There is nothing much more annoying than to have a badly broken dog in the field. He is a constant source of irritation, and is provocative of much vigorous language. All the storming in the world, however, will not make an unsteady dog a good one, and great care must be exercised when making a purchase. Of course it is more satisfactory to have one on trial for a few days, but it is better still to buy of a man whose word may be taken unreservedly, for a newcomer cannot be expected to do himself justice in strange surroundings. If you have the time and a plentiful supply of patience there is a good deal of pleasure to be derived from breaking a young dog yourself, but if you have none of these qualities you had better hand him over to the care of some trustworthy keeper, to whom you may have to pay a fee ranging from £5 to £10, in addition to a small weekly charge for his keep. This would apply to setters or pointers, the charge for breaking a spaniel or retriever being not more than half.

As the training of pointers and setters proceeds upon identical lines we may as well deal with them as one, without entering into any controversy as to which is the more useful of the two. If I had to choose myself the probability is that the setter would gain the vote. No matter what kind you have, he is a beautiful animal, and, when the shooting days are over, man need want no better or more intelligent companion. For this reason, the man who loves a dog, quite apart from the work that is required of him, would be more likely to take a setter. A setter, too, being better feathered between the toes, does not go footsore so readily, and is therefore more adapted to a hard day on the moors, where the heather is apt to trouble a pointer a good deal.

In selecting a puppy from a litter note the one that takes most notice of his surroundings and displays the least signs of nervousness at unwonted noises. It is scarcely necessary to say that you will pick a strong and healthy one. Early lessons cannot begin too soon, but of course they must be of an elementary nature, such as would be given to any dog that one wishes to grow up handy and under satisfactory control. Teach them to obey readily, to come to heel at command, and to kennel up instantly when told to do so. This will make the later and more important tuition comparatively easy when one starts in earnest after the novice has reached his eighth or ninth month. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the master arriving at a good understanding with the pupil as soon as possible. You should be friends at all times, a friendship in which there must be firmness on the one part, but no undue shouting and harsh words, and no employment of the whip unless the puppy is particularly headstrong. More often than not, any fault evident in the dog is attributable to a bad upbringing. I have heard an irascible owner shouting at a pointer in the field in a voice loud enough to flush every covey within a mile.

Serious breaking may commence at any time after the eighth or ninth month, and it will be found inadvisable to defer it much after a year. The first lesson to be inculcated is that of dropping to hand or to gun, the technical term used instead of a command to "lie down" being "down charge." By repeating the words "down charge," while pressing the pupil to the ground, he soon understands what is required of him, but to ensure that he shall remain so as long as desired it is usual to fasten him up by a long cord. Habituate him to remaining in a recumbent position while you retire for some distance. With this lesson mastered he may be accustomed to the discharge of a gun and taught to "down charge" immediately he hears the report. He should also be made to understand that the holding up of a hand has the same significance, and when he knows this thoroughly you may give him a trial on birds. His inherited instinct will probably induce him to point when the scent reaches him, but if he shows a tendency to run in check him with the word "toho," or tell him to steady. Should he persist in being unsteady order him peremptorily to "down charge," and endeavour to make plain to him the meaning of "toho." An old dog will be useful at this stage, and the young one must then be shown what it is to "back," while his companion makes a point. A long cord may be necessary to emphasise this lesson and prevent him running in to the birds.

Next, it is essential that he should learn how to range or quarter his ground in the correct manner. You want him to hunt as if he meant business, and not merely to potter about, and to do this properly he should go first to right and then to left instead of running straight ahead. A whistle, followed by a wave of the hand, should show him what is required; at the same time you must remember to work him up wind. Tell him to "hold up," if he carries his nose too near the ground, hunting the foot instead of the body scent. This is a fault more observable in pointers than setters, who are also at times inclined to work a hedgerow instead of quartering in the orthodox style. Should he persist in the first-named fault it may be necessary to affix a puzzle peg, which is a long piece of wood fastened to the collar and lower jaw in such a manner that he cannot get his head to the ground. From the first, too, he must have it made plain to him that chasing fur is a serious misdemeanour. Some old hands bring up their puppies in association with tame rabbits, any disposition to hunt being met with the order to "ware chase." The chances are that as the first birds are killed the dog will endeavour to run in, and he will have to be punished if the "down charge" goes unheeded.

