Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-08-27
DOGS,
Training Them For the Field and Bush
A Calling Demanding Patience.

Training Them For the Field and Bush
Calling Demanding Patience.
The training of dogs for the field and
bush affords abundant proof that pa,
tience is virtue. So much depends
upon the amount of patience and per.
severance exercised by the trainer that
often dogs are irretrievably ruined sim.
ply because of a lack of this quality on
the part of those who profess to break
them. Of the effects of imperfect break
ing, the following story was told re-
Gently by a gentleman whose expert
ence in that line is somewhat extended
breaking an old dog after he has
become confirmed in his own will. and
settled in his habits, is a very difficult
matter. Prince there" pointing to a
large, intelligent looking dog. Il bought
for mere song because he had been
l got him put him through regular
system of training, but. of course, it
was slow and discouraging work. He
was naturally wild and headstrong, and
would run at such a pace through the
bushes as to scare up the birds long
before could get within gun range.
To break him of this tried various de-
vices without success, and finally
adopted the swinging bar method. This
is done by taking a thick, round stick.
and running wire through holes bored
through both ends, up to small staples
in the collar. AS the dog runs the bar
will strike him upon the fore-legs. and
in proportion to the swiftness of his
gallop will be the heaviness of the
blows. This Prince soon discovered,
and, of course. he moderated his pace
accordingly. But as soon as the bar
was removed, he resorted to his old
method of running about in headstrong
wiIdness. without the least regard to
orders. This was somewhat aggravat-
ing to me. as l never yet had dog
that could not be cured of this trick by
means of the bar. But not discouraged
at my failure. l then tried tying one
leg up to his collar, a device recon-
mended by dog-trainers. and also OF
tying a shot-belt around his neck. Both
OF these methods, however, failed to
work any beneficial results. Prince
would work we'll when thus rugged up
in harness. but always resorted to his
old tricks again as soon as released.
Finally, after much patient work
and fruitiess devising. I hit upon the
following plan: l constructed a sort
of bride with a bit made of raw leather.
A strong girth was then passed around
his body, with a small ring on the I'M
der side of it, through which a cord
passed connecting the bit with one of
his hind legs. AS soon as Prince went
to gallop fast he would jerk this cord
and consequently the bit. When had
rugged it upon him one afternoon and
started across the fields, he. as usual
started off in wild haste. But the con-
tinual Jerking of the bit soon began to
disconcert him. and after short run
of half mile he came up to me with
the most imploring look in his eyes.
But l refused to regard his mute appeal
and sent him away again. When /
reached home, however. he was COM
pletely tagged out and ready to do
almost anything. Well, for two weeks
used this bit and bride whenever l
went out with him. and when / finally
took it off, Prince was so thoroughly
afraid of being submitted to the same
process again that he never attempted
afterward to range about in his former
Wild manner. Since then he has been
he quietest worker and best trained
log that / have. ~ Y. Tribune.