Ifir TO TRAIN A RETRIEVER (LESSON /) 481 



system when it is evident he is more tired than 

 obstinate, but if he is slow to obey the voice or whistle 

 give him a lesson with the cord quietly and kindly 

 every time you unkennel him, and directly he l^jins 

 to obey reward him with a piece of food on the act, 

 though when he is really obedient discontinue the 

 practice of giving food save occasionally, and substitute 

 praise, as you do not require a dog that does his work 

 merely to gratify his appetite. 



This is all you need teach your puppy till he is 

 about four months old, but it is very necessary 

 you should teach it thoroughly, for this first lesson 

 in discipline is the most important one a dog receives, 

 and in relation to its success may make or mar his 

 future career. At all events, your puppy is now sup- 

 posed to have learned a little sense, which will help us 

 verv much in his future instruction. 



You should take it for granted a puppy is afraid 

 of a gun, and hence test him now and again till you 

 find he is not gun-shy by squibbing off at feeding time 

 a light charge of powder, first at fifty yards distance, 

 then nearer and nearer to him by degrees. 



There is no more cruel disappointment to the 

 owner of an otherwise well-trained dog than to dis- 

 cover on taking him afield he dreads the report of 

 the gun, and there is no defect so difficult, or at 



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