CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE WILD-FOWL SHOOTER'S DOG. 



" But the poor dog, in life the firmest friend, 

 The first to welcome, foremost to defend, 

 Whose honest heart is still his master's own, 

 Who labours, fights, lives, breathes for him alone." 



BYRON. 



THE wild-fowl shooter, who practises his sport on the land, requires 

 the services of a dog 1 specially trained to the pursuit : one that will 

 " keep to heel" whenever required that will not chase or " give 

 tongue," but obey its master's signs and directions at all times, 

 whether spoken or merely indicated by a wave of the hand. It 

 must also possess fine courage, and be ready and willing to dash into 

 the water after a winged fowl on the coldest days of winter, if 

 required. 



The best-bred dog for the purpose, is the curly-coated retriever. 

 Newfoundland dogs are used for this sport by many wild-fowl 

 shooters ; but, generally speaking, they are too large ; it being often 

 necessary to take the dog across a river or bay in a boat, when the 

 wet and dirt they sometimes bring with them, after having been over- 

 board, or running about dykes and marshes, make it very disagree- 

 able to the sportsman or other occupants of the boat. The curly- 

 coated retriever, from the nature of its skin, is far less dirty ; and, 

 when carefully trained to the sport, is the best breed of dog that can 

 be had for the purpose. 



It is not desirable that the dog should be very large, particularly if 

 in the locality of muddy savannas ; because the lighter the weight of 

 the animal, the quicker and more readily will he be enabled to walk 

 over the rotten surface in pursuit of winged or wounded birds. 



The dog intended to be trained for wild-fowl shooting, should com- 

 mence a course of instruction when about ten months of age ; and 

 the first thing to be taught is to fetch and carry ; and, in imparting 



