BREAKING AND HANDLING. 125 



entirely without any compulsory means to enforce retrieving 

 if the dog once refuses, the most uniform kindness must 

 always be associated with this branch of his work, otherwise 

 when it ceases to be a pleasure, or when he resents pun- 

 ishment, he may quit permanently as a retriever. 



The usual manner of beginning this training is to engage 

 the puppy's attention to a ball or glove, at the same time, by 

 little artifices commonly known, exciting his playfulness. 

 Assuming that the ball is used, it is then thrown gently out: 

 the puppy will, in most instances, run after it and pick it up. 

 If he does not, his playfulness must be excited by tying a 

 handkerchief to the end of a stick and waving it, or skim it 

 along the ground in front of him; at all events, his playful- 

 ness must be developed by some means, else the matter 

 there ends. For the same reason he must be permitted to 

 have a great deal of latitude in carrying and playing with 

 the ball, in the beginning, during several lessons. In these 

 early stages, more effort should be made to amuse the 

 puppy than to make him obedient, thereby gaining his per- 

 manent interest in the lessons, as a habitual diversion. After 

 that is accomplished, the training can commence. When 

 the ball is thrown out, the command Fetch should be given 

 simultaneously therewith, and by many times repeating the 

 order co-incidentally with the act, he will learn to associate 

 the two, and from habit will obey. When he is proficient 

 in this stage, he is ready for the next. When the ball is 

 thrown out, hold him by his collar a few moments thereafter, 

 then when he is released give the order Fetch. If he strug- 

 gle to break away while being held, he should be held firmly 

 without alarming him. He can gradually be held longer 

 and longer, accordingly as his interest and fondness for frhe 

 play will admit, till at length he will be steady and retrieve 

 to order. If he is amused properly, he will have a passion- 

 ate delight in the lessons, and by easy intermediate stages, 



