IKKJ-BREAKIJiTG 67 



seeker and bringer back of dead or wounded game, and a red herring attached to a long 

 bamboo, to obviate any foiling of the scent by the human foot, and trailed along the 

 ground, will be found to be the simplest way of proceeding : anyhow it is one that I 

 have always adopted with more or less success in my attempts to make a retriever. A 

 retriever in slip is of no use at all in a country where the pheasants literally run for miles, 

 because of the length of time it takes to unslip him, and a close-working dog is to be 

 preferred to one that keeps to heel until told to " seek dead," for he will be much more 

 likely to get upon the scent of a dropped bird sooner than would the other. And time is 

 everything when the recovery of a but slightly wounded pheasant is in question. It is 

 scarcely necessary to repeat the old dictum that the more of a companion you make your 

 retriever the more willing will be the work he will do for you, and, presumably, the better 

 sport he will show you. I am aware that I shall be considered unorthodox in some quarters 

 for suggesting that a retriever should hunt, but all the conditions of shooting in this country 

 command that the dog should work round and for the gun. 



SPANIELS. 



For some reason or other spaniels have the discredit of being the most wilful and 

 unruly of all sporting dogs, and yet it is very difficult to account for the prevalence of this 

 expression of opinion. A good spaniel is a real companion, very affectionate in look, 

 manner and disposition, and as trustworthy and reliable as any of his kennel companions, 

 but, for reasons elsewhere given, is not quite the best general dog for this country. If, 

 however, anyone would like to try his hand on a brace of spaniels he will not be disappointed 

 if he gets hold of strong, heavy puppies of some well known and well proved sporting, 

 hunting breed. 



The education of spaniels may proceed on much the same lines as that of retrievers, 

 only that they will have to drag a good length of check cord, say 20 yards of stout signal 

 halyard, until such time as they will have learnt the limit of their range. To prevent any 

 over-indulgence in their proverbial exuberance of spirits, it will be found advantageous to 

 constantly drop them by signal (uplifted hand), as being the surest way of steadying 

 them. (In the Notes on setters and pointers the use of the check cord will be more fully 

 gone into.) They ought, too, to come to the shooter the instant he whistles, and they should 

 always be rewarded when they obey promptly. It is a good plan to bring spaniels in to 

 heel when crossing open ground or very light cover, otherwise they probably will be doing 

 a lot of bustling, tiring, useless work ; consequently they should be kept at heel until arrival 

 at the cover intended to be thoroughly "rousted." Then they should do their work in a real 

 business like manner. 



Briefly, then, it will be seen that a spaniel should be taught to fetch and carry, to 

 retrieve, to hunt in a limited range, to come when whistled to and to drop to signal. 



SETTERS AND POINTERS. 



The education of the setter or pointer pup until he is six months old may with 

 convenience, as stated before, be upon the same principles as adopted in the case of spaniels 

 or retrievers. Arrived at that age, a pup ought certainly — 



To be able to fetch quickly the "toy " that may have been thrown for him. 



