WILDFOWL DOGS— HOW TO BREAK THEM 65 



The favourite breed of dog for wildfowling is, without doubt, 

 the retriever. I have seen good workers in the three main 

 classes — curly-coated, flat, and Labrador. So much depends 

 on individual ability in working dogs, that to say one variety 

 is better than another might raise a lengthy argument ; yet 

 I believe the flat-coated breed excels the curly-coated for 

 " nose." This, perhaps, is due to the flat-coated retriever having 

 been of recent years bred by many noteworthy gentlemen 

 particularly for its powers of scent. Some part may also be 

 attributed to the modern methods of shooting game. It is not 

 wisdom to condemn a breed or variety of dogs on the merits 

 of a few individuals. 



The first thing necessary is to procure an animal which you 

 think will be likely to make a useful wildfowl dog, taking its 

 breeding and general intellect seriously into account. Remember 

 that, unless the puppy is an apt learner, all your teaching and 

 breaking will be wasted ; thus it is wise to use every care in 

 the selection of your pupil, or the result will be the expenditure 

 of a fatal shot on its behalf, and this, worse luck, after many 

 weeks of patient and useless labour. 



Dog training is of two kinds — natural and artificial. 

 Natural training is that which a dog naturally and readily 

 learns, having presumably been bred for the special purpose, 

 for which it possesses extraordinary developments of the 

 necessary physical organs and faculties. This kind of training 

 is never forgotten in an animal. Artificial training is, by 

 constant teaching, temporarily established in a form by force 

 of habit. I might cite here as an example, cataleptic point- 

 ing in terriers. Although this kind of training may be 

 highly creditable to the teacher, unless animals so taught are 

 constantly in practice they very quickly lose the knowledge 

 or abilities which resulted from their previous training. 

 Artificial training in sporting dogs has a limit, and this is 

 forcibly apparent when those natural powers which are 



