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Main Training the hunting dog for the field and field trials
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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD BY B. TRIALS. WATERS, AUTHOR OF "MODERN TRAINING," "FETCH AND CARRY," NEW YORK : FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO. ETC. COPYRIGHT, 1901, BY FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE. General Principles 9 CHAPTER Instinct, II. Reason and Natural Development CHAPTER III. Natural Qualities and Characteristics CHAPTER 26 53 IV. Punishment and Bad Methods 68 CHAPTER V. The Best Lessons of Puppyhood CHAPTER 78 VI. Yard Breaking 85 5 M363035 O CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. PAGE. "Heel" ................................................ I00 CHAPTER VIII. Pointing ............................................... II7 CHAPTER IX. Backing ............................................... I42 CHAPTER X. Reading and Drawing.................................. j CHAPTER XL Ranging CHAPTER Dropping to Shot XII. and Wing CHAPTER Breaking Shot, Breaking In, XIII. Chasing CHAPTER XIV. Retrieving .......................................... I9I CONTENTS. 7 CHAPTER XV. PAGE. The Natural Method 201 CHAPTER XVI. The Force System 213 CHAPTER XVII. Gun-shyness and Blinking CHAPTER The Tools 230 XVIII. of Training CHAPTER 239 XIX. Field Trial Breaking and Handling 245 CHAPTER XX. Field Trial Judging 260 CHAPTER Kennel Management XXI. 276 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. CHAPTER I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES. DOG TRAINING, teries, no insurmountable success. dog considered as an in It is obstacles, art, has no mys- no short cuts to a result of the patient schooling of the manner analogous to that employed in the schooling of the child, with the distinction, however, that the former is limited servitude prepared with a special view to a when used in the pursuit of game. In the furtherance of this purpose, man, by certain methods, simply diverts the efforts of the dog to own Ms service. Once that his prey is found, man has great powers pf destruction; but as compared to the dog, he is TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG IO distinctly inferior as a finder. man and dog By concerted action, can find and capture much more than either could if working independently. In his search for prey the dog's purpose tinctly selfish, as is man's, but he, when man of servant. so wills However, so great that, even is it, captured, there if being much is dis- inferior must needs take the position his pleasure in the pursuit is denied possession after the prey is still sufficient incentive to satisfy his self-interest; therefore he generally is content to exercise his best hunting effort for the pleasure he feels, with some hopes to share in the The dog gregarious by nature, and prefers to is hunt in packs fruits. ; but the concerted action of the pack, in the effort to capture its prey, is not the manner best adapted to the requirements of the sportsman, although there are certain analogies to it inasmuch as in the pack life the dog may, in the efforts of a common purpose, recognize and defer more or less to a leader. While this characteristic to hunt in company is of value to the sportsman, the manner of exercise to best serve his purpose to much parts. must be subjected modification and restriction in When working to the gun its the many of its dog must take FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. a place so distinctly secondary that is it 1 1 that of servant. To suppress or restrict his inclination to take the leading part so far as it is of the gun, and to school edge for its against the best interests him knowl- in other special advantage, constitute an education called training or breaking. The art of dog training is acquired by intelligent study and practice, as proficiency in any other art acquired. All may become who have is the time, talent and industry dog trainers, as all who have may become skillful in any other skillful these qualifications accomplishment, trade or profession. But, in the education of boys and girls and men and women, there no educational system which compensates for ignorance and inefficiency if deeply grounded on the is part of the teacher, nor for incapacity the part of the pupil. be the ability to learn on the other the if shown on There must, on the one hand, how to convey knowledge, ability to receive it, else there and can be no proper progress. The mental capacity of the dog and the knowledge necessary to serve him throughout his finitely less life are in- than those which are necessary to man. 12 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG - Nevertheless his manner of acquiring knowledge is manner employed by man in in a similar to the way that respect. Some when the ability to train a dog was the realm of the marvelous, by many people was considered as a "gift," a some- was it years ago, so rare that it thing of capability conferred by Nature; therefore, to the trainer quite independent of experi- coming At ence. the present day, sportsmen have no faith in the skill of him whose knowledge innate from birth. On is held to be the other hand, any system having some inherent virtue, whereby a be trained quickly and thoroughly regard- set forth as dog may less of his capacity to receive training or his trainer's capacity to give system is it, denotes that the advocate of such ignorant concerning it, or else scrupulous as to the manner of treating While this work is not over- it. will fully set forth a description of the natural qualities of the dog, their relation to field work, and the best manner of diverting them from the dog's own purposes man, to those of the sports- success in the application of its teachings de- pends entirely on the trainer himself. Some natural capability on the trainer's part with FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. some experience to supplement 1 3 essential before it is any substantial progress as a teacher is reasonably to be expected. The mere reading of a work on dog and some hit-or-miss attempts at applying precepts, do not constitute an education in the training, its An art. of accomplished dog trainer not the product is some hours of reading with a few more hours of trouble with a He who dog added thereto. acquires the art must acquaint himself with dog nature, with the details of practical field work to a as they relate to setters reasonable degree, with the knowledge to a creature so of intelligence than himself. and pointers, and, manner of imparting much lower in the scale He, furthermore, must specially school himself in the quality of self-restraint; for, in the attempt to it is to essential that the man or dog, govern himself. However good in govern governor of others should learn the instruction no wise compensates for the quent to short, no ill temper treatise if may be in itself, it inefficiency conse- In the latter be exhibited. can do more than set forth what should be done and what should not be done. As to the natural qualifications of a. trainer, in dog TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 14 training, as in all other branches of there are who men who man may it is without such effici- determine whether he can necessary to trial men Apart from these extremes, attain to useful, practical To ency as a trainer. train or not, effort, are eminently efficient and are incompetent. the average human he cannot make the attempt, for know definitely any- thing concerning his ability. However good may be any instruction in respect to conducting the dog's education for the service of the gun, from the foregoing remarks it is clear that the matters of patience, industry, perseverance, temper and cidentally, good talent lie with the trainer himself. it may In- be remarked in respect to patience and good temper, that no one can train dogs successfully without them, or, at least, a partial equivalent and self-control; yet while they are in perseverance prime requisites, they are oftenest the least observed by the impetuous amateur. Hurry and harshness always seriously retard the dog's education instead of advancing it. In most instances the beginner gives the dog an hastily proceeds in a conversational what it all means. way order, then to tell him Failing to accomplish his pur- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. poses in a moment, he becomes irritated, inclined to use force. from what so is from what was If the 5 warm and dog struggle amazing and painful 1 to escape to him, yet intended to be an instructive lesson, the act begets anger and this in turn begets violence. The from the transition monly very A B C's to a flogging is com- quick, in the Being advised so first fully on attempts. this point, the beginner should exercise the greatest care in observing selfcontrol and an intelligent consideration of the dog's powers; but strange to rarely heeded. say, the advice is at first Sooner or later he must learn that punishment teaches the puppy nothing useful; that it evokes distrust and resentment that it lessens or ; destroys in his all affection for the trainer purposes; and that when and all interest fear dominates, the puppy, being in a disorganized state of mind, capable of learning even the simplest lessons. is in- When thus intimidated his confidence must be restored by kind treatment, and then a greater degree of patience and self-restraint is necessary than was necessary before. amateur would consider the days when he himself was a pupil at school he would therefrom If the TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG l6 better grasp the disadvantages With labors. py under which the pup- a better intellect, with the advan- tages of a language both oral and written, and with more years at school than w ould measure r twice the age of the average old dog, the boy in comparison makes slow progress even in the rudiments. If, instead of patient treatment, the teacher shook the collar, cuffed his ears or kicked him him by in the ribs method of conveying knowledge, no sensiperson would expect the boy to learn much. In- as the true ble deed, corporal punishment, even as a corrective, has been almost entirely abolished in the public schools. And yet the .same patient effort on the part of the teacher in educating the boy is much the same as that to be observed in the education of the dog. Dog any of its particulars, is not a forms and arbitrary methods. Each training, in matter of set particular pupil should be developed according to his individual characteristics, and the governing circumstances. There are hundreds of dog character and little differences of capabilities to be noted and con- sidered, and, until the trainer can perceive, under- stand and take advantage of them, his attempts to teach will be more or less arbitrary and mechanical. FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. He may now and arbitrary It then have some success with an method which happens peculiarities, but it requires but I? is to fit a certain dog's merely a happening. thought to perceive the ab- little surdity of applying a set method alike to the nervous, the weak, the stupid, the intelligent, the lazy, the timid, the slow, the industrious, etc. of treatment must result in many Methods should be adapted Such a course failures. to the circumstances of each individual case, compromising as much as possible with the idiosyncrasies of the pupil, with a view to obtain the best results independently of arbitrary method. kindness and refraining from By attempts to force progress beyond the dog's capacity, success will result in every case where it is possible. However, nothing progressive can be expected of the mentally weak, the constitutional loafer, or the dog whose nose is functionally incapable of serving up to the requirements. The dog trainer may learns only proceed on the theory that the from practical experience; that all the advantages of oral communication possessed by man, excepting a few of limited degree, are denied 1 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 8 to him; that his intellect and his ability to learn readily are far inferior to those of his teacher that ; he needs time in which to learn, as did his teacher be- and that fore him, force, he is in the matter of force against practically helpless. Let the lessons be prepared and taught with a rec- ognition that puppy hood corresponds to infancy, and thereby afford the puppy an opportunity to learn them from if it his standpoint. The ignore dog nature and dog teacher's standpoint, intellect, may