THE WILD-FOWL SHOOTER'S DOG. 105 



this instruction, kindness and patience are the best preceptors, and 

 will be found to do more in the way of bringing- the dog under control 

 than blows. The spike-collar, recommended by some professed dog- 

 breakers, should not, on any account, be used : it inflicts unnecessary 

 torture j and, as Col. Hutchinson very properly remarks in his excellent 

 little book on dog-breaking, " it is a brutal instrument which none 

 but the most ignorant or unthinking would employ." 



The wild-fowler's retriever must be trained to fetch from the water 

 in the summer time : it would spoil the animal's courage to attempt 

 training' it to the pursuit in winter. But, after a course of careful and 

 judicious instruction, a well-bred and high-couraged dog never refuses 

 the water, though ever so cold. Retrieving by land may be taught 

 at any season, with the aid of a stuffed glove at first, and afterwards 

 a stuffed bird- skin ; but in no instance should hard substances be 

 employed in the education of a retriever. 



These animals delight in bringing birds in their mouths ; and every 

 thing depends on the first lessons they receive in this practice, as to 

 their ever being of good service to the sportsman. They must be 

 taught to fetch and deliver the birds at the sportsman's feet ; and the 

 more they are practised when young, the more useful and valuable 

 will they be in after-years. The engraving on the opposite page is 

 a portrait of the author's favourite dog " Sambo," in the act of re- 

 trieving a mallard. 



By keeping the dog strictly to heel when walking along the shore, 

 or beside dykes and rivulets, it will very soon acquire the art of 

 watching where the bird falls j so as to go, on its master's signal, 

 straight to the spot.* 



It is very useful to teach a dog to retrieve the wounded, before 

 picking up the dead, wild-fowl. The faithful and valuable creