with the 
•other hand. Give him a tap or two with the whip if hs at- 
tempts to rise, at the same time uttering the command 
"Drop." After a time permit him to rise, and after a few 
•minutes repeat the act. After five or s.x lessons in as many 
■days, he should understand its meaning, but may not obey. 
Then with the cord held in one hand he is given the order, 
iand at the same time hit sharply on the shoulders with tne 
whip. He will soon drop. If he rolls over on bis back, a 
few light whip taps on his paws will cause him to turn into 
the right position 
This schooling should be persisted in till he will obey the 
order instantly. When the order is given, no nosing about 
seeking for a good place, c- seeking to evade obedience, 
should be tolerated. He should be made to drop in the place 
wherrt he stood when the order was given. The hand may 
be raised as a signal to drop, and he will learn to asf ociate it 
with the act. If he is slow to recognize the signal, obedience 
can be enforced in the same manner as ^fhen the order is 
given orally. All this is done with the dog close by. Next 
he should be schooled at a distance. An open field is a good 
school room. A strong wooden pin may be driven firmly in 
the ground. Tie the dog to it with 20 or SOyds. of light cord. 
Make him drop close by the pin. Walk away 20 or SOyds. 
If he moves, take him back to his place and make him he 
down. If he attempts to bolt the cord will snub him, and 
he can be brought back and forced to resume his place. If 
he bolts resolutely, a spike collar may be used. After he 
runs against the collar once or twice, he will give up all at- 
tempts to bolt 
The lessons should be continued till the dog will obey in- 
stantly, and till the discipline is so firmly established that he 
will have no thought of disobedience. 
He is taught to drop to shot by making him drop to the 
report of a pistol as if it were a command. To teach the 
dog to drop to wing, he ia dropped every time a bird rises 
near him, and the previous discipline being so firmly estab- 
lished, he in time learns to drop to wing from repetitions of 
the act. If he is slow to drop, punishment may be used, 
and it already being associateci with disobedience, he will 
soon learn to obey. 
The order used when the dog is required to rise to his 
feet is "Hold up," or a beckon of the h^ind or snap of the 
finger. He soon learns its meaning, as it is in accord with 
his inclinations. If he should be sulky and willful, a spike 
collar may be put on him, and when the order is given a 
slight pull on the collar will bring him to his feet. 
Beknabd Waters. 
Sheep Dog Trials. 
The so called sheep dog trials which are sometimes held 
in showyards and small enclosures are of very little practical 
use as real test of working capacity. The dog has to "bring" 
the sheep a certain distance, then "drive" them between 
flags, round certain poles, and through one or two gates. 
Now, if the programme can be known in a general way be- 
forehand, a dog can be taught to be fairly efficient in this 
ornamental work, for his master can take him to a field at 
an odd time and train him so far for a show performance. 
No practical man with a good working young dog would 
think of putting the animal through the capers needed for a 
show trial such hs. those referred to. He would taue a three 
or four-year old dog that would not be easily spoiled by being 
set to do a lot of meaningless odds and ends. An ideal trial 
should as much as possible resemble the tests of real life, and 
this means that it cannot very well be held in a show yard 
or in an. enclosure of moderate dimensions. Then there 
ought to be tests in parks as well as on hill-sides. An old 
dog may work admirably in a park, and so may a young one 
that has never done anything else except confined turns 
wilhiu sight; but the chances are the young dog will prove 
half a failure when he is set right off to gather a scattered 
flock on a rough hill side. 
"Fanking work," aa it is termed ia Scotland, or driving 
sheep into an enclosure, is, to all intents, the most frequent 
close ejuarter exercise needed in regular practice. Keeping 
the sheep in a corner to give the shepherd a chance of catch- 
ing or narrowly inspecting one or more specimens is also, of 
course, frequently needed, only in such a case the dog keeps 
at a moderate distance to prevent a stampede. A dog sees 
the use of such work, but he has to be directly laught the 
trick of putting the sheep between flags and round poles. A 
beautiful exercise, needing two dogs, is the one now and 
then practiced in the Scottish Highlands when the sheep are 
counted. The shepherd and one dog stand facing each other 
some 8 or lOyds. apart, while the other dog is set to drive 
the flock very gradually in between the two. There is no 
difficulty once ihe stream of animals is set steadily flowing. 
