Training and Management 71 



In the early days of the dog's training, it is not asked to 

 travel very long distances, but before it is considered ready 

 for the field it must have been in the regular habit of carry- 

 ing messages over different sorts of country for three and 

 a half to four miles. The ground over which the dogs are 

 trained must be varied as much as possible. They must 

 be taught to travel along high roads, amongst lorry and 

 other traffic, through villages, and past every sort of camp 

 and cook-house temptation. They must be taught not to 

 be afraid of water, or of any inequalities in the ground. 

 To aid the dogs in overcoming all these difficulties, all sorts 

 of artificial obstacles are introduced into the route of the 

 dog's journey over and above those he would meet in the 

 ordinary way. Barbed wire entanglements, palings, fences, 

 water dykes, smoke clouds, made by harmless means, etc., 

 should intercept its homeward journey, and it must be 

 induced at all costs, one way or another, to surmount these 

 difficulties by going over, through, or under. It is left to 

 the dog to choose, but come he must. Competition with 

 each other is a very strong educator here, and is one of 

 the great aids to training. When a dog begins to be keen 

 on its work, it takes great pride in everything connected 

 with its training, and is greatly displeased to see another 

 passing it. 



It was my custom at the school to divide the messenger 

 dogs into classes according to their progress. There was 

 a first, second, and third class. Sometimes one class would 

 be left in while the others were taken out for work. If the 

 first class, which was the most highly trained, happened to 

 be left in, it was most amusing to watch the indignation 

 and contempt with which the incoming efforts of the lesser- 

 trained dogs were greeted by its members. They generally 

 elected to watch the proceedings perched on the top of 



