68 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



understand their utility. ** Down ! " "back!" **heel!" 

 "seek!" "hie on!" "over!" and a few other such short 

 orders as the breaker may choose to invent are easily under- 

 stood by a dog. Phrases of encouragement should not be 

 varied, for the dog will only remember the sounds of those 

 mostly used ; therefore it is as important to remember in what 

 words and tone to praise the dog. The most encouraging are 

 "To ho, good dog ! " "fetch it on ! " "seek him out ! " and, 

 on the dog complying with the sounds, "Steady, good dog ! " 

 should always be shouted in a tone by which the dog may 

 know he is doing right. Scolding sounds are "'Ware, you 

 brute ! " " 'ware chase ! " "back ! " and so on. 



Up to the present stage of the dog's education a whip 

 should never have been used. What he knows should have 

 been taught him by words and actions only. The whip will 

 be needed later. Before introducing the dog to his field work 

 he should be taught to walk to heel, and not show a desire to 

 run after poultry. The only practicable check against this at 

 first, if the dog is inclined to chase, is a leash or "trash" 

 cord of eighteen feet long, knotted every yard, so that it can be 

 held tight when stood upon. He is now ready, we will 

 suppose, to be taught to retrieve. A rabbit-skin, salted, 

 and dried, and stuffed with worsted, is a good article for 

 the purpose of teaching the dog to carry. First place it 

 in his mouth and say, "Good dog! Fetch it on!" If a 

 well-bred retriever, and he has taken well, so far, to his 

 lessons, he will readily carry. He may, however, soon tire 

 and want to play with it. Then cease further lessons, call him 

 to heel, and walk on. The next lesson is to let the dog see 

 the skin laid on the ground, and, walking a few paces away, 

 send him for it. In this way he will soon learn to carry and 

 become keen for the job. If he should do anything wrong, 

 such as shaking or "nipping" the skin, he should be scolded, 

 and if these faults are repeated, given one or two cuts with the 