be in- comprehensible to him. The dog's education proceeds on certain lines re- gardless of the terms used to denote Thus the common ap- it. terms "training" and "breaking" have a used, their significance plication, and, as commonly is Either one, however, apart from synonymous. their technical significance, could be construed as having a distinct meaning. considered that a dog is For instance, it trained to do what may is be right and broken from doing what is wrong. Theoretically, the former may not presuppose any punishment at all; practically, the theory is a failure. writers have words drawn a fine distinction as they relate to training, as Several between the though therein FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. lay the fundamental principles of the art, is quite independent of trains if Some dogs it, it punish him tion, ; if if A dog he does not need little punishment it ; others ; dog needs painful If the correc- he does not, do not punish him. Whatever may be the choice of terms, rect it should be given to him. require very require a great deal. though any juggle of words. on without punishment he does need 1Q procedure under either ; it is all this is the cor- a matter of train- ing or a matter of breaking, or a matter of both as the trainer pleases. However, at no time does a dog need punishment simply because the trainer at him. distinct then It from The dog is is is angry an emotion of the trainer entirely training. naturally fond of company. fers the society of his -fellows, He pre- though he recognizes the domination of man, and has a profound affection for him. Nevertheless, his purposes when seeking man and quite selfish He may love his play. prey are quite independent of in their unchecked, natural master with a fervor unlimited, but when he point is of in hot pursuit. From view, the chase and it is no factor the untrained dog's its possibilities are strictly a matter between himself and the rabbit, in TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 2O manner similar to the relation between The ner. the dog, is commands and whistle, loud then alike ignores. This din- he praise, by training. There self-interest, displayed an important factor in his must always be sufficient incentive of a to induce his best effort. dog and selfish nature His trainer may have some of the same property. There are writers who solemnly affirm that the instinct to hunt is by Nature implanted in the dog for the benefit of man, or at least for such relatively small number of men as can sally forth afield to The nature and birds. egotistical opinion acts of the on every enjoys himself better than dog oppose point. when on kill this The dog never a self -hunting outing the proceeds of his efforts he needs for food ; and so uses when he on is permitted to do so. When his predatory excursions he rather avoids than seeks the company of man. Moreover, if the instinct were implanted in the dog for man's benefit, no training would then be necessary. The dog's natural efforts are for his state advantage. In a domesticated he seeks his prey in a manner similar to that in which he seeks wild. own It is his it in his predatory excursions when method of obtaining a food supply, FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 21 the wherewithal to satisfy the cravings of hunger. Meat craves grass its He his natural food. is when hungry, each craves it as the ox eating according to nature. Man does not care for the grass as food for him- and not wanting self, it, he does not deem it worth while to assert that the ox seeks grass instinctively He for the benefit of man. choicest prey, therefore it is does want the dog's quite an easy matter to dog chases rabbits and other game Such animals as he rejects he credits to assert that the for him. the dog's own account, and commends him as a great destroyer and consumer of vermin. However, as the dog is naturally carnivorous and utilizes his prey for food, the facts seem to indicate that his seeking instincts are for his own organic preservation. The dog takes a fierce pleasure in the pursuit and Over and above the obtaining of a food capture. supply thereby he finds a savage delight in them. Thus sheep-killing dogs tack a flock of sheep, food. Most dogs and never cease or escapes. kill and wolves, when they atfar more than they need for will attack their efforts a rat or rats at sight, till the last one is killed TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 22 By a course of education, either direct or indirect, domestic dogs are taught what animals they all may and what ones they may not. This is not always an easy task, as any one who has been out in kill the country with some mature, and city-bred setters pointers on their first outing, can testify. The farmer's sheep and poultry then have cause for alarm. This instinct to pursue and moreover dog nature, and Checked to proper kill is good dog nature. and schooled to the sportsman's purposes, what makes the dog a useful servant. He has it is limitations it is the inclination, intelligence and capabilities for hunt- ing; these the sportsman applies to the furtherance of his own pleasure. Left to his own inclination entirely, the for himself, but his passion for hunting that he will submit to and great he will much loss in respect to desist. his ardor; too dog hunts is so great restriction in his efforts what he Yet too much captures, before restriction much punishment may may lessen suppress all effort. So far as teaching the cerned, the trainer is in considering; but he is dog how to hunt is con- that relation hardly worth an all-important factor in giv- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. the ing the dog 23 necessary opportunities to learn. These being given, the manner of seeking, whether he seeks at all or not, lies with the dog. The beginner or generally falls into the error of at- tempting to train the dog before the latter knows anything about practical field work. The true method to permit the is own manner, and of the gun. Any dog to seek and find in his then school his efforts to the use efforts directed toward improving the dog's natural methods of hunting are likely to end in failure, If a dog is or are likely to mar them. naturally deficient in speed, nose, stam- ina, industry, intelligence, etc., no trainer can sup- ply the qualities which Nature omitted. sible to make a good dog out though the reverse is In this connection It is impos- of a naturally poor one, possible. it may be mentioned that a good not necessarily a guarantee of a good pedigree is worker. A poor dog with a fine pedigree is no better than a poor dog with no test The of field merit is known vidual, or it from any may be all. The the test of the individual himself. excellence of an ancestry tirely apart pedigree at may be something en- qualities possessed by the indi- possessed in a greater or less de- TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 24 gree by him it all is ; as it may happen dog as a worker must stand or fall on his The to be. own merits. In character, intelligence, stamina, industry, ishness much and as dogs vary quite as vary, and there are no hard and fast unselfishness, etc., men rules for the training of either. of man ties self- or dog who can He the best teacher is best understand the capabili- of his pupil, so modifying or combining methods manner to the and the circumstances of the partic- that they are presented in the best pupil's capacity ular case. To determine nicely all these points re- quires close observation and good temper. The teacher must always keep in standpoints, his own on the one mind the two hand as a teacher im- parting knowledge, and on the other that of the dog whose intellect is relatively quire ideas is weak, whose ability to ac- relatively limited, and whose nature is such that the lessons of servitude are repugnant to him. Although comparatively slow in learning the lessons inculcated by his trainer, the dog is quick to how best to apply his powers for the benefit of his own needs. The beginner who feels his way carefully along will make much better progress than he whose cf^ learn FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. forts are marked by inconsiderate perceived that if haste. 2$ It is easily the trainer does not endeavor to understand the nature and capacity of his pupil, his efforts to teach will be far from good. Let the amateur consider that the dog's education is properly a matter of weeks and months instead of a matter of a few lessons carefully given or many lessons forcefully given ; that the trainer's haste does not in the least add to the dog's ability or inclination to learn, and that a puppy is an undeveloped creature which needs age for the proper development of reasoning powers. its TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 26 CHAPTER AND NATURAL DEVELOPMENT. INSTINCT, REASON As TENDING II. to a better understanding of dog nature, consequently as tending to a better application of the ways and means of a dog's education, a on the instincts of pointers and set- brief discourse powers of reason in the abstract and as applied to field work, and the best manner of development from the sportsman's point of view, is essential. ters, their To and the average beginner, all all dogs are simply dogs, dogs are alike, a natural consequence to com- mencing as an educator without correct ideas as to how dogs first learn acquiring any and what they learn. Indeed, without any thought of the matter even after he him commences the training never occurs to that the apparent stupidity of his pupils an index of his A man may own it own may be inability to teach. be ever so able to instruct one of his kind, whose mental capacity, being similar, he FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 2/ understands, and yet be unable to instruct a dog, whose mental capacity is and therefore so dissimilar Let the trainer carefully note so misunderstood. how much his intellect can compass lesson by lesson and how much as a whole; what to teach step by step and how to do it, at how the the learns dog ; same time retaining and con- his pupil's affection fidence. As to instinct, nothing is more in fact, the definition of it has never been satisfac- difficult to define torily given by even the greatest philosophers. struse speculations concerning it Ab- have been advanced, but they are in that broad realm of speculation where the intangible reigns. when its age to suckle its is No one can tell how measured only by minutes, dam and succeeds in doing is so, the colt, impelled or how it knows enough to follow her about, or how it recognizes and obeys her voice; or how young birds know how to build a nest without ever how built, or them at all ; they or know how that it is how velope around necessary to build they have the migratory impulse and know the proper direction grate, or having seen one the grub itself, etc. to take knows how The when they mito spin an en- manifestations of in- TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 28 stinct in the animal world are innumerable. Even a them would require a volume of trainer, after reading it all, would know brief treatment of The space. nothing definite concerning them save that they existed and seemed to be independent of all experience in their exercise. Those who care will find much to further investigate this subject of interest in respect to it in "The De- Man," by Darwin; "Animal Intelligence," by Romanes; "The Senses and the Intellect," by Bain; "Animal Life and Intelligence," by Morgan; scent of "The Principles of Psychology," by James, and in works of Spencer, Hume, Wesley writers, Wundt, Buchner, Mills and in those of a host of other German, French and English, most interestingly present much more Wasman, all to instruct of whom and much to confuse the reader. When, however, an animal an act as a means to an end, consciously performs all thorities agree that the act then the recognized au- comes within the do- main of reason; dogs consciously plan and execute their plans at a very early age, profit by experience and display a discriminating use of their acquired knowledge. FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. It is instinct draw a impossible to 29 between definite line and reason, but the two as a whole are distinguishable. Thus easily the natural impulse of the dog to hunt rabbits or birds might be termed instinctive, while the manner in which he conducts his pursuit of them in his efforts to capture is an act of reason. The dog's of man. physical structure closely resembles that His brain is somewhat material to man's, and