ds, while
he feels perfectly convinced that his chastisement is over. If you do not,
you may find it rather difficult to catch him when he commits another
fault. It will be owing to your own injudiciousness if he ever becomes
afraid of approaching you after making a blunder. Should he be so, sit
down. He will gradually draw near you; then quietly put your hand on his
collar.

224. If a man cannot readily get hold of any dog under his tuition whom he
desires to rate or punish, you may be certain that he fails either in
temper or judgment; perhaps in both. He may be an excellent man; but he
cannot be a good dog-breaker. There are men who get quite enraged at a
dog's not coming instantly to "heel," on being called. When at length the
poor brute does come within reach, he gets a blow, perhaps a licking--a
blow or licking, he has the sense to see he should have longer avoided had
he stayed longer away. Thus the punishment increases instead of remedying
the evil.

225. Never correct or even rate a dog, in the mere _belief_ that he is in
error; be first _convinced_ of his guilt. If you have good reason to
suspect that unseen by you he has wilfully sprung birds, still rather give
him an earnest caution than any severer rebuke. It is not easy to repair
the mischief occasioned by unjust punishment. When from his sheepish look,
or any other cause, you imagine that he has raised game, either through
heedlessness or from their being unusually wild, be sure to give him a
short lecture, and accompany him to the haunt. A lingering bird may
occasionally reward you. If his manner has led you to form an incorrect
opinion, your warning can have no other effect than to increase his
caution--rarely an undesirable result;--and if you are right the
admonition is obviously most judicious.

226. Let me caution you against the too common error of punishing a dog by
pulling his ears. It has often occasioned bad canker. Some men are of
opinion that it is frequently the cause of premature deafness. When you
rate him you may lay hold of an ear and shake it, but not with violence.

227. I would strongly recommend you always to make your young dog "drop"
for half-a-minute or so, when he, sees a hare; or when he hears a bird
rise.[40] To effect this, stand still yourself. After a few seconds you
can either hie him on, or, which is yet better, get close to him if you
expect other birds to spring. You will thus, especially in potatoes or
turnips, ofte