BREAKING AND HANDLING. 13! 



the act which is mistaken for a retrieve. The puppy takes 

 the dead bird in his mouth because it is a gratification to 

 him, birds being part of his natural prey; if called at this 

 juncture he may hold it in his mouth while going to his 

 master, thus it may have a slight resemblance to a retrieve; 

 but if the handler had waited quietly for the natural com- 

 pletion of the act, he would have noted that the dog com- 

 pleted it nicely by eating the bird. Sometimes by repetition 

 in this manner, the dog can be induced to retrieve, but it is 

 always very faulty. All experienced professionals attach 

 no importance to an act of this kind. They perfect the 

 retrieving lessons regardless of it. 



In his first years of training when the author, by a little 

 experience and a great deal of reading, had qualified to an 

 imaginary degree of excellence as a trainer, having theories 

 unlimited, and a performance inverse to the theories, he 

 adopted the so-called natural method; and had an abhor- 

 rence of the forcing system on account of its reputed 

 cruelty, although it was not then in general use. The 

 natural system worked with average success, which was con- 

 sidered very good success, as no better method at that time 

 had ever been practiced in that section. The beauties of 

 the system and the cruelties of the force system were much 

 descanted on; although the writer had never seen a spike 

 collar at that time, it by no means impaired his powers of 

 criticism on it; this, however, not being peculiar, as such 

 powers relating to any subject appear to be innate in all 

 true sportsmen. At length the writer applied the system to 

 a sedate, mature dog which had neither fun nor frolic in his 

 composition. He had a great deal of sense, and looked 

 upon life as too serious to make room for levity. By sun- 

 dry blandishments and many rewards for the little recogni- 

 tions he would occasionally condescend to show, he was 

 wrought up, through a painfully tedious series of degrees, to 