purposes. it similar in shape relatively serves the and same Like man, the dog gains a knowledge of the external world through the means of his senses hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling and smelling, the latter being the one most used ami the most keenly developed. The common, everyday life of the dog in and about the home of man displays in innumerable ways a keen perception of cause and effect. He learns to a nicety what privileges are permitted to him, at what time and place and of whom receive his food, what, people are he may expect to most friendly to him, what places afford the most comfortable sleeping quarters for summer or winter, what dogs of the neighborhood best romp or hunt to his liking, etc. TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 3O All his acts are founded on knowledge acquired by As experience. instincts are quite independent of ex- perience, the distinction All instincts are mal with another. much is They may vary intensity, but they are the er's love for apparent. same in the degrees of The moth- in kind. her offspring, the instinct of self-preser- vation, etc., are manifested On dividual. one ani- alike as displayed, much alike by every in- the other hand, acts of reason vary greatly in their manifestations concerning the same For object. instance, out of several methods by which a purpose may be accomplished, as in the pursuit of a rabbit, some dogs adopt one method, some another, according to the governing circumstances at the time, such as the dog's knowledge of methods derived from prior experience his ability to discrim; inate as to that is, methods ; his ability as to bodily whether he has sufficient powers and speed to rush make capture at once, or, being slow, whether to long race on the basis of endurance, dog, indeed, methods purpose, not infrequently etc. employs The same different at different times to accomplish the same accordingly as experience improves knowledge or maturity improves a his his intellect, or as FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. different circumstances govern, such as is working alone or as one of a pack, 3! whether he etc. Instinct holds relatively as small part in the life of the dog as does in the it life of a man. Dogs inherit the instinct of self-preservation, the maternal and paternal instinct and the instinct to seek a food supply, etc., means but in the activities of life, choosing to ends, their intelligence holds full sway. The dog's knowledge is a growth. wild or domesticated, he has Whether he he must learn all is much training of mind and body to undergo before he fits into ment to the best advantage to himself. state, in his environIf in a wild the wiles of pursuit, of at- tack and defense, both as an individual and as one of a pack. fits In a domesticated state he intelligently himself to his environment by following the lines of least resistance. Cuffed for jumping on the bed, driven from the parlor with a broomstick, scolded for barking in the house or thrashed for an attempt to steal food from the table, etc., periences which are painful he avoids the ex- and makes the most of such privileges as are pleasant and allowed to him. In time, as experience directs, his manner of becomes his habit of life. He life ceases to have a long- TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 32 ing for the comforts of the parlor and forbears steal- ing food unless he has a safe opportunity. The moral nature of the dog never reaches to a commands much height which confidence. He is naturally a predatory animal, and his marauding in- though reasonably dormant in his own home, are quickly brought into activity on outside opporstincts, In the tunity. home of his master's friend, where most brazenly searches every nook and corner, disregards his home manners and does not hesitate to appropriate to his own use he for the is first time, he any food he may find. According to his point of view he is doing no wrong. Such is his nature. In time, with more thumpings and more painful experience, he learns that the rules in force at his own home he is are also the rules to be observed in other ingly. habits However, he if easily into drifts vagabond opportunity offers, such as sneaking off into the fields and woods on self-hunting ing with vagabond dogs, will indulge in many would not be guilty He when homes, and he governs himself accord- etc., and trips, associat- at such times he freaks and fancies of which he if under the eye of his master. has a profound affection for his master, but FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 33 any of that does not in the least signify that he loses his of own own manner individuality or interest in his life. On the matter of his affection, by the way, he has been lauded to heights, on the one hand quite as un- warranted as he has been depreciated on the other in the matter of intelligence. it is true, but not as a rule Dogs love their masters, with the loyalty and devo- tion so dear to sentimental writers as a theme when elaborating on the nobility which dogs possess. The average dog, however much he may exhibit affection for his master to-day, will be quite content to take up with a new one to-morrow. A few ap- petizing morsels of food are sufficient to excite his interest, a few pats on the head evoke his friendship, and a few repetitions of friendly attention affection. Some dogs have tion than others ; w in run from danger, regardless of threaten, and his a more consistent devo- some are brave and will fight for their masters as they will fight for each other will r in all this they resemble whom ; it some may some men. The dog, being gregarious, has a natural repugnance to loneliness. In a wild state, he lives in packs with his fellows, and observes much the same watch- TRAINING THK HUNTING DOG 34 fulness and devotion does toward his The wild common good to the home in domestication. instinct of friendly alliance in domestication. He that he is expressed forms an attachment for his master and the members of his master's family. He may, however, form a more friendly attachment for a horse. He concedes the domination of his master, but he concedes the same to the leader of the pack in a wild state. The dog in domestication his master's home soon learns to consider as his own. from home, seeking If he prowls away to investigate other homes, the dogs of the latter consider that their homes are invaded, and they bark furious resentment, or perchance fight and give the intruder a sound mauling. The if strange youths throw rocks at or maltreat him they can lay hands on him. Thus he learns that own home is the most pleasant to him. He does not know of any other home, so that accepting the best home of which he has any knowledge is not a his matter deserving of any special eulogy. Some writers have not hesitated to exalt the as being, in man. many dog noble characteristics, superior to His devotion, fidelity and unselfishness are FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 3$ Nevertheless, on analysis, favorite themes. all by the dog, are found to be far qualities, as exhibited short of the ideal perfection ascribed to him. man who first "The more said these I see of men The the better dogs" could hardly have been serious, or, if he was serious, he knew neither men nor dogs proI like foundly, assuming that he had a normal mind. dog we as enough. him find Man, is companionable and devoted nevertheless, could lose the ionship of the dog much that of man. In material advantages he by better than the On the question of animal philosopher, Dr. it is intellectual life of is a gainer eminent intelligence, the Ludwig Buchner, in the Past, Present that, "Indeed, compandog could with man. his association "Man The in and Future," sufficiently well his work, sets forth known that the animals has hitherto been greatly underestimated or falsely interpreted, simply because our closet philosophers always started, not from an impartial and unprejudiced observation and appre- from philosophical theories in which the true position, both of man and animals, ciation of Nature, but was entirely misunderstood. gan to strike into a new path, But as soon as we beit was seen that, intel- TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 36 morally and lectuaily, artistically, the animal must be placed in a far higher position than was formerly supposed, and that the germs and rudiments first man are much lower re- even of the highest intellectual faculties of existent and gions. The pre-eminence is easily demonstrable in of man over the animal therefore rather relative than absolute it say, that is to and more consists in the greater perfection advantageous development of those characteristics which he possesses in common with animals, all the faculties of shadowed man being as in the it were prophetically fore- animal world, but in highly developed by natural selection. sideration, all On man more closer con- the supposed specific distinctive char- acters between man and animals fall away, and even those attributes of humanity which are regarded as most characteristic, such as the intellectual qualities, the the and moral upright gait, and free use of the hands, human physiognomy and social existence and articulate language, religious feeling, etc., lose their value or become merely relative as soon as we have recourse to a thoroughgoing comparison founded on facts. In this, however, we must not, as is usual, confine our attention to the most highly cultivated FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 3/ Europeans, but must also take into the account those types of man which approach most nearly to the animals and which have had no opportunity of raising themselves from the rude, primitive, natural state to the grade of the civilized man. this, just as in we at In such a study as the investigation of the animal mind, once arrive at the knowledge of quite different things from what the pretentious but hollow ored to make ly that the closet philosophers in their wisdom have us believe, and human being we hitherto endeav- ascertain immediate- in his deepest in his rudest primitive state degradation or approaches the animal world so closely that we involuntarily ask ourselves where the true boundary line is to be drawn. Whoever wishes to form a judgment as to the true nature of man or his true position in Nature must not, as our philosophers and soi disant 'great thinkers' usually do, leave out of consideration the primeval origin and developmental history of man, and look- ing merely at his own little self in the delusive mirror of self-esteem, abstract therefrom a pitiable portrait of a man after the philosophical pattern. He must, on the contrary, grasp at Nature itself with both hands and draw his knowledge from the innumerable TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 38 springs which flow here in the richest abundance." Commenting further in this connection, he writes: "The second volume of his (Buchner's) 'Physiological Pictures' will also contain an essay mind of In this essay animals. it will upon the be shown by numerous well-authenticated examples and facts that the intellectual activities, faculties, feelings and ten- dencies of ible man are foreshadowed in an almost incred- degree in the animal mind. Love, fidelity, grati- tude, sense of duty, religious feeling, friendship, con- and the highest self-sacrifice, pity and the sense of justice and injustice, as also pride, jealscientiousness ousy, hatred, malice, cunning and desire of revenge, are known to the animal, as well as reflection, pru- dence, the highest craft, precaution, care for the future, etc. ascribed to nay, even gormandizing, which is usually man exclusively, exerts sway also over Animals know and practice the fundamental law and arrangements of the State and of the animal. society, of slavery and caste, of education and sick nursing they ; derful structures in the way domestic economy, make the most won- of houses, caves, nests, paths and dams they hold assemblies and public deliberations and even courts of justice upon offenders ; ; FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 39 and by means of a complicated language of sounds, signs and gestures they are able to concert their mutual action in the most accurate manner. In short, the majority of mankind have no knowledge or even suspicion what sort of creature Darwin, in his great an animal is." work, the "Descent of Man," has a paragraph in the chapter "On the Affinities and Genealogy of Man" whose import is specially to the He remarks "Some naturalists, from being point. : deeply impressed with