BREAKING TO RETRIEVE. 243 



his ovm especial duties, except when ordered to commence. The 

 breed generally used is the cross of the Newfoundland with the 

 setter or water-spaniel, but, as I have explained in another place, 

 other breeds are equally useful. In educating these dogs, they 

 should be taken at a very early age, as it is almost impossi- 

 ble to insure perfect obedience at a later period. The disposition 

 to *' fetch and carry," which is the essence of retrieving, is very 

 early developed in these dogs, and without it there is little chance 

 of making a puppy perfect, in his vocation. Young dogs of this 

 breed will be seen carrying sticks about, and watching for their 

 master to throw them, that they may fetch them to him. This 

 fondness for the amusement should be encouraged to a certain ex- 

 tent, almost daily, but not so far as to tire and disgust the dog, 

 and care should always be taken that he does not tear or bite the 

 object which he has in charge. On no account should it be 

 dragged from his mouth, but he should be ordered to drop it on 

 the ground at the feet of his master, or to release it, directly it is 

 laid hold of. The consequence of pulling anything out of the 

 young retriever's mouth is that he becomes " hard bitten," as it is 

 called ; and, when he retrieves a wounded bird, he makes his teeth 

 meet, and mangles it so much, that it is utterly useless. A dog 

 which is not naturally inclined to retrieve, may be made so by en- 

 couraging him to pull at a handkerchief or a stick ; but such ani- 

 mals very seldom turn out well in this Ime, and it is far better to 

 put them to some other task. As soon as the puppy has learned 

 to bring everything to his master when ordered, he may be taught 

 to seek for trifling articles in long grass or other covert, such as 

 bushes, etc. When he succeeds in this, get some young rab- 

 bits which are hardly old enough to run, and hide one at a time 

 at a little distance, after trailing it through the grass so as to imi- 

 tate the natural progress of the animal when wounded. After 

 putting the young retriever on the scent at the commencement of 

 the " run," let him puzzle it out, until he finds the rabbit, and then 

 make him bring it to his master without injuring it in the least. 

 Encouragement should be given for success, and during the search, 

 the dog should have the notice of his master, by the words: 



