86 
THE AMATEUR TRAINER. 
BRACE WORK. 
The amateur will do best to work one dog only 
at a time, even if he should possess a brace, alter¬ 
nating the dogs, keeping one at heel and fresh, 
while the other is ordered on, instead of working 
the two together till exhausted. Being that dogs 
differ widely in style, speed, dash, range, etc., it is 
not an easy matter to match a brace suitable for 
pleasing work. They should be mated as near alike 
in every particular as possible, must be perfectly 
controllable, and obedient to orders independently 
to the slightest commands and signals; otherwise 
the one or the other will necessarily be balked in 
his work while down together. The retrieving 
must be done by one dog at a time, while the other 
is dropped or kept at heel. If either or both dogs 
evince the slightest unsteadiness, the collar and cord 
must be placed upon them, and any fault corrected 
instantly. 
BACKING. 
Backing is the proper term applied to the act of 
a second dog standing in the attitude of pointing to 
a dog at point, a habit usually acquired by dogs 
frequently working together in the field, and must 
be attributed to the dog’s intelligence. While the 
attitude at back is similar to that of a point, it is 
seldom so rigid, and w r hen a dog sees his companion 
pointing he himself suspends the hunt, and intently 
watches his mate, so he may not frustrate the other’s 