the mental and spiritual pow- man, have divided the whole organic world three kingdoms the human, the animal and the ers of into vegetable thus giving to man a separate kingdom. powers cannot be compared or classed by the naturalist, but he may endeavor to show, as I Spiritual have done, that the mental faculties of man and the lower animals do not differ in kind, although im- mensely in degree. A however difference in degree, great, does not justify us in placing man in a distinct perhaps be best illustrated by comparing the mental powers of two insects, namely, a kingdom, as will coccus or scale insect and an ant, which undoubtedly belong to the same class. greater than, though of a The difference somewhat is here different kind TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 4-O from, that between The female man and the highest coccus, while young, attaches mammal. itself proboscis to a plant, sucks the sap, but never again, fertilized is On history. and lays eggs, and this is its moves whole the other hand, to describe the habits and mental powers of the worker-ants would as Pierre its by Huber has shown, a large volume. require, I may, Ants certainly each other and several however, briefly specify a few points. communicate information unite for the same work or recognize their and feel edifices, to games of play. They fellow ants after months of absence for sympathy for each other. They build great keep them clean, close the doors in the even- ing and post sentries. They make roads as well as tunnels under rivers, and temporary bridges over them by clinging together. They collect food for the community, and when an object too large for enbrought to the nest they enlarge the door and afterward build it up again. They store up seeds trance is of which they prevent the germination and which, if damp, are brought up to the surface to dry. They keep aphides and other insects as milch cows. They go out to battle in regular their lives for the common bands and freely weal. sacrifice They emigrate ac- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 4! cording to a preconcerted plan. They capture slaves. They move the eggs of their aphides, as well as their own eggs and in cocoons, into order that they less similar facts may warm be quickly hatched, and end- could be given. difference between the mental coccus is parts of the nest, On the whole, the powers of an ant and a immense yet no one has ever dreamed of ; placing these insects in distinct classes, much less in No doubt the difference is kingdoms. bridged over by other insects; and this is not the case with man and the higher apes. But we have distinct every reason to believe that the breaks in the series are simply the result of many forms having become extinct." These extracts, given for the reader's considera- tion, present the convictions of this and men who have made related subjects a lifelong study, whose opportunities for acquiring information were relatively unlimited and whose mental equipment fitted peculiarly well to the exactions of their chosen field of research, all of which qualified them for the mak- ing of sound conclusions. There ject, is a comprehensive literature on this sub- extremely interesting in itself. It is only in- TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 42 cidentally related to the subject of training, yet it is worthy the attention of him who earnestly seeks a broad knowledge of it. Before making pertinent investigation on either subject, it is not difficult to believe that the the world is dog is flat; acts wholly by instinct and that after unprejudiced investigation it impossible to believe either. Considered as a being, physically and mentally, the dog develops much with restrictions manner of man, but imposed by Nature and by man after the which force him to recognize pendence through Superior force must Men yield. must bow to it. his inferiority and de- life. is a quantity in feel its life to which all mandates; even nations As between man and dog, the from puppyhood is taught submission and dependence. There is sufficient force at every point to latter repel all attempts master. He which are obnoxious to man, recognizes this from an early age and doghood with a full acceptance of exceptional dog, which betimes has the idea grows his into it. The that he has force enough to meet force, generally goes violently into the bourne provided for bad dogs, whence they never return. Heredity tends to the perpetua- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 43 dogs which are most submissive. The destruction of dogs which are of a bad or unsuitable tion of the temper weeds out the most savage, and insures the perpetuation of those which most amiably accept the place in domestication assigned to them by man. Thus, they grow up deferential by habit, dependent from The fewer of the dog is in old age. Few dogs life years he is live In the the and gregarious by nature. inferiority, same much first in the first For a time the puppy pendent. live so long; ten still longer. year of the dog's relative course of goes through At relatively short. life he goes through development that the boy dozen years of his is life. entirely helpless and de- Gradually strength comes, and he moves about without any exhibition of intelligence. As mind begins to act, and he Soon play engrosses his atten- the brain develops, the shows signs of ideas. tion, and this phenomenon of the average able, is man he life, although by considered frivolous and undesir- essentially useful. It is better to let till his is training him develop in his own manner a year old before the serious attempt at is made. Give him unlimited opportunity TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 44 by taking him frequently into the woods and fields, and permitting him to range and seek and chase in his own manner. to learn The period of youth Nature manner. mature utilizes It is life. it is in the a period of development. most beneficent and proper the preparatory stage for the tasks of Therefore, until the mind and body have been developed in their powers according to Nature's laws, the puppy is not old enough to at- tempt his education. Puppies play furiously with each other exhausted by fatigue. resume their frolics till they are After a short rest they may with unabated ardor. They simulate a close imitation of pursuit and escape, of cunning attack and crafty evasion, or of ambush or battle, dog against dog, seizing, wrestling and struggling in play as they do in actual fight, with the however, that they use their teeth in a "make-believe" way, and do not intentionally hurt difference, each other. At times into a real one, the sham and then there is battle but in the struggle save that teeth are may little develop difference used in earnest. This exercise develops the dog's muscles, his power of actively using his bodily capabilities and his FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 4j mental qualities, and he therefrom acquires a knowledge of his own forces and limitations. If he has no companion of his own kind, he goes through much the same fierce training with an old shoe or other object, it, which he tosses about, shaking and rending while following the instincts of his nature in the evolution as an organism, though only feeling that he is having a glorious diversion. All these experiences are of infinite value to him by way of experimentation. The knowledge acquired in rending, tearing, lift- ing, dodging, ambushing and in developing strong muscular activity, etc., is essential to him in his ma- ture life, either in his wild or domesticated state. a wild state it is indispensable to his existence ; In in a domesticated state serviceable as a means of attack and self-defense to him. tor in his development. investigation, tional His curiosity It leads and thereby him is also a fac- to unlimited his nose acquires a func- power of discrimination which is specially ser- viceable to him. Repress what may of poultry and sheep, be wrong, such as the chasing etc., but leave him to his unin- terrupted pleasure otherwise. He learns the practical TRAINING THE PIUNTING DOG 46 parts of life from his own experience, and by observ- ing the doings of his fellows, but he learns only from opportunity. are imitative. Dogs They readily learn by ob- more experi- serving the doings of older, wiser and enced dogs. They have a limited language by which they can convey certain ideas, and they interpret quite intelligently the significance of certain actions of each other and of their masters. With a purpose to give the reader this point, as well as to in respect to it, some ideas on evoke more serious thought the following frDm "The Descent of presented. Treating of lan"This faculty has justly been considered as one of the chief distinctions between Man," by Darwin, guage, he remarks man and is : But man, as a highly the lower animals. competent judge, Archbishop Whately remarks, 'is not the only animal that can make use of language to express what is passing in his mind, and can under- stand more or less what is so expressed by another.' In Paraguay the Cebus azara, least six monkeys features distinct sounds, similar emotions. when excited, utters at which excite in other The movements of the and the gestures of monkeys are understood FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 47 by us, and they partly understand ours, as Rengger and others declare. It is a most remarkable fact that the dog, since being domesticated, has learned to bark in at least four or five distinct tones. barking is a new art, Although no doubt the wild parent species of the dog expressed their feelings by cries of various With kinds. the domesticated dog, bark of eagerness, as in the chase well as growling; the yelp or when shut up ; we have that of anger as ; howl of the baying at night the ; despair, as the bark of joy, when starting on a walk with his master, and the very distinct one of demand or supplication, as when wishing for a door or window to be opened. Accord- as ing to Houzeau, who paid particular attention to the subject, the domestic fowl utters at least a dozen significant sounds. "The habitual use of articulate language ever, peculiar to man; but he uses in is, common howwith the lower animals inarticulate cries to express his meaning, aided by gestures and the movement of the muscles of the face. This specially holds good with the more simple and vivid little feelings, which are but connected with our higher intelligence. Our cries of pain, fear, surprise, anger, together with their TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 48 appropriate actions, as the murmur of a mother to her beloved child, are more expressive than any words. That which distinguishes man from the lower animals not the understanding of articulate is sounds, for, as every one knows, dogs understand many words and In this respect they are sentences. same stage of development as infants between the ages of ten and twelve months, who understand in the many, words and short sentences, but yet cannot utter a single word. It is not the mere articulation which' is our distinguishing character, for parrots and other birds possess this power. Nor is it the mere capacity of connecting definite sounds with definite ideas, for it is certain that some parrots which have been taught words with things and to speak, connect unerringly persons with events. man The lower animals differ from solely in his almost infinitely larger associating together the most diversified ideas, and this obviously power of sounds and depends on the high de- velopment of his mental powers." In reference to this subject, besides giving his own views at greater length, he quotes from a number of authorities, who and who concur contribute valuable information, in their opinions. FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 49 But, as remarked hereinbefore, so far as the train- ing of the dog for field work is concerned, no ideas can be communicated to him by means of speech. Such things as are useful to him in the struggles of life he learns readily, and such as are useful to his master he is taught with difficulty. In his place in domestic cance of what affects his He learns to interpret smile, and learns whether he ness, so is to he learns the life own comfort correctly his master's know by frown or the tone of his voice pleased or displeased. much and signifi- or interests. His watchful- so thoughtlessly lauded as the ex- pression of his devotion to man, is merely the in- stinctive watchfulness necessary to his safety in a wild state, and is a characteristic which he would ex- ercise