The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-12
HOW TO BREAK BIRD DOGS.
Infinite Patience Necessary, Says Il Dog
Fancier.

| nv UiNuNluS VI NONisr> NOSS lOT Sport
| ing purposes should he begun when they
are four or five months old, but the les
sons should he short and should cover
| only certain branches of their education, :"
! said prominent dog fancier of Washing
| ton to Times reporter. Puppies of
| this age may he taught to down or
| charge and to know their masters voice,
but great care must be observed lest the
| pups be cowcd and ruined \ young
| dogs intelligence ,lcvcloDes with age ex :
actly rs does IL child's, and too much
must not he expected at the kindergarten
| stage OF canine training.
TO teach dos, to down or charge he
must he placed in the proper position,
with hind lees under the body, and not
| sprawling out OF the side, nose Hat Oh
the floor or ground. between the fore
paws. The trainer keeps him in this
| position, with one hand on his head,
while he straddles the pupils body. The
word down or charge should be repeated
| ly spoken and which ever of the two
words is chosen must he rigiily adhered
| to. This and to know the whistle and
their names is all that should he attempt
ed at this early age.
1T is always Il good plan to blow the
| whistle when approaching the pups to
feed them. This accustouls them TO as
| sociate the call with the qualification of
| their stomachs, and young dogs, like
| children, can be more easily influenced
through their appctites than by their
| reason.
| short sharp names are the best y
| world of meaning can he Conveyed in the
! tone OF voice used in calling the name,
and this Is as true in handling old dogs
in the fields as in breaking young ones.
Names ending in 'o' should he avoided.
1t is an important part OF u field dog S
education to know the meaning of the
word halt TO slow up, and as ''toho''
| Is the command to stop and point. "halt'
! should be substituted for the word mo
! some sportsnen transposc this, but Il
| rule must be made and followed in com.
mon justice to the dog
At nine months the serious part Of
/ breaking begins. Patience ana pcrse-
verance accomplish much more than bru-
tus iloGgings for uncomprehcnded faults,
| The whip should never be used ont OF the
! real hunting field and then rs spurinGly
and seldom as possible. There are many
ways to train n dog, but would recon-
mend Il strong, light cord, eight or ten
| yards long.
'Fasten one end around die dogs neck,
| the other To Il peg, firmly, and in the
! ground. Before doing this, however.
! your young dogs should along with Il
| .''t7i A''-'lls- ''pEs, .NtthNil pltb- iltbD IL
| field where there i no game and suffered
to run at large without control until they
! are we'll practccd IN ranging. Too much
| stress cannot he laid on this point, rs on
| this first step in great measure depends
the future ranging propensities of the
! dog. When the youngster secs the old
! one galloping about a. hard as he can, he
soon takes the hint and follows After
Il few days the old one may he left behind
when the pups will galop about equally
as well. These lessons should never be
too long as to time. else the effect l., lost
when the pup confirmed in rang
ing one should take the cord rs above di-
rccted and peg him down. Probably he
will attempt 80 follow rs one leaves him.
I in which case the cord will check him
with more or less force, according to the
pace he goes. The more he rcsists the
more he Furnishes himself. At last he
finds that by remaining still he is best
off. Generally he lies down. At all
events he stands sJilt This is just what
one desires. Without intervention he
! Furnishes himself and learns lesson of
| great value without attributng it to his
trainer, and consequently Weakening
! sense Of fear, to wit, that he is not to
have his own way always After repeat
ing this lesson IL few times the trainer
| may take him to the peg and down or
| Charge ms one like the term best, close
To the peg in the proper position. Move
away, but II he Stirs Il single inch drag
him back crying down or charge
Leave him again, checking him when he
, moves or letting him do it for himself
! when he gets to the end of the cord al
| ways bringing him back TO the peg. Jerk.
| ing the cord with more or less severity.
| Do this eight or ten times and he will
| II hn ti,,ap cal l.
| quite out of sight, around him, run mt
him, in fact. do anything one can to make
| him move, when. if he moves he must he
| checked rs before, until he is perfectly
| steady. 1t is essential IN this system of
breaking that this first lesson should be
! so c!fcctually taught that nothing shall
induce the dog to move, and one-quartcr
of an hour will generally effect this In
| all probability the dog will be much
c6wcd by this treatment The trainer
should then go up TO him. pat him. lift
him up, cnrcss him and take him home
| for that day.
There IL no more severe or more gen
tie method breaking than this more or
! less run being put into the check accord
| ing to the nature OF the beast 1t never
| fails To iaunt the most resoutc audnci
| Gus dog, nor yet 10 COW the most ;irii
| after the first or second attempt. for it is
| essential III the first instance tha, they
| shall obey. Coming ito heel is also
taught by means of the check cord.
After the young dog has learned to
charge when ordered the peg should he
dispensed with and the breaker or trainer
! should take the end of the cord in his
hand. Some sclf-stylcd trainers make
poor substitutes even for = peg, but if
they have us much intelligence as the
| youn" dogs possess, the dogs will soon
become steady under this treatment
The pupil having learned to charge