Dog Breaking / The Most Expeditious, Certain, and Easy Method, Whether Great Excellence or Only Mediocrity Be Required, With Odds and Ends for Those Who Love the Dog and Gun

by W. N. Hutchinson

RULES KNOWN.

141. He will know—

I. That he is to pay attention to his whistle,—the whistle that you design always to use to him. I mean that, when he hears one low blast on his whistle he is to look to you for orders, but not necessarily run towards you, unless he is out of sight, or you continue whistling ([19]).

II. That “Toho,” or the right arm raised nearly perpendicularly, means that he is to stand still ([19] to [22]).

III. That “Drop,” or the left arm raised nearly perpendicularly, or the report of a gun, means that he is to crouch down with his head close to the ground, between his feet, however far off he may be ranging. Greater relaxation in the position may be permitted after he has been a little time shot over ([23] to [27]).

IV. That “On,” (the short word for “hie on”,) or the forward underhand swing of the right hand, signifies that he is to advance in a forward direction (the direction in which you are waving). This signal is very useful. It implies that you want the dog to hunt ahead of you. You employ it also when you are alongside of him at his point, and are desirous of urging him to follow up the running bird or birds, and press to a rise. If he push on too eagerly, you restrain him by slightly raising the right hand—[XII]. of this paragraph ([19] to [22]).

V. That a wave of the right arm and hand (the arm being fully extended and well to the right) from left to right, means that he is to hunt to the right. Some men wave the left hand across the body from left to right, as a direction to the dog to hunt to the right; but that signal is not so apparent at a distance as the one I have described ([36]).

VI. That a wave of the left arm from right to left (the arm being fully extended and well to the left), means that he is to hunt to the left ([36]).

VII. That the “Beckon,” the wave of the right hand towards you, indicates that he is to hunt towards you ([37]). See also [71].

VIII. That the word “Heel,” or a wave of the right hand to the rear (the reverse of the underhand cricket-bowler’s swing), implies that he is to give up hunting, and go directly close to your heels ([44]).