quite as readily for his own kind and the preservation of his lair as he would for the benefit of man. When he barks at strange dogs or gives warn- ing at night of the approach of strangers not be overlooked that he considers his disturbed, though also may be the should own home is home of his Much depends on the point of view. may be remarked further that on the one hand master. It it it while the intelligence of the dog has been grossly TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 50 underrated by superficial observers, it has been on the other hand quite as unreasonably exaggerated by The dog enthusiastic admirers. gent than are many compared telligence in the to man in this matter. dog equal however, equal to the intelli- He some of them. to him. of a high order. is demands of and his nature, is is not Indeed, in- to that possessed would be a most grievous calamity telligence, not more other kinds of animals, and inferior in this respect ID to be is by man His in- It is quite to his posi- tion in the scale of organic being. There are writers who urge for the still greater claims dog than the claim of high intelligence. They maintain that dogs possess souls and therefore have eternal life, but that speculation is not pertinent to the best methods of training, and therefore not perti- nent to this work. His reasoning powers are quite acute on such matA ters as come within his immediate observation. few of many common acts will be mentioned. hounds, after repeated chases of a fox over the course, will, in some him same later chase, lie concealed at a point which will intercept pursuit drive Some by. him as the other hounds Greyhounds soon learn in to FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. <( 51 run cunning." Setters and pointers sometimes learn an old cock running down wind, circling around him till they head him ofj and stop his running, and pointing him then accurately. All to leave the trail of by the dog over concrete subjects If an attempt within his immediate observation. this is reasoning him x represented an un- were made to teach known mind could not grasp the aband failure would result. Primitive man quantity, his stract idea, displays but and so that little far as it more it is goes, intelligence displayed intelligence. the same by the dog. Such in practical living is it is kind as the In either case a vast store of knowledge pertaining to the means of as ways and necessary in the struggle for existence. As to his best development, ance with his own nature. it He must be in accord- must have all the which can be consistently given to him, to the end that his bodily and mental powers be developed liberty to their best limits. He that his attachment to must be treated kindly, so his master will be deep and lasting; that is to say, associating with his master and hunting with him as a companion confer one of the highest degrees of pleasure of which he has TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 52 any knowledge. It should be made him a source to of constant delight. Play with his fellows, chasing butterflies and little birds, crude attempts at chasing rabbits, galloping over the and fields in the wantonness of surplus energy ecstatic spirits, to the meaning of and gratifying his curiosity as things, etc., are quite serious enough by way of occupation during the months of his puppyhood. Many amateurs proceed on the theory that if left to himself the puppy will learn many things that are wrong, that from the beginning he must be under constant supervision, and that therefore his develop- ment must be in accord with certain finished educa- tional standards useful to the gun. be more fallacious. iterated, is to The true practice, made theory could it may be re- permit the dog to develop in his natural manner, and then so train are No him own that his efforts subservient to the purposes of the gun. FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. CHAPTER 53 III. NATURAL QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS. THE natural instincts of the dog and his manner of seeking prey are by the sportsman termed natural qualities. field trial is The term is used more in connection with competition, to distinguish between natural and what is what educational. Like other members of the carnivorous family, to which he belongs, the dog is a meat eater. In secur- ing a food supply, he naturally takes to the pursuit of other animals which are his prey. His teeth are and sharp, are set in correspondingly heavy, muscular jaws, and his digestive organs also denote that he belongs to the carnivora. He pos- large, strong sesses extraordinary fleetness of foot, bodily activity, courage, great powers of endurance, keen and dis- criminating functional powers of nose and a high degree of intelligence in his sphere of which are and .life, all of essential to his existence in a wild state, in domestication are highly prized by man. TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 54 Without a high degree of intelligence, the posses- sion of his destructive bodily powers tle value to him. would be of They would be worthless if lit- he were brainless. and knowledge are essential to the respect to attack and defense. His every Intelligence dog, both in act denotes that he has the intelligence and capacity knowledge as he needs. He plans and executes craftily according to his plans, or changes them to conform to varying circumstances. His acts are marked by great courage and dash when to acquire such in pursuit tivity and when attack, in flight and by great prudence and acfrom danger. He possesses a certain sagacity in recognizing a superior force, in refraining from the attack when and the disadvantages are too great for probable success. Singly, he does not hesitate to attack smaller ani- mals than himself; larger animals he prefers to attack with the aid of his fellows that is to say, as a pack. A brief experience which are the most suffices to vital parts of the pursues as prey, and he inflicts injury teach him animals he on them accordingly. Different dogs employ different methods of attack, FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. according to their powers catches in, in its spine and in the it middle of the back, crushes paralyzing and killing ribs, Not possessing the power manner, the small the woodchuck holds on enough till for instance, a large dog, woodchuck or other small animal, battling with a rushes ; 55 dog till it is he slowly to shake it, to kill in seizes such a it quickly. summary by the throat, shakes dazed and unconscious, and kills If it. he holds it he fast is not strong by the throat, thereby insuring the least possible injury to himself while inflicting the greatest possible injury on his prey, as this hold simultaneously attacks the jugular, the windpipe, that dogs sufficient many important nerves, employ so many to prove that different they The etc. methods possess is fact alone reasoning powers. Dogs, fighting in packs, perform at their best securing their prey. making common tively far more Two in dogs, fighting conjointly, cause against an animal, are reladestructive than they are fighting one engages the enemy in front the other has a comparatively unhindered opportunity to singly, for while bite and maim the rear. Several dogs in a pack therefore are exceedingly formidable when battling TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 56 They time and against other animals. efforts most direct their and intelligently in support in defense of each other. In the concerted action of large animal, each all yet the it, may perform the attack on a quite a distinct part, their efforts are directed to the attainment of Some may engage same end. sham all in the animal in a attack in front while others, behind, hamstring or tear Turn its flanks. incessantly maintained, seized and injured till may, the attack is and every vulnerable point is as it the animal weakens. proper juncture the pack closes in on it At the and then the end soon comes. In their methods of pursuing and capturing their dogs possess many traits in common. Some, however, have special qualities for one kind of pur- prey all suit, some have them ities peculiarly fit for other kinds, them and these qual- for the service of man when he attempts pursuit himself. The foxhound has essential in the foxes. Man is the speed, stamina and nose so most successful pursuit of deer and deficient in these qualities, so he ap- propriates the efforts of the dog to his own use. The greyhound has the dashing speed and determination FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. which enable him wolves, etc., in Setters for their to catch the swiftest 57 hares or a short pursuit. and pointers are particularly prized by man natural impulse to hunt game birds, and the natural methods they employ in their efforts to capture them, for it so happens that the methods em- ployed by the dog for himself are equally useful to man when employed As in his service. setters and pointers are naturally of an amiable and deferential nature, diverting their efforts to the purposes of the gun is not a task of great difficulty. The contention made herein that pointing planted in the dog by Nature for his that it is but one detail of own many others is im- benefit, and in the exercise of his instinctive efforts to obtain a food supply, is opposed to some exceedingly venerable teachings on this subject. That the reader may have a better understanding of the ancient speculation concerning the origin of the act of pointing, and at the same time the exalted importance of man, as determined by himself, the following excerpt Stonehenge, whom is quoted from the public, in his day and for some years afterward, accepted as an authority on this point: TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 58 In his work, "The Dogs of the British Islands" (edition of 1867), he writes: "As some difference of opinion appears to exist with regard to setters, we have determined thoroughly to satisfy ourselves as to their origin and best form, and we have called all the best authorities to our assistance. We propose and to place the result of our labors before the public, to add our own conclusions. no doubt that the sport of hawking was known and practiced by the ancient Britons, and that "There the is Roman was totally ignorant of the science; but the invader at once came to the conclusion that the system might be improved and introduced the land spaniel, if not the water dog also, into this country. "These dogs roused the game, and this was all that the hawker required of them in those early days but ; in after years, as we point, or, in the language of the quaint old writer, fall down upon their bellies/ and shall see, dogs were required to 'Sodainely stop and having so done, when within two or three yards, 'then shall your setter stick and by no persuasion go further till "At yourself first, come in and use your pleasure/ then, without doubt, the spaniel was merely used as a springer for the hawk, which was FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. subsequently neglected for the net ; 59 and the propen- making his dash at and cherished, by breeding and game was cultivated sity of the to pause before dog by observing the ac- selection, until at last, gratified tion of the net, he yielded his natural impulse of springing at all and set to be drawn over him. or lay down to permit the net After this the hawker trained his spaniel to set; then he cast off his ascended in circles, and 'waited roused the quarry from pounced upon "When it its hawk, which on' until his master concealment, when she like a pistol shot. used either with hawks or for the net (especially in the latter case), a far heavier dog an- swered the purpose than what we call a 'high-ranging setter.' The net enveloped a whole covey in its meshes and few manors would allow of many coveys being taken in a day; whilst the disentangling the birds and securing dog to rest As them allowed time for the heavy and regain his wind." further bearing on this point, he refers to it again in the same work, in the chapter on the Sussex spaniel, as follows : "About the year 1555 a Duke of Northumberland trained one and soon afterward the 'to set setter birds for the net,' was produced; either TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 60 selection or by by crossing the Talbot hound and spaniel." From for the the implication in the foregoing origin of the setter as well as the act of pointing therein only matter of implication short step for later and more to assert that the setter had a the act of pointing had its it is was