\\\ii. How TO TKAJN A RETRIEVER (Lf-.ssoN 77) 483 



and perfect him in * down charging ' as you proceed 

 with the lessons that follow this one. 



A week at learning to ' down charge ' is long 

 enough, for we ought to proceed with Lesson III. 

 with as little delay as possible. At the same time 

 the puppy should have a good idea of this lesson 

 before commencing the next one. 



As the shorter and sharper the words of command 

 we employ in training a puppy, the more effectually 

 they appeal to his intellect, the word * down ' is all 

 that we need use to represent ' down charge.' 



The order to ' down charge ' implies that a dog is 

 to lie clown at the moment you say ' Down ! ' and raise 

 your arm to enforce the command, and that he is to re- 

 main down till urged forward by a wave of the hand, 

 or called to you by voice or whistle. Your puppy 

 learnt in his first lesson to come to your feet when 

 called up, and his doing this will assist you not a little 

 in training him to ' down charge.' 



The quickest and most certain method of teaching a 

 retriever puppy to ' down charge ' is with a check cord. 



The usual plan is to fasten one end of a cord, 

 some 12 feet in length, to the dog's collar and the 

 other end to a peg in the ground, then to force the 

 animal to 'down charge,' i.e. lie down, by pressing him 

 to the ground, then to walk away, and if the puppy 

 rises to follow you the cord will check him, and you 



