THE RETRIEVERS 349 



ON TRAINING AND BREAKING 



Although this chapter professes to be a monograph, it hardly 

 comes within the writer's province to enter into the question of 

 rearing and keeping Retrievers, as the best methods are identical 

 with such as should be adopted in the case of any sporting dog. 

 Suffice it to say that those who wish to breed and keep a fairly 

 large team of dogs should not attempt to rear all their puppies at 

 home ; they should follow the example of Masters of Hounds, and 

 billet them, or most of them, out " at walk " with neighbouring 

 farmers, tradesmen, and cottagers, and allow them to remain, if 

 possible, until they have passed through the distemper ordeal. 

 Taking one class of puppy-walker with another, the writer must 

 award the palm to butchers, or such of the fraternity who obviously 

 take more than a casual interest in their charges ; at any rate, the 

 fact remains that two-thirds of his prize winners have spent their 

 early days at the abattoir. In order to induce a special interest, 

 the writer has been in the habit of offering bonuses over and 

 above the stipulated charges for keep for walkers who send in their 

 puppies in fine health and condition. Furthermore, they receive 

 an extra bonus the first time that their quondam charge gains a 

 first prize. Such a system works admirably, and it is astounding 

 how keen these good people become. They often attend shows 

 and identify the success of their bantlings with themselves. When 

 the youngsters are called in from walk, distemper is almost certain 

 to break out amongst those that have not already had it ; so that 

 the kennelman should be fully prepared to combat the fell fiend. 

 Without wishing to enter upon a dissertation on distemper, it may 

 be instructive to give what the writer, in a somewhat extended 

 experience, has found to be the elements of successful treatment : 



1. Give as little medicine as possible. 



2. Keep in an even temperature. 



3. Feed constantly with small amounts of nourishment at a time 

 Bovril, Brand's or Valentine's Extract, beef-tea, boiled milk, etc., 

 and later on with fish (carefully " boned ") and wholemeal bread ; 

 but avoid all other solid foods and meat. 



4. When the temperature rises above 102 Fahr., give a febrifuge 

 phenacitin is the best. 



5. When there is any sign of pulmonary trouble, wrap the chest 

 and ribs tightly with flannel on which raw turpentine has been 

 sprinkled ; or rub the skin with dry mustard powder and wrap 

 around with flannel. Avoid, like poison, all wet bandages. Some- 

 times it is the custom to soak the flannel bandages in hot water, 

 and then sprinkle the turpentine ; but this is a grave error : it 

 makes the patient's bedding damp, and when the effect of the 



