WILDFOWL DOGS—HOW TO BREAK THEM 65 
The favourite breed of dog for wildfowling is, without doubt, 
the retriever. I have seen good workers in the three main 
classes—curly-coated, flat, and Labrador. So much depends 
on individual ability in working dogs, that to say one variety 
is better than another might raise a lengthy argument; yet 
I believe the flat-coated breed excels the curly-coated for 
‘‘nose.’’ This, perhaps, is due to the flat-coated retriever having 
been of recent years bred by many noteworthy gentlemen 
particularly for its powers of scent. Some part may also be 
attributed to the modern methods of shooting game. It is not 
wisdom to condemn a breed or variety of dogs on the merits 
of a few individuals. 
The first thing necessary is to procure an animal which you 
think will be likely to make a useful wildfowl dog, taking its 
breeding and general intellect seriously into account. Remember 
that, unless the puppy is an apt learner, all your teaching and 
breaking will be wasted; thus it is wise to use every care in 
the selection of your pupil, or the result will be the expenditure 
of a fatal shot on its behalf, and this, worse luck, after many 
weeks of patient and useless labour. 
Dog training is of two kinds—natural and _ artificial. 
Natural training is that which a dog naturally and readily 
learns, having presumably been bred for the special purpose, 
for which it possesses extraordinary developments of the 
necessary physical organs and faculties. This kind of training 
is never forgotten in an animal. Artificial training is, by 
constant teaching, temporarily established in a form by force 
of habit. I might cite here as an example, cataleptic point- 
ing in terriers. Although this kind of training may be 
highly creditable to the teacher, unless animals so taught are 
constantly in practice they very quickly lose the knowledge 
or abilities which resulted from their previous training. 
Artificial training in sporting dogs has:a limit, and this is 
forcibly apparent when those natural powers which are 
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