a Team. What constitutes Perfection.—78. Retriever with Team. Duke of Newcastle’s Keepers.—79. Some Teams allowed to hunt Flick.—80. Rabbits shot to a Team in Gorse. Shooting to Beagles described—81. Markers necessary with wild Spaniels.—82. Cover beat with wildest Dogs before shot in. Woodcocks.—83. Old Sportsmen prefer mute Spaniels.—84. Babblers best in some Countries. Cock-shooting in Albania.—85. Hog and deer in ditto.—86. Glorious month’s sport in the Morea.—87. Handy old Setters capital in light cover. Attention necessary when first entered.—88. C——e’s Pointers as good in cover as on the stubble.—89. Pointer that ran to opposite side of Thicket to flush Game towards Gun.—90. Water Spaniels, how broken.—91. Shepherd’s Forward Signal best for Water Retrievers.—92. Wildfowl reconnoitred with Telescope.—93. Qualities required in Water Retriever. In note, Poachers in Snow. Beast or man of one uniform colour easily detected.—94. Ducks emit a tolerable scent—“Flint” and Mr. C——e’s Setter.—95. Steady Spaniels in Rice Lakes.
“DEAD.”—“SEEK.”—SIGNALS.
34. When your young dog is tolerably well advanced in the lessons which you have been advised to practise, hide a piece of bread or biscuit. Say “Dead, dead.” Call him to you. (44.) Let him remain by you for nearly a minute or two. Then say “Find,” or “Seek.” Accompany him in his search. By your actions and gestures make him fancy you are yourself looking about for something, for dogs are observing, one might say, imitative, creatures.[10] Stoop and move your right hand to and fro near the ground. Contrive that he shall come upon the bread, and reward him by permitting him to eat it.
35. After a little time (a few days I mean), he will show the greatest eagerness on your saying, at any unexpected moment, “Dead.” He will connect the word with the idea that there is something very desirable concealed near him, and he will be all impatience to be off and find it; but make him first come to you, (for reason, see 269.)—Keep him half a minute.—Then say “Find,” and, without your accompanying him, he will search for what you have previously hidden. Always let him be encouraged to perseverance by discovering something acceptable.
36. Unseen by him, place the rewards (one at a time), in different parts of the room,—under the rug or carpet, and more frequently on a chair, a table, or a low shelf. He will be at a loss in what part of the room to search. Assist him by a motion of your arm and hand. A wave of the right arm and hand to the right, will soon show him that he is to hunt to the right, as he will find there. The corresponding wave of the left hand and arm to the left, will explain to him, that he is to make a cast to the left. The underhand bowler’s swing of the right hand and arm, will show that he is to hunt in a forward direction.[11] Your occasionally throwing the delicacy (in the direction you wish him to take), whilst waving your hand, will aid in making him comprehend the signal. You may have noticed how well, by watching the action of a boy’s arm, his little cur judges towards what point to run for the expected stone.
37. When the hidden object is near you, but between you and the dog, make him come towards you to seek for it, beckoning him with your right hand. When he is at a distance at the “Drop,” if you are accustomed to recompense him for good behaviour, you can employ this signal to make him rise and run towards you for his reward, (and, according to my judgment, he should always join you after the “down charge,” 271). By these means you will thus familiarise him with a very useful signal; for that signal will cause him to approach you in the field, when you have made a circuit to head him at his point (knowing that birds will then be lying somewhere between you and him), and want him to draw nearer to the birds and you, to show you exactly where they are. This some may call a superfluous refinement, but I hope you will consider it a very killing accomplishment, and being easily taught, it were a pity to neglect it. When a Setter is employed in cock-shooting, the advantage of using this signal is very apparent. While the dog is steadily pointing, it enables the sportsman to look for a favourable opening, and, when he has posted himself to his satisfaction, to sign to the Setter (or if out of sight tell him), to advance and flush the bird: when, should the sportsman have selected his position with judgment, he will generally get a shot. I have seen this method very successfully adopted in America, where the forests are usually so dense that cocks are only found on the outskirts in the underwood.
LOOKING FOR INSTRUCTIONS.
38. After a little time he will regularly look to you for directions. Encourage him to do so; it will make him hereafter, when he is in the field, desirous of hunting under your eye, and induce him to look to you, in a similar manner, for instructions in what direction he is to search for game. Observe how a child watches its mother’s eye; so will a dog watch yours, when he becomes interested in your movements, and finds that you frequently notice him.
BECKON.—“CARE.”
39. Occasionally, when he approaches any of the spots where the bread lies hidden, say “Care,” and slightly raise your right hand. He will quickly consider this word, or signal, as an intimation that he is near the object of his search.
40. Never deceive him in any of these words and signs, and never disappoint him of the expected reward. Praise and caress him for good conduct; rate him for bad. Make it a rule throughout the whole course of his education, out of doors as fully as within, to act upon this system. You will find that caresses and substantial rewards are far greater incentives to exertion than any fears of punishment.
41. Your pup having become a tolerable proficient in these lessons, you may beneficially extend them by employing the word “Up,” as a command that he is to sniff high in the air to find the hidden bread or meat, lying, say on a shelf, or on the back of a sofa. He will, comparatively speaking, be some time in acquiring a knowledge of the meaning of the word, and many would probably term it an over-refinement in canine education; but I must own I think you will act judiciously, if you teach it perfectly in the initiatory lessons; for the word “Up,” if well understood, will frequently save your putting on the puzzle-peg. For this you would be obliged to employ, should your dog prove disobedient and be acquiring the execrable habit of “raking” as it is termed, instead of searching for the delicious effluvia with his nose carried high in the air. Colonel Hawker much recommends the puzzle-peg, but I confess I would not fetter the dog by using it, unless compelled by his hereditary propensity to hunt-foot.
“UP.” —NOSE CARRIED HIGH.
42. Whenever birds can be sought for in the wind, the dog should thus hunt the field (and the higher he carries his nose the better), for, independently of the far greater chance of finding them, they will allow the dog to come much nearer, than when he approaches them by the foot: but of this more anon. (185, 186.)