498 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



within range of your gun, on no account fire and kill 

 it, as the fact of the dog returning with the hare or 

 rabbit you have shot is an encouragement to him to 

 repeat the offence. You are much more likely to cure 

 a young retriever of chasing if he returns to you 

 panting and disappointed without the game he pur- 

 sued, and has then to experience punishment and 

 disgrace as well ! 



In a country where ground game is absent, or if 

 you are training a dog for the moors, I advise you 

 never to permit him to retrieve fur, and to break him 

 as completely off hares and rabbits as if he were a 

 pointer or a setter, merely allowing him to retrieve 

 feather ; he will in such case act his part with birds 

 hetter than will nine out of ten dogs that fetch fur 

 and feather too.* I would even say, ' do not allow a 

 young retriever to fetch any ground game during his first 

 season.' 



LESSON VII 



* BREAKING TO GAME ' 



Your young dog for he is no longer a puppy- 

 should now be about seven months old, and you have, 

 or ought to have, taught him to ' down charge,' to 

 ' fetch and carry,' to * seek and find by scent,' to 

 ' keep at heel,' and have also cured him of chasing 



* If a young dog is not thoroughly broken off chasing, and 

 especially if he now and then succeeds in catching a rabbit, he will 

 become so keen on ground game that for the rest of his life he will 

 never be really steady in retrieving a bird should a hare or a rabbit 

 chance to cross his path. 



