ving just
crossed before him. If you aim at such excellence, and it is frequently
attained in the Highlands, it is certain you must not shoot hares over
your youngster.

233. I hope that he will not see a hare before you have shot a few birds
over him. The first that springs up near him will test the perfection to
which he has attained in his initiatory lessons. Lose not a moment. It is
most essential to restrain instantaneously the naturally strong impulse of
the dog to run after four-footed game. Halloo out "Drop" to the extent of
your voice,--raise your hand,--crack your whip,--do all you can to prevent
his pursuing. Of course you will not move an inch. Should he commence
running, thunder out "No," "no." If, in spite of everything, he bolts
after the hare, you have nothing for it but patience. It's no use to give
yourself a fit of asthma by following him. You have only half as many legs
as he has--a deficiency you would do well to keep secret from him as long
as possible. Wait quietly where you are--for an hour if necessary. You
have one consolation,--puss, according to her usual custom, has run down
wind,--your dog has lost sight of her, and is, I see, with his nose to the
ground, giving himself an admirable lesson in reading out a haunt. After a
time he will come back looking rather ashamed of himself, conscious that
he did wrong in disobeying, and vexed with himself from having more than a
suspicion forced upon him, that he cannot run so fast as the hare. When he
has nearly reached you, make him "drop." Scold him severely, saying, "Ware
chase"--a command that applies to the chase of birds as well as of
hares.--Pull him to the place where he was when first he got a view of the
hare,--make him lie down--rate him well,--call out "No," or "Hare," or
"Ware chase," or any word you choose, provided you uniformly employ the
same. Smack the whip and punish him with it, but not so severely as you
did when we assumed that he tore the bird--end of 221. You then flogged
him for two offences: first, because he rushed in and seized the bird;
secondly, because he tore it and _tasted_ blood. If you had not then
punished him severely, you could never have expected him to be
tender-mouthed. On the next occasion he might have swallowed the bird,
feathers and all.

234. Should he persist in running after hares, you must employ the
checkcord. If you see the hare, at which he is pointing, in its form,
drive a peg firmly into the ground