482 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



times so impossible, to cure. Do not, however, fire 

 a charge of powder near a puppy when he is only a 

 few weeks old, or you may easily give him a fright 

 he may not forget for the rest of his days.* 



LESSON II 



' DOWN CHARGE ' 



Do not spend much time over this lesson, but 

 inculcate the PRINCIPLES of it in your puppy's mind, 



* Courage is an indispensable quality in a retriever. It is true a 

 very bold dog may be somewhat headstrong at first ; but a timid 

 nervous puppy is always a trouble, though his timidity is too fre- 

 quently the result of harsh treatment. 



If a young dog evinces terror at the report of a gun and is a coward 

 generally, and you cannot, do what you will, conquer his fear, send 

 him as a last resort to the shop of a busy blacksmith, and let him 

 be fed and kennelled in the corner of it for a time ; it is quite pos- 

 sible the sights and sounds of the forge will make him callous to the 

 noise of a gun and other alarms. I have known several bad cases of 

 gun-shy dogs that have been cured in this manner. 



It often happens that a young retriever will not flinch at the 

 report of his trainer's gun, yet he will promptly turn tail when one 

 or more shooters are firing on either side of him. 



If the dog is worth the trouble, act as follows, and you may cure 

 him of being ' gun-shy.' 



Lead the dog with a string a couple of hundred yards or so 

 behind the shooters, and every time a gun is fired kneel down and 

 speak to and caress him, and feed him with a morsel of cake. 



If the shooters are working pointers or setters, your work is far 

 easier, as you can then reassure the dog before and whilst the firing 

 progresses. As the dog gains courage (if he does) cautiously walk 

 nearer to the shooters, so that he may see any other retrievers at 

 work, and if he is in the least jealous or keen he will in two or 

 three days overcome his dread of gunpowder, in his desire to share 

 in the sport. 



