THE WILD-FOWL SHOOTER'S DOG. 105 



this instruction, kindness and patience are the best preceptors, and 

 will be found to do more in the way of bringing" the dog* under control 

 than blows. The spike-collar, recommended by some professed dog- 

 breakers, should not, on any accoimt, be used : it inflicts unnecessary 

 torture ; and, as Col. Hutchinson very properly remarks in his excellent 

 little book on dog'-breaking-, " it is a bnital instrument which none 

 but the most ignorant or unthinking would employ." 



The wild-fowler's retriever must be trained to fetch from the water 

 in the summer time : it would spoil the animal's courage to attempt 

 training it to the pursuit in winter. But, after a course of careful and 

 judicious instruction, a well-bred and high-couraged dog never refuses 

 the water, though ever so cold. Retrieving by land may be taught 

 at any season, with the aid of a stuifed glove at first, and afterwards 

 a stuffed bird-skin ; but in no instance should hard substances be 

 employed in the education of a retriever. 



These animals delight in bringing birds in their mouths ; and every 

 thing depends on the first lessons they receive in this practice, as to 

 t-h'eir ever being of good service to the sportsman. They must be 

 taught to fetch and deliver the birds at the sportsman's feet ; and the 

 more they are practised when young, the more useful and valuable 

 will they be in after-years. The engraving on the opposite page is 

 a portrait of the author's favomite dog " Sambo," in the act of re- 

 trieving a mallard. 



By. keeping the dog strictly to heel when walking along the shore, 

 or beside dykes and rivulets, it will very soon acquire the art of 

 watching where the bird falls; so as to go, on its master's signal, 

 straight to the spot.* 



It is very useful to teach a dog to retrieve the wounded, before 

 picking up the dead, wild-fowl. The faithful and valuable creatui^e, 

 whose portrait is given on the opposite page, used to do this as if by 

 instinct ; and it was a rare occurrence indeed, to lose a winged or 

 wounded bird when " Sambo" was with me.f 



* Col. Hutcliinsou, in his little woi'k on dog-breaking, says : " A really good 

 retriever is a scarce and valuable animal. ****** jJe should be per- 

 fectly mute ; of a patient disposition, though active in the pursuit of birds ; of so 

 hardy a constitution as not to mind the severest cold — therefore no coddling, while 

 he is young, near a fire — and possess what many are deficient in, viz., a good nose ; 

 consequently, a cross that wiU improve his nose, yet not decrease liis steadiness, is 

 the great desideratum in breeding. He should swim rapidly, for wild-fowl that are 

 only winged wdl frequently escape from the quickest dog if they have plenty of sea- 

 room and deep water." 



t The same author (Hutchinson) remarks as to this accomplishment in a retriever: 