but a superficial writers spaniel origin, and that source in the training of a few dogs to lie down while a net was spread over them and the covey which they had found. Could anything be more inconsequential in the explanation of a simple subject than that in 1555 an Duke unknown trained a Sussex spaniel "to set birds for the was produced, or by crossing the Talbot hound net and soon afterward the setter either by selection and the spaniel" ? As to the origin of the setter, there is but one sensible conclusion that is to say, we do not know what it is. Up to the time of Col. Hutchin- son there were few authors on canine subjects wrote from their still to who had own practical jectures experience, and fewer proper discriminating powers of mind They accepted him is, and all the absurdities, con- comprehend the dog as he accordingly. who and vagaries of the first to write of writers as being FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. good matter-of-fact, and did not them as being true. By come 61 hesitate to repeat the simple process of dint of repetition, it has to be a general belief that the pointing instinct originated as told in the net-and-dog story, or as implied by it, for it does not assert it. In fact, it ad- mits the existence of the instinct, as shown by the remark "and the propensity of the dog to pause before making his dash at game was cultivated and cherished, gratified by breeding and selection, until, at last, by observing the action of the ed his natural impulse of springing at is precisely the case to-day, for the net if we net, he yield- That all," etc. substitute the gun and interpret the loosely written descrip- tion according to the facts. The dog making his of to-day has naturally the pause before dash to capture. ing as a consequence of He only forbears much spring- training. After he has observed the success of the gun on the one hand, and after being firmly denied the pleasure of springing on the other hand, we come to the ancient modern last, gratified belief wherein he is "at serving the action of the net," etc. The and by ob- ancient writers were, moreover, handicapped by the over- TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 62 weening belief in the sublimity of cial creation of all man and the spe- the lower animals for his benefit. Considering setters and pointers from the same unprejudiced standpoint from which sider tigers, wild dogs, cats and rats, we would conetc., we observe that they possess the hunting instinct and the knowl- edge of the best manner of hunting, to the end that they may obtain a food supply. In a wild state their existence depends on their ability to pursue and capture. The hunting exercise were no instinct and the manner of more implanted its in the nature of pointers and setters to please or profit a man with a gun than was the like instinct, etc., of their wild con- geners, the wolves, dingoes, same purpose. Setters and pointers, etc., though implanted for the their names might seem to indicate otherwise, display no essential differences in their methods of pursuit and capture, nor in their choice of prey. They delight in hunting rab- bits, squirrels and other small animals, and prefer them to game birds as an object of pursuit. It is not at all a difficult matter to break a birds. dog from hunting Not infrequently the amateur accomplishes this result unintentionally and unexpectedly by pun- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 63 ishment in his mistaken attempts to train, the result being an unfortunate condition called "blinking." It is a task of extreme difficulty to break the dog from his passionate fondness for for a time will disobey ment and He commands, ignore punish- strike out independently to gratify his fondness for chasing them. tongue merrily and flies On along punishing brier or through hunting rabbits. their trail he gives at his muddy topmost speed, swamp, never feeling fatigue while the ardor of the chase is upon him. The about setter till and pointer, when seeking birds, range they strike the trail; then they follow carefully, silently and alertly. As the it setter nears the birds and the scent gets warmer, he feathers; his eyes glisten; his jaws open tremulously; he crouches as he draws nearer, and mayhap he may drop ground for a moment; his nerves come and muscles be- tenser in anticipation of the approaching spring and dash into the concealment of the birds, :he resultant ! the to the bloody ending. The same phenomena, except the The nose organ of feathering. of the pointer or setter sense. It and of pointer exhibits is his highest has wonderful functional powers, TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 64 and by experience he acquires equally wonderful powers of discrimination Each follows scenting. When he has drawn near to the birds he new problem has a in its use. the trail accurately by his powers of to solve he must accurately deter- ; mine the whereabouts of the birds ment. If he cannot do in their conceal- so, his skill The reading them avail nothing. ably discovered that an enemy and silence in birds have prob- about and have is sought the most convenient cover for safety. near to them he sets, denote the same act ; he is in the extent of his capabilities nevertheless keenly alert. his distance When stands or points, terms which ; If a position to spring to his eyes are set but are he is not quite sure of and the location of the birds, he moves, perhaps taking a better advantage of the wind and ground, and points again. Satisfied at length that he has made his calculations correctly, he springs from his point with wonderful agility and generally with admirable precision, succeeding frequently in catching a bird before before which If it it it can get well on the wing, or can disentangle itself from the cover in was concealed. he has erred in his calculations, or if he has not FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS; Used his nose truly, he a wrong tire of the effort. may spring from his point in direction and thereby possibly When eyes corne into service. he may If turing one. If make a fail^ the birds rise the dog's he errs on the readjust for the second, aiid laggards or weak birds he 65 if may still he captures and is first spring there are any succeed in cap- permitted to dis- pose of the bird as he pleases, he forthwith eats it with great relish. The fox observes a similar method when he attempts cat, too, exhibits to capture grouse. analogous method in stalk small birds, etc., trusting, its The attempt to however, more to the sense of sight than to the sense of smell. Many centuries ago man observed this trait of the dog and learned that, by restraining it to limits which did not permit of the spring to capture, it could be usefully applied to his pursuit and capture of own purposes in the game birds. Ranging, reading, pointing and the knowledge and crafty application of them which comes only from experience, the trainer cannot supply. The majority of amateurs, however, start on the mistaken theory that they must not only teach the dog how to work to the gun, but how to hunt birds. TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 66 Dogs so taught, or rather so untaught, They jectly perfunctory. become ab- lose all independence of action or purpose, and look to their trainer for orders at every turn. All idea of initiative is gone from them and therewith nearly all of self-interest consequently they are more or less listless and sloth; ful in manner and are devoid of ardor and industry. Let the puppy range and locate the birds in his own wild way. Let him alone. What if he flushes and chases? All the better. not flush and chase at self, puppy which will Left to him- a marvel. he learns to locate quickly and discriminates as to the kind of cover frequents. his first is A With more experience he puppy ways man have and are and the nooks which the game ; will modify at all events, the qualities useful to been developed by sensible opportunity in proper form for his schooling to the gun. Developed in this manner, besides having a knowledge most useful in the capacity of servant, he will have dash, enthusiasm, persistence and that very desirable quality commonly called "bird sense," which the dog acquires for himself, and which the trainer could not impart to him otherwise than by experience if he devoted a lifetime to it. FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. The foregoing eral and ment of 67 contains a description of the gen- essential principles employed in the develop- and pointers in the service of the gun, and the proper theory on which to conduct their Under no other conditions is it possible to training. setters develop the field field trial dog; for while the imperfect dog might give reasonable shooter, the imperfect field trial would satisfaction to a dog in competition suffer according to his imperfections. TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 68 CHAPTER IV. PUNISHMENT AND BAD METHODS. FEAR forms, bird shyness (commonly in all its whip shyness, man shyness, gun called blinking), shyness, or a shyness in taking the initiative in anything, is the common result of harshly repressive and tyrannical methods. is Accordingly as the fear associated with a particular object so one kind of shyness for it be exhibited; but may associated with several objects if from the dog's point of view. fear there may be is cause Badly treated dogs may show eral apprehensiveness that something dreadful likely to happen of shyness may all at the different forms, with a gen- any moment. from the result a moment, but generally it is is Sometimes a form trainer's mistake of the result of systematic harshness. Whatever the cause, shyness of any kind is more or less a serious check on the dog's training,' and if it FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. is of the kind known as blinking, it 69 may go far to- ward rendering him worthless. The trainer who succeeds best must have a genuine liking for dogs, else he harshness or is predisposed to habitual indifference. Those who have no much fondness for them are rarely skillful educators, and generally the of a success as dog which is so unfortunate as to be under their schooling has met his misfortunes of life at its very outset. While a dog may misbehave and therefore need punishment as a preventive, it must ever be considered that there are degrees of manner of applying One tive. trainer it it, which render may whip it, and a most effec- times for it a dog severely without thereby losing his confidence or abating his ardor; another one may evoke shyness. give a less punishment and The one had still the dog's confidence and affection the other had but a small part of them ; or none. There are dogs which are by nature timid, but When the shyness is a euphemistic term for fear. There are some painful associations of the past which he considers may become the realities of the present, and being a reason- dog is shy he is afraid. TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 7O shy of those which suggest pain. afraid of the whip because it is associated with ing animal he He is is He painful memories. cause the latter is is He gerous in certain moods. the concussion of it is afraid of the gun if has strained and pained his ear the flash has hurt his eyes, if drums, afraid of his handler be- a being of superior force and dan- if the smell of the foul gases has offended his delicate nose, and if way by which he reasoned that the presence of the gun was associated with the he has been thrashed in a He thrashing. is shy of birds if he whipped confor what he is is cerning them before he knows whipped the pain then associated with them, and ; when he is catches scent of them he blinks. He be- comes shy of taking any independent action if he is constantly nagged and balked and scolded and bedeviled, and would be so sides it is if a fair assumption that his master subjected to the same treatment, be- having therefrom a large fund of hard-luck with which to edify his friends. stories While all it is not possible to conduct the training of dogs without evoking a feeling of shyness times, it is at quite possible to keep the shyness within bounds which are not harmful, if not possible to dis- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. pel the shyness as a But if ?! phase of the passing moment. the dog's fears dominate him, his thoughts are concentrated on his mind he When is own safety, and in that frame of not a promising pupil. a dog is trained too much, he is said to be over-trained, but this term does not properly convey the meaning of the results of