ignals will hereafter be taught out of doors at
gradually increased distances; and to confirm him in the habit of sniffing
high in the air (37) for whatever you may then hide, put the bread or meat
on a stick or bush, but never in a hedge. With the view to his some day
retrieving, as instanced in 190, it will be your aim to get him not to
seek immediately, but to watch your signals, until by obeying them you
will have placed him close to where the object lies, at which precise
moment you will say energetically "Find," and cease making any further
signs.

[10] The least comprehensive and logical of the expressions, yet one often
used. A dog being no critical grammarian, understands it to apply to fur
as well as feather.

[11] With a resolute, reckless, dashing dog you may advantageously employ
a _thinner_ cord of double that length,--whereas, the shortest line will
sometimes prevent a timid animal from ranging freely. By-the-bye, the
thinner the cord the more readily does it become entangled--as a rule, a
checkcord cannot be too firmly twisted--a soft one quickly gets knotted
and troublesome. (See note to 177.)

50. Hunted with such a cord, the most indomitable dog, when he is
_perfectly obedient to the "drop,"_ is nearly as amenable to command as if
the end of the line were in the breaker's hand. By no other means can

SPANIELS

be _quickly_ broken in. The general object of the trainer is to restrain
them from ranging at a distance likely to spring game out of gun-shot, and
to make them perfect to the "down charge." If one of these high-spirited
animals will not range close when called to by whistle or name, the
breaker gets hold of the cord and jerks it; this makes the dog come in a
few paces; another jerk or two makes him approach closer, and then the
breaker, by himself retiring with his face towards the spaniel, calling
out his name--or whistling,--and occasionally jerking the cord, makes him
quite submissive, and more disposed to obey on future occasions.

51. In training a large team it is of much advantage to the keeper to have
a lad to rate, and, when necessary, give the skirters a taste of the
lash--in short, to act as whipper-in. The keeper need not then carry a
whip, or at least often use it, which will make his spaniels all the more
willing to hunt close to him.

52. Lord A----r's head gamekeeper was singularly aided--he possessed a
four-legged whipper-in. Three years since while Mr. D----s--M.P