At the outset the dog at hand has to excercise considerable 
diplomacy in order to get the leading members of the flock 
to pass between himself and his master, and the gathering 
dog has to be on the outlook against bursts and hurry. An 
exercise of this sort is of real practical value, and the like 
cannot be said of half the tests to which handsome prizes 
are added. — AgricuUural Gazette, 
A. K. C. Executive Board. 
A MBETiNO of the Executive Board was held in the A. K. 
C. rooms at 10:30, July 17. Present: Messrs. Belmont, 
Brooks, Hunnewell, Wilmerding, Schellhass and Watson.' 
Tne agreement with the Canadian Kennel Club was ratified. 
In the matter of charges made by Mr. H. T. Payne against 
Mr. Mortimer for misconduct as judge at the Oakland show, 
and the charges made by the St Bernard Club, of Ca'ifornia| 
against Mr. Payne for his action in making the charges 
agninst Mr. Mortimer, it was "Resolved that the Pacific 
Advisory Boaid call upon Mr. H, T. Payne to supply the 
evidence to sub tantiate the public statement«i made by him 
regarding Mr. James Mortimer, investigate the same, and 
report thereon to the A. K. 0." 
The secretary was authorized to go to the Pacific coast and 
investigate sucn matters as he deemed necessary. 
In the matter of Washington vs. Cotzhausen, which con- 
cerned the matter of a stud fee. the board resolved "That no 
fraud has been shown by the evidence, and in the opinion of 
this board it resulted in simply a misunderstanding of let- 
ters exchanged between the parties hereto. The case is dis- 
missed." 
The French Bull Dog Club was admitted to member- 
ship. 
Tne following kennel names were allowed : Bon Accord, 
to Wm. Strachan; Jubilee, to G. B. Borradaile; Missouri, to 
Sterling P. Marhn; Shawmut, to Richard H. Hunt. 
The suspension of F. G. Bixby was removed. 
The report of the Pacific advisory board, concerning 
charges against A. R. Crowell was read. It was resolved 
that. Whereas, as the A K. C. has no agents, the action of 
A. R Crowell is reprimanded for receiving money for the 
club, and all persons are waYned not to accept any on this 
account. Also that the action of the secretary for forward- 
ing tbe matter for investigation is approved. 
Pen and-ink sketches were ordered scheduled and sold. 
POINTS AND FLUSHES. 
Mr. W. S. Bell, secretary of the Continental Field Trials 
Club, writes us as follows: "Permit me to call attention to 
Aug. 1, 1897, as the date for closing the entries of the Ex- 
celsior Slake (all-age) of the ContineBtal Field Trial Club's 
chicken trials, to be held at Morris, Manitobo, Sept. 1. 
Also the same date, Aug. 1, closes the entries for the Blue 
Ribbon Stake of the third annual field trials of the Con- 
tinental Club, to be run on quail at New Albany, Miss., Jan. 
17, 1S98. Advices from both locations in.sure plenty of 
birds. I hope owners and handlers will not overlook these 
two events. Entry blanks and the clubs itinerary have been 
mailed to all thoseknown to me and will be cheerfully mailed 
to anyone on application." 
Under date of July 15, Mr. C E. Buckle writes us thatthe 
pointers of the Charlottesville Kennels are all in great shape, 
and that they have a grand lot of youngsters for 1898. In 
Virginia the summer ha? been good and pleasant. A very 
good way tn breed good pointers and setters is to devote one's 
self dilisently to it, instead of wasting lime writing long let- 
ters about bugaboos and bugaboo judges. 
In our advertising columns this week Edson W. Safford, 
Montrose, Pa , offers English pointer. G. G Williamson, 
Muncie, Ind., offers English setters. J. M. Kelly, Montrose, 
Pa., offers Enghsh setters. Conrad Klein, Coiryville, Cin- 
cinnati. 0 , otters a pointer and a setter, both, broken. A. 
Bigelow, Jr., of Boston, offers cocker. 