over-meddling, namely, the suppression of his proper educational develop- ment and the slavish subordination of his will, make him a mere unthinking machine of his master. By way in the which hands of contrasting the differ- ence between arrested mental development, let us consider the independent action, the resourcefulness, the vigorous industry of a suit of a fox, of hound or hounds greyhounds in pur- in pursuit of a jack- and pointers when freely ranging alone through field and forest in purThese qualities, then at their best suit of prey. rabbit, of self-hunting setters that is, as the dogs use them for themselves are at the degree they should be after the trained to apply if them dog in the service of the gun. is But, own judgevery moment the trainer exercises and enforces his ment as to and every what the dog must do act, perpetually in commanding, whistling-, TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 72 him signaling, checking in his every independent purpose, he will become so dominated and restricted in time that he will be a creature without a will or purpose of his own, and will look to his trainer for prompting and orders From gence the in the moment puppy at every turn. of the the till first glimmer of moment he dies, intelli- he in do- He mestication observes the domination of man. quickly learns that man is his superior in force and knowledge, and he learns also that to him he must working to the gun which at first were submitted to under compulsion in time are accepted by him from self-interest and habit. yield. Restrictions in If the over-trained dog makes a short turns immediately for a trainer as to command what he should do cast, he re- or signal from his He next. points perfunctorily under submission. roads and His whole attention and acts are engrossed in the observance of his slavehood; perpetually balked, thrashed and dominated, his ardent desire to pursue and capture in his own free and happy manner is suppressed or entirely extinguished company of training. his teacher. either harmfully when he Such are the is in the evils of over- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. A dog over-trained worker than one that whose natural connection, tically the orders at much value as a is of is but partially trained but less capabilities are unimpaired. may it 73 In this be usefully remarked that prac- properly trained dog works without any Man and dog all. seek with concerted ac- tion to supplement each other's efforts, to- working The dog, allowed to work in his own manner, but restricted more and more to apply his work in the service of the gun gether for mutual success as a team. as his training progresses, in time learns that great success results from the joint efforts of his master and himself; and he then performs his part with an intelligence and a practical manipulation of means to ends far beyond any knowledge which could be conveyed to him by his teacher. A knowledge of the sential in the but it is still evils of over-training is es- development and training of more dogs. However trained dog may be sidered as even field dogs, essential in respect to field trial satisfactory to his in field making a owner an over- work, he will not be con- good showing when in competition with properly trained dogs which are performing under the critical eye of the judge. But TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 74 the distinctions in respect to field and field trial train- ing will be more fully set forth in other chapters. Training a dog to loud orders is a bad, coarse method of teaching obedience. It is indicative of bad temper in the trainer, accomplishes nothing which could not be accomplished is in a quieter way, distinctively offensive to everyone within hearing of the hullabaloo, and gives alarming notice to all the birds in the neighborhood that a dangerous, bloodthirsty man has invaded their habitat. It thus im- pairs success. Oftentimes the amateur trainer takes his gun and sets forth to kill birds, taking a green puppy along and making the education of the latter a mere dent of his sport. Such is not at all training proper sense. should be at a It is much commencing at a point inci- in a which later stage in the dog's educa- tion. After the training has once been begun, regularity prime importance. For instance, be conceded at once that it is much better to in the lessons is of it will give a dog a half -hour lesson on each of ten days than it is to give one day. him a lesson of five hours' duration on While a dog has very good powers of FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. memory, he soon forgets his first lessons if 75 he not is refreshed by daily repetition in respect to them. The may have had a similar forgetfulness concerning his own first lessons, which should admonish trainer him to be considerate. While punishment betimes is a necessity, its use as a whole is unnecessarily comprehensive. There is no doubt that it under a mistaken dog and to learn that it belief that what the in inflicted is it is most instances useful in forcing a trainer desires he should learn really accomplishes the desired purpose. The idea, so applied, is a ment never teaches the negative manner ; that mistaken one. Punish- dog anything other than in a is to say, it simply deters him from doing certain things. It does not in the least add to the dog's sum total of knowledge in a developmental manner. For instance, if the dog is punished for chasing a rabbit, he learns that the act has painful associations, which are likely to again recur if the act chasing. is repeated, and, expecting this, he forbears The punishment does not him the reason why he must not in the least teach chase, nor indeed anything about chasing other than that the act sults in pain to himself. It is re- a deterrent, and he un- TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 76 derstands nothing more concerning the other he had not the natural impulse and inclina- if hand, On it. no degree of punishment would teach him how tion, to chase a rabbit or even to chase dog's point of view, there rabbit, chicken or sheep, prey is etc. at is From all. in chasing unbounded he ; following the natural impulses of his nature; his manner of obtaining yet, if the are his natural They his delight in their pursuit ; it no wrong the necessities of dog it is is life ; punished, he yields to superior force and de- sists. There is punishment The no part of a dog's education is in which of any benefit except as a corrective. dog's knowledge increases only from experi- ence. The into the trainer cannot force his dog by virtue of own knowledge whip or spike collar. Even when forcing a dog to retrieve with the latter instru- ment, its the value is purely negative. dog anything about It does not teach retrieving, as will be more on that sub- fully explained in the chapter treating ject. When made a dog's fears are aroused, or when he is needlessly to feel uncomfortable, worried and uneasy, his progress as a pupil is slow, If the les- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. sons are ceeded made obnoxious in JJ to him, the trainer has suc- making them things to be avoided or quickly ended rather than things which have a pleas- ant purpose. is With a truly a sad one. violent teacher, the dog's life His knowledge under the most disheartening similar violent conditions, would is then acquired Under difficulties. the teacher as a pupil and implore the world to witwrongs. Punishment is a bad rise in rebellion ness and right his enough measure when used as a true aid tion. It is no part of education when used to educato gratify anger. Until the trainer can control his temper, fortunately have one which to the dog's capacity cient. And is fiery, and progress, he fit if he un- his efforts will be ineffi- these corrections of himself no one can do for him other than himself. and and His own judgment self-control are his only reliance, since they are personal and therefore entirely outside of the scope of any system presented by others. TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 78 CHAPTER V. THE BEST LESSONS OF PUPPYHOOD. As INTIMATED preceding chapters, the most in useful education to the puppy is that in Nature's own His best development, mentally, physically, and educationally, comes from his own powers of obschool. servation and practice. The training which in domestication he receives from association with special schooling in his master, working and from the more to the gun, is but a mere incident. Considering his education as a whole, as the puppy develops, the trainer can do ties much to strengthen the of friendly association and to evoke therewith puppy a run in the fields every day or two, feeds him regularly, and joins him more or less in his plays, he becomes to the enthusiastic effort. If he gives the an object of distinguished consideration. The puppy thereby is gradually dominated and accepts latter his master as the one who is in authority. His conse- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. quent association of ideas, seek>his master's society is if pleasant, impels whenever /Q him to his self-interest aroused, whether in respect to wandering about through the fields, or pursuing his prey, or looking to his master for food and shelter, or enjoying the peace and comfort of mind which come from agreeable comradeship with him. By this association he forms a friendly alliance with his master, which, after a length of time, becomes a habit of life, and, if properly cherished, a true second nature. By when joining the puppy betimes in his plays, and by permitting him to revel in the delights of strategic stalking and chasing young birds and afield butterflies, studying his circumventing frogs and admiring and all master in Nature through the organ of scent, as an analogous manner studies it through the organ of sight, he becomes waywise, gains a knowledge of the things of the outer world, besides being afforded the freedom of action so essential to his physical development and well-being. A puppy, when constantly on a chain or in confinement, can learn nothing of value to his master or to himself, simply because opportunity to learn is under such conditions no afforded. A case in point is TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 80 that of the mature city dog which, experiencing the delights of a for the first visit to the time country, most unbounded ignorance, though displays overflowing with amazement and ecstasy. The comthe mon domestic animals excite both his predatory terest of a pel and apprehension of danger. cow him in the pasture, to make est alarms, as though a bold front, shown by his Even the sight his instinct fills in- may im- him with the gravin alert re- waverings and reluctant advances. Again, he romps about in a foolish manner, doing a thousand trivial treats or foolish things, at cross purposes with every happening, and his poor mind ever with wonder- filled ment. If confined constantly, besides is being ignorant, he mentally dwarfed, physically inferior, less more or misshapen, with a soured temper and an impaired capacity for companionship. in confinement till In fact, he matures, there if he is is likely kept to be a general lifelong depreciation of his faculties and capabilities. On the other hand, the learns the dog which has meaning of everything within his liberty his environ- ment, and adjusts his deportment accordingly. FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. While permitting him to enjoy his 81 own natural riotous manner, the ecstatic pleasure of expending surplus energy, the trainer will have no difficulty in maintaining his own domination. able natural tendencies may Many such as an inclination to chase sheep or poultry, ally, From etc. the puppy point of view there pursuing them; indeed, he cannot in objection- be suppressed incident- is no harm know that they are not objects of legitimate pursuit and capture before he his is so taught by experience. standpoint every living animal woods and fields is feels in the humor wishes to compass its do him if he or to be killed if he so, death. In this connection, by considering can teach the dog to blink sheep, the better comprehend teach him found in the there to be chased by to From how to blink birds. he how easily he etc., the trainer will may unintentionally The dog mediate relation of circumstances. considers the im- He, when blink- some painful experience with the the painfulness be from scoldings and ing, associates birds. If whippings, he quite reasonably considers that they were administered for taking notice of the birds at rather than for