The Pig Pointer
A sow, which was a thin, long-legged animal (one of the ugliest of the New
Forest breed), when very young conceived so great a partiality to some
pointer puppies that a gamekeeper upon a neighbouring estate was breaking,
that it played, and often came to feed with them. From this circumstance
it occurred to the gamekeeper that, having broken many a dog as obstinate
as a pig, he would try if he could not also succeed in breaking a p
little animal would often go out with the puppies to some distance from
home; and he enticed it farther by a sort of pudding made of barley-meal,
which he carried in one of his pockets. The other he filled with stones,
which he threw at the pig whenever she misbehaved, as he was not able to
catch and correct her in the same manner he did his dogs. He found the
animal tractable, and soon taught her what he wished by this mode of
reward and punishment. They were frequently seen out together, when the
sow quartered her ground as regularly as any pointer, stood when she came
on game (having an excellent nose), and backed other dogs as well as he
ever saw a pointer. When she came on the cold scent of game, she slackened
her trot, and gradually dropped her ears and tail, till she was certain,
and then fell down on her knees. So staunch was she, that she would
frequently remain five minutes and upwards on her point. As soon as the
game rose, she always returned to her master, grunting very loudly for her
reward of pudding if it was not immediately given to her.
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