the proper position, hind legs under the body, nose on the
ground between their fore-paws. Retaining them so with one hand on their
head, your feet one on each side their hind quarters, with the other hand
pat and encourage them. Do not persist at this early age more than a few
minutes at a time, and after it is over, play with and fondle them. At
this time also teach them to fetch and carry; to know their names.
Recollect that any name ending in o, as "Ponto," "Cato," &c., very common
ones by the way, is bad. The only word ending in o ought to be "Toho,"
often abbreviated into "ho." This objection will be evident to any person
who reflects for a moment, and a dog will answer to any other short two
syllable word equally as well. These two lessons, and answering to the
whistle, are about all that can or should be taught them.

RANGING, HOW TAUGHT.

Nine months, or better, twelve, is soon enough to enter into the serious
part of breaking. This is more to be effected by kind determination than
by brute force. Avoid the use of the whip. Indeed, it never in my opinion
ought to be seen, except in real shooting, instead of which we would use a
cord about five or ten yards long. Fasten one end round the dog's neck,
the other to a peg firmly staked in the ground; before doing this,
however, your young dogs should, along with a high ranging dog, be taken
out into a field where there is _no_ game, and suffered to run at large
without control until they are well practised in ranging. Too much stress
cannot be laid on this point, as on this first step in a great measure
depends the future ranging propensities of the dog. Where a youngster sees
the old one galloping about as hard as he can, he soon takes the hint and
follows. After a few days, the old one may be left behind, when the pups
will gallop about equally as well. These lessons should never be too long
as to time, else the effect is lost. Another good plan also is to accustom
them to follow you on horseback at a good rate. They will learn by this to
gallop, not to _trot_, than which nothing is more disgusting in a dog.
When you have your pup well "confirmed in ranging," take the cord, as
above directed, peg him down. Probably he will attempt to follow you as
you leave him, in which case the cord will check him with more or less
force, according to the pace he goes at. The more he resists the more he
punishes himself. At last he finds that by being still he is best off.