Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/252

240 These may later be useful in a modified form, but not at first; indeed, such methods are mostly quite unnecessary if a proper course be pursued. To illustrate: Suppose that a brace of setter puppies eight months old be taken to some wood where there is but little game. If they tend to run wild without any reference to the whereabouts of the trainer, and disregard his calls or his whistle, it surely would not be wise to whip those puppies soundly at once, attach a spiked collar or a check-line. To do so would probably confuse them, humiliate them, and retard their development in every way. Now, if the trainer secrete himself for a little while, these puppies will probably get frightened a little, feeling that they are lost, and will after this be more cautious how widely they range. When they do come in they may be scolded, but not whipped at this stage.



It should be pointed out that all dogs should be taught to come in to whistle and to "down charge," or to drop at some word of command or at the upraising of the hand. This applies to all breeds, though more especially to dogs used in shooting, A dog in the field should also be guided by the motions of his trainer's hand. In learning this, the voice, the whistle, and often a long cord will be useful.

But the author wishes to avoid giving the impression that