flushing and chasing them, the all TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 82 latter first being acts which, from his standpoint, are at quite right. thus will be noted that a certain degree of free- It dom and association with man essential to the dog's is best education as. a servant in the interests of the gun. Nor are the advantages of companionship to be all charged to the puppy trainer is in the matter of training. also benefited thereby. It The gives him the best of opportunities to study the puppy's peculiarities and He abilities. will note whether his pupil is intelligent or stupid, timid or bold, diligent or lazy, calm or excitable, gain to him if In fact, etc. it will be a distinct he cultivates a habit of close observa- and doings of his pupils at all times. No two dogs have precisely the same talents, nor the same methods of accomplishing their purposes. tion of the traits Indeed, most dogs vary widely in their powers, and the application of them. natural manner. by any attempts even though ined. The He own. ality of his it Each dog has an individu- can best perform in his own Nothing, therefore, will be gained to make him work up to some ideal, be the most famous ideal ever imag- idea of the ideal can never be cated to the dog. communi- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. The most of the powers the dog ture. do best that the trainer can This velops the is is to make The trainer de- If the puppy has not the powers of greatness within himself, impossible to develop so as musician, for him beyond to develop a artist, etc., if man is most of his limitations ; as he has not the natural talents to the house training more commonly it is into a great orator, any of these accomplishments. As it it is and to the extent of his abilities, having done that he can do no more. much the endowed with by Na- the standard of effort. puppy is 83 . or house breaking, as the puppy acquires called by virtue of scoldings and the broomstick. he appreciates the best bed and bedroom for a If it kennel, he feels that a lashed hide, scoldings, cold looks and unfriendly surveillance are matters worth noting and heeding. When driven from the parlor at the point of the broomstick he avoids a place of pains and discomfort. it thereafter as The dining room, ' e table e and the food placed upon it, by virtue of broomstick, are conceded by him, sooner or later, Banished repeatedly to be a place for his betters. from the house in disgrace, friendly regard of its and deprived of the members for the time being, 84 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG he suffers pain and deprivation, consequently his own self-interest prompts him to learn what the household regulations what the penalty is if are, as they are violated, and what privileges are accorded to least resistance. they concern himself, him on the lines of the FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. CHAPTER 85 VI. YARti BREAKING. THE called preliminary schooling of the dog, yard breaking/ consists in commonly teaching him the proper acts of obedience in response to certain com- mands which are of general and special utility in controlling him in his work afield and at other times. By establishing a habit of prompt and cheerful obedience to such commands before the more serious training in the work afield begins, it is readily appar- made. Inci- ent that a distinct educational gain dentally, these preliminary lessons, ties is by the opportuni- of companionship which they afford, establish the most friendly relations between teacher pil, if they are kindly and sympathetically conducted. From and He and pu- his hours of play, frolics as then is wherein the puppy frisks he pleases, hardly any fatigue ensues. following the simple impulses of his mind, which do not cause great nervous heating, confusion, or intense worry. own strain, over- He abhors TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 86 lessons which are devoid of all amusement. are gently and amusingly given success is If they more pro- After a time mental strength and stamina gressive. and then longer lessons may be given will develop, without distressing him. Later in the training the powers of his mind be- come so much more vigorous most that the difficult of the training lessons are learned with greater ease than were the far more simple beginnings. To him concentrate his is being taught in the first lessons is exceedingly difficult him therefore the teacher would fatiguing to set mind on what ; and better a short limit to the lessons, say fifteen or twenty minutes. He also should avoid the habit of con- and nagging the pupil between lesbossed and bullied incessantly, he, after stantly bossing sons. If he is a time, loses is all power of independent so dominated by his tutor that he initiative, is and a mere un- thinking machine. These suggestions as as applicable on game as breaking. to over discipline are quite when the dog is receiving his experience they are when he is receiving his yard His subjugation tion of his trainer is to the entire domina- undesirable at any time. Yet FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. are annually spoiled, or their best many good dogs efforts / marred, by rigidly restricting them to lines of action in their yard training which are mistakenly deemed to be the correct thing working to the gun. While the trainer may have when they are actu- ally in mind the nice ner in which the theoretical training will practical work, the dog is training, or, indeed, that thing at into the fit entirely ignorant that it it is has any reference to any- He recognizes that all useful. man- he is cramped and confined in his efforts, and, if so mentally en- slaved becomes a it till deference at all times. Without the the if dog ability or inclination to worthless for is habit, he exhibits slavish field purposes. and consequently they inclination to search for birds. to hunt him to This mind it is do dogs, is If the lose all dog refuses beyond the power of any one to force so. a point which the trainer should ever bear that to say, is which impels him is Some checked too much, perceive nothing which appeals to their self-interest, in hunt game, not preserved to seek all it is the dog's self-interest game. If this self-interest incentive to effort on the dog's TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 3 part is gone. His natural impulse for the pursuit of birds and his enthusiasm in his efforts to capture them are so great that he will submit to much ing and punishment before he will desist is but there a certain limit beyond which he will net maintain interest and effort if the trainer is over-restrictive. In the yard training, as in the trainer should teach in ; balk- and handle most instances denotes ciplined mind. work, the Turbulence quietly. ill-temper or a badly dis- The loud and commands and blowing field incessant issuing of of whistles, in season and cut of season, with or without cause, are faults com- mon to nearly all amateurs, nearly all professionals. and for that matter The majority are self-taught, so that bad habits of to of trainers method and manner acquired in the beginning are likely to be retained by them throughout their lives. Habituated thoroughly to their own ways, they often are quite unconscious of the hullabaloo which they create, and of their offensiveness to such company as may be with them, to say nothing of the great handicap which they impose upon any dog which may be under their control. Boisterous shouting of orders and Constant whis- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. tling are the cause of many flushes. 89 If the fright- ened birds be in the proximity of the dog at the time, the noisy trainer dog is at fault rather than himself, When guilty party. prone to consider that the is who is really the so noisily intent on securing obedience in an habitual hullabaloo manner, the trainer is generally lost to so far as they relate to his It is to quiet not at own incidental happenings, faults. to teach a all difficult commands and itely better to handle in all gentle signals, him in that dcg obedience and it is infin- manner afield than a manner of noise and violence, apart from all considerations of ease and elegance. While being taught, the dog Quickly learns the signs which indicate punishment and the signs which indicate that the teacher is pleased or displeased. Changes of voice and expression of countenance, whether of pleasure or irritation, are noted and correctly interpreted. It is therefore essential for the best progress in the lessons that the teacher preserve an equable exterior and action at all times, be he pleased or displeased. In the summer days in the early it is better to give the lessons morning and evening, the temperature TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 9O then being coolest. panting he suffers difficult to. When much the is puppy discomfort, and warm and it is then hold his interest or attention. His mind, being immature and undisciplined, can compass only the simplest details. Therefore it is best to begin with the most elementary lessons, and thus his ideas will be developed in a natural manner, and obedience spirit will be enforced without breaking his As with or lessening his self-confidence. child in its first puppy; it is attempts at learning, so extremely difficult it is the with the and wearisome for to at first understand the simplest teachings or con- it centrate mind on any subject which requires Under such circumstances, the amateur its thought. teacher should not too hastily, assume that the is stupid. When within a even if teaching the room first lessons it is better to be or yard from which he cannot escape, so inclined. attempts to do to puppy so. Undoubtedly he It is good training make such attempts with make many to permit him will the resultant failures. Then, after repeated disappointments, he will aban- don them. If the trainer commands the puppy to do some- FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 91 thing under such circumstances that obedience can- not be enforced, and the latter then escapes or succeeds in disobeying, a very troublesome factor The advantages thereby introduced. is of disobedi- ence are quickly learned and remembered, and thereafter, when he to a degree is disinclined to obedience, which is if pressed displeasing to him, he runs away. In this connection it may be remarked that every precaution should be taken to prevent the puppy from running away, for once he learns that he can


text:
How the Brain Heals
Injuredtriathletes can often take advantage of their healing time to increase their efforts in one or two disciplines that don't aggravate the injury. Nonetheless, pain is complex and it is important to know that feeling some pain doesn't require stopping activity. Rehabilitation that necessitates training with some pain might not only be acceptable but necessary. The challenge for triathletes is to know when to persist through rehabilitative pain and when to avoid it. To help make this decision we need to understand more about pain in general.
Pain is the brain's response to a perceived threat. It is created by the brain from information the body, senses, emotions and environment provide. Following an injury, pain usually restricts our movements to protect an injured area and encourage healing. However, even after that healing has occurred, we are often left with a sensitized pain alarm system.
In this state, the body is still trying to protect itself from what the brain senses to be further damage. The pain felt at that point is a poor ref lection of any residual tissue injury. This is because pain management is a learned habit. Our threshold for feeling pain can decrease even if we have a high pain tolerance. This is an issue for many triathletes who can tolerate a great deal of pain – their tolerance is high, but their threshold is lowered.
A lowered threshold to pain is like having an overly sensitized fire alarm. Alarms aren't meant to tell you what the problem is, just that there might be a problem. The brain's pain alarm will still go off even though the trigger for the pain episode is long gone. Pain and damage should never be viewed as having a direct relationship with each other. People born without a leg can feel pain in a foot that has never existed. Many hard working triathletes have experienced broken bones, stress fractures or torn ligaments without feeling pain.
This complex relationship between the perception of pain and tissue damage can be exploited for training and rehabilitation.

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