70 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



commanding the dog to fetch out of the water as on land. Throw 

 in the skin, meanwhile keeping the dog "down," and allow 

 a minute to elapse before sending him to fetch it. This will 

 assist to steady the puppy and free him from desires to chase. 

 If at first the puppy does not readily take the water, clapping 

 and encouragement will be necessary to entice him to go. 

 Never throw a dog in, or much labour may be required later 

 to get him to swim and fetch at all. 



The puppy is now ready to take its first lessons in company 

 with its master bent on shooting. Equal care is needed in 

 handling the dog when shooting a few birds over it, as when 

 breaking it. Do not allow it to do wrong without a check of 

 the trash cord or by word or whip, and be prepared to sacrifice 

 sport for the welfare of the promising puppy. Many points will 

 arise which may need rectifying, such as persuading the dog to 

 fetch from across a stream, which, as likely as not, he will at 

 first refuse to do. Patience and perseverance do a lot in dog- 

 breaking, and if his tuition has been sternly carried out he will 

 by words alone be induced to do many remarkable feats. 

 When working for birds drifting on the tide it will be necessary 

 to teach the dog to swim in the desired direction by waving an 

 arm. A few lessons to a dog so far properly broken, suffice to 

 teach this, because the dog will watch his master and soon 

 note the direction in which he is desired to swim by the move- 

 ment of the arm, until the bird may be seen. Shouting on an 

 extensive shore is not audible when wind and water cause 

 much noise. Several other points seen in perfectly broken 

 dogs are only gained by long practice under careful attention. 

 A good game-dog that can swim well and has been properly 

 handled will invariably make a splendid wildfowl dog. Seek- 

 ing crippled ducks amongst rushes and tracking running 

 curlews which have been wounded over the marshes, are 

 abilities in a dog subject to variation, according to tact or 

 intelligence and scenting powers. Dogs with the necessary 



