Dogs. 143 



with much pomp and circumstance, will usually 

 be effective in convincing the dog of the excel- 

 lence of the despised morsel. Very rarely, 

 and only as far as my experience goes in the 

 case of spaniels, the distaste to snipe either as 

 game or *'grub" is incurable even by the 

 starving process, and though the poor creature 

 may in his hunger devour the repulsive food, 

 he will never retrieve snipe kindly, or without 

 so much fuss and face-making that more time 

 will be lost than gained by his services. 



As to the care and treatment of snipe-shoot- 

 ing dogs, it does not differ materially from that 

 of dogs for other sports except in amount. It 

 may be said that, however much attention you 

 have been in the habit of bestowing upon your 

 doggy friends after a day at grouse or par- 

 tridges, about twice the amount of rubbing, 

 fresh straw about twice as often, and even 

 twice the amount of dinner, will be required 

 to keep them in sound health and keenness. 

 Snipe-shooting is cold weary work, demanding 

 very much more of a dog's vital energy than 

 any other sport with the gun. Except at the 