WHEELING NOTES. 
THOTJGtr steel will continue to be the standard material for 
the construction of bicycle frames, various alloys of alumi- 
num have been successfully used, and hickory, bamboo and 
other woods also do service for the same purpose. A novelty 
in the line of bicycle tubing is made from paper. A fibre 
similar to that used in the manufacture of railway car wheels 
is employed, and is said to make a very satisfactory substi- 
tute for steel, possessing considerable strength in proportion 
to weight. Paper bicycles are now to be seen in London, 
and there is talk of starting a factory for their production, 
though aside from the novelty of the idea, there seems little to 
recommend such bicycles. 
Bicycle baggage laws are most common in the tier of States 
north of Mason and Dixon's Line, and lying between New 
Eoglahd on the east, and IlJinors and Wisconsin on the west. 
In fact, in the section named they are all but universal. 
New England, with the excepliwn of Rhode Island, still hangs 
out for the old order of things, and makes the wheelman pay ; 
but, as a rule, the charges are not excessive. From New 
York city, a man may check his bicycle as far south as New 
Orleans, or noith to the Canada line, or west to Chicago, 
without charge, provided he travels by Cfrlain routes; but in 
each case these routes are the best and most available. 
A°ide from South Carolina, the extreme southern States 
have not as yet waked up to a proper understanding of the 
case; and though California and Arizona, and Colorado and 
Norih Dakota, are all on the riaht side of the column, other 
progr* ssive and enlightened States west of the Mississippi 
still sit in the shadow of darkness as regards the bicycle bag- 
gage question. 
New York deserves credit as the pioneer State in this res- 
pect, and from her, as a center, the leaven is gradually work- 
ing outward to the rest of the world. Pretty soon, let us 
hope, the wheelman will be able to ship his bicycle as bag- 
gage almost anywhere short of Mars. 
During the annual meet of the League of American 
Wheelmen, which takes place at Philadelphia August 4 to 7, 
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company will sell special tickets 
from all points on its system to Philadelphia and return at 
the rate of a single fare for the round trip. 
Bicycle Prices. 
The recent announcement by a great bicycle manufactur- 
ing concern of a reduction in price from $100 to $75 for its 
staneiard wheel, and a general scaUng down in prices of its 
cheaper grades, came as a genuine surprise to the trade and 
public alike. 
The company in question has spent thousands of dollars 
advertising its product, and, as a general thing, stress was laid 
upon the inflexibility of the price for the standard wheel. 
Persons who wanted this wheel cheerfully paid the $100 
asked, because they were convinced that there was no way 
of getting it for less money. Their assurance of this face 
also gave them confidence in the bicycle audits manufactur- 
ers, and perhaps a sense of superiority over other riders who 
might possibly have gotten their wheels a little cheaper and 
with less eclat. 
Unprejudiced observers are debating as to the wisdom of 
this reduction in price at the present time. ■ 
Apparently, it had to come; but would, it not have been 
better polie;y, in view of the widely advertised standard 
price, to put it off till the beginning of the- next season? 
It is commonly reported that the company will have as a 
leader next year achainless bicycle, which will probably be 
listed at the old figures, and had it waited till then to make 
the reduction in its standard wheel, the change would have 
been accepted without comment. 
'The reaction comes, however, at a time when there is no 
especial excuse for it available, and when, moreover, the sell- 
ing season is practically past From this htter fact it is argued 
that no large number of bicycles will be marketed, and that 
the money return will be no greater than if the price had 
remained unchanged. 
The reduction probably has its justification from a busi- 
ness standpoint. The men who control the destinies of this 
great enterprise are noted for their shrewdness and far- 
sighted business acumen. It may be assumed that the move 
was intended to carry activity through the dull season. It 
was made at a time which will assure a certain freedom 
from competition by their chief rivals in trade. Other 
makers of high grade wheels may be contemplating a similar 
reduction in price, but they will wait till next year to make 
it, The fact that they have been forestalled by their great- 
est opponent, prevents their adopting a similar policy at 
present, for the elfect would be to make them appear imi- 
tators instead of leaders, and would in any case be of doubt- 
