152 MODERN TRAINING. 



liminary training, under the excitement of the presence of 

 birds, the smell of blood and the instinctive desire to kill, 

 he may show a determination to crush his birds and may 

 entirely forget about retrieving. This transitionary stage is 

 the troublesome one in field retrieving, and it is very brief 

 if managed skillfully. Leave the spike collar on him during 

 the first few retrieves. No checkcord. is necessary. Walk 

 up with him to the bird and make him fetch it properly. If 

 he evinces any intention to bite it, put on the elastic bands 

 and nails hereinbefore mentioned, throw out the bird and 

 let him rush on it without restraint. When he closes on it 

 he receives a lesson which he never forgets. He may then 

 refuse to retrieve it to order, but can be easily forced to do 

 so. When he retrieves the first few birds they should be 

 thrown out several times, arid the dog required to retrieve 

 them. Rigid formality in details is necessary in the begin- 

 ning; at a later period it is not so necessary. By starting 

 him properly in field retrieving in this manner, he is a 

 tender-mouthed, obedient retriever for life, and by a little 

 care in handling, the quality of his work can be improved 

 by experience, or at least maintained at a uniform grade of 

 excellence at all times. 



Hunting him in company with badly trained dogs will be 

 sure to injure his retrieving. Under no circumstances 

 should two dogs be sent at the same time to retrieve a dead 

 bird. From jealousy or rivalry one will attempt to take it 

 away from the other, the bird is mutilated, and the dog 

 has learned something he ought not to learn. An expert 

 trainer can make two dogs search for a dead bird, but the 

 moment that one dog finds it, the other is dropped to a sig- 

 nal or quiet order; but few amateurs have their dogs so 

 perfectly under control as to justify them in attempting this 

 performance. Bad tricks are acquired with wonderful 

 quickness, by imitation and natural predisposition, hence 



