46 MODERN TRAINING. 



is also exceedingly painful to them. These difficulties add 

 greatly to the labor and fatigue of the work. However, 

 good dogs like good horses come in all shapes there are 

 some forms of structure which, notwithstanding, are neces- 

 sarily superior. A wide chest, with coarse, heavy shoulders 

 is a decided disadvantage. The chest should be moderately 

 narrow and deep, the ribs well sprung back of the shoulders 

 to give lung room, and the shoulders so set as to play freely. 



A short, thick neck is very undesirable. An excessively 

 wide loin is more undesirable than a strong, narrow one ; 

 the latter is not necessarily an evidence of weakness as it 

 may compensate by depth, by strong muscular development 

 above and underneath. On the other hand a wide loin may 

 be thin, and a broad square back and loin usually denote a 

 slow gait, the correlated structure not being favorable to 

 speed. 



A dog which is awkward in his work from immaturity, 

 being slow in developing, should not be confounded with 

 the flighty, fidgety, nervously inferior kind which does not 

 improve with maturity. A dog, slow in developing, may be 

 discouragingly backward during his first season, but when 

 mature he maybe a fine worker. If the dog is rattleheaded 

 or poor in judgment, very little should be attempted with 

 him until he is aged sufficiently to steady him. It may im- 

 prove his faculties, for though as a puppy he may be giddy, 

 maturity may bring some intelligence. But also he may be 

 naturally a fool, in which event it is a waste of time to at- 

 tempt any training. It is much better to condemn him. 



Dogs vary greatly in their habits, disposition, temper, 

 intelligence, endurance, condition and general working 

 capabilities. They exhibit all kinds and degrees of char- 

 acter and efficiency within the limits of their natural sphere; 

 there are individuals which are too lazy to work, though 

 able; ones which are willing to work but cannot learn 



