136 BREAKING A BIRD DOG 
desire to range wide to hunt for birds; and 
with age and experience must come what we 
call “bird sense,” which is merely the matter 
of using sound, good judgment as to the 
best locations, the most likely birdy 
spots, in the territory hunted. ( Devel¬ 
opment along these lines depends upon nat¬ 
ural inclination plus plenty of opportunity to 
hunt.) 
2. On finding the desired game (and you 
can easily make it clear to a dog what is and 
what is not to be hunted) the dog must point 
stanchly and dependably. (The modern bird 
dog either points naturally or is taught to do 
so with comparative ease—while stanchness 
and dependability grow greater with age and 
experience.) 
3. Your dog must be steady to shot and 
wing. (This is not natural, as the inclination 
is usually to chase when game is flushed. But 
the check cord or some method must be used 
to bring a dog to positive steadiness to shot and 
wing. This is one of the most important of 
the artificial phases of training.) 
4. The truly finished dog will retrieve. 
(Sometimes to do this comes naturally With 