The man who wants a good all-round dog, and cannot afford to run to several, will be sure to pin his faith to a retriever, or one of the varieties of spaniels. The points to be looked for in a good retriever are sagacity, stamina, scenting properties, tenderness of mouth, and steadiness. It is essential that he should be under absolute control, ready to lie by the side of his master in the butt while birds are being killed, and making no move until ordered to "seek dead." Then he will set to work at once, first, if he is all he should be, gathering the wounded birds, and then devoting himself to the dead. In battue shooting a well-trained retriever is almost indispensable. As with pointers and setters, instruction in obedience cannot well begin too early. The dog must be so schooled as to be under ready control, answering at once to a whistle, and dropping to hand. If he should not take kindly to a signal by hand he should be fastened to a long cord and pulled up peremptorily if orders are disobeyed. Get him in the habit of mouthing some soft object, such as a tobacco pouch, checking him immediately if he displays any inclination to bite it. Next drop the object and encourage the puppy to find and bring it to you. Ultimately he must be taught to carry a pinioned pigeon or young rabbit. When you are satisfied that he will carry a bird or rabbit without hurt, you may hide the living quarry in a tuft of grass and encourage him to "seek dead."

Needless to say, when you get your beginner in the field you must instantly reprove any disposition to chase a hare or rabbit. He must only pursue a wounded bird or hare when ordered to do so. The single-handed sportsman after water-fowl or snipe could not wish a more useful companion than a well-broken retriever.

While upon this breed a word or two as to their popularity on the show bench may not be out of place. Here again we find the enthusiasts divided into two camps, the one declaring that show dogs are no good for work, the other averring as stoutly that a good-looking pedigree dog is quite as capable of doing a satisfactory day's work as any other. There is no doubt that there is a considerable demand for well-bred dogs, and it is said with absolute truth, I believe, that one champion, who was also a field trialler, earned his master some £1400 or more in stud fees, while his son, still in his prime, had produced very nearly as much. Big prices have also been realised by really good dogs, and we may take it for granted that puppies of first-class strains are always worth more than those which have no particular breeding at the back of them. If, however, you wish to go in for this sort of thing, you must start well at the beginning by laying out a fair amount of money on your foundation stock. It is useless expecting satisfactory results to accrue from indifferent materials. Satisfy yourself, too, that the bitch comes from a genuine working strain.

The man who decides on a spaniel has four or five varieties from which he can choose, but perhaps the Sussex or a cocker will be deemed the most suitable for all-round purposes. The cocker, owing to his diminutive size, is not so well adapted to retrieving heavy game as the Sussex. Notwithstanding this, his cheery nature and love of work make him a general favourite. The Clumber is a very handsome dog, and most useful withal, but he is heavier and slower, and not so fitted for a trying day in the field. A spaniel comes in handy all the year round for one thing or another. The Irish water spaniel is a hard-bitten looking fellow, with a coat capable of standing any amount of wet, but he is not kept for much nowadays except wild-fowling. He has the reputation of being harder-mouthed than the other varieties.

The breaking of a spaniel will proceed much on the same lines as that of a retriever. You must teach him to retrieve by habituat-ing him to mouthing soft objects without biting, and then get him on to a living bird, making him find at the word of command.

Breaking him to hunt will be the most difficult part of his tuition, as his tendency will be to run the game on his own account, and he should be obedient to signal or whistle before you take him out. Guard against too wide ranging, and check him immediately he shows any fault. A good deal of time and patience will be required, but you will be fully repaid for the days spent with the puppy if you have a perfectly broken dog at the end of his schooling. While firm with him at all times, it is as well to remember that undue harshness may make him sulky or nervous, and he will then be practically useless in the field.