WILDFOWL DOGS— HOW TO BREAK THEM 69 



whip and taken in for the day. These are delicate points, 

 which may develop into very bad habits, if the dog is not 

 dealt with sternly at first. 



After the pup has learned to carry well, the skin should be 

 hidden or thrown into thick cover, and after a few minutes the 

 dog commanded to seek. Never allow the dog under any cir- 

 cumstances to bolt or seek without a command. At first it may 

 be too harsh treatment to flog him for such an offence, but he 

 should never be let off without a cut of the whip, or he will 

 develop the habit of "breaking" and giving chase. For this 

 he should be severely punished. To flog a big retriever is no 

 easy task. Seize him by the skin at the back of the neck, and 

 in your left hand hold him close up to your left hip. In such 

 a position he cannot bite you, and yet your right hand is free 

 to flog him. Give him a severe thrashing ; let it last three 

 minutes. Before he begins to howl, shout to him sternly the 

 words "'Ware chase! 'ware chase, you brute!" and try to 

 make him learn the sounds. Unless chasing habits are well 

 curbed in a dog he will prove endlessly troublesome. Trash 

 cords, as used for pointers and setters, are useless for re- 

 trievers, if the dog cannot be brought down by the check close 

 at hand. 



Our puppy has now gone through the ordeal of learning 

 right from wrong, and may be framing very favourably. So 

 as to instil him with greater confidence he may be taught to 

 lie down and allow his master to walk across a large field and, 

 with a whistle, call the dog over. He may also be taught to 

 go back half a mile and retrieve the rabbit-skin. This is done 

 by gradually increasing the distance. These are items of no 

 importance in the actual working of a dog, but they serve 

 well to further the education of the pupil. Finally he must be 

 taught to take the water. This a well-bred puppy usually 

 does the first time, if the rabbit-skin is shown to him and 

 then thrown into the water. Be equally as careful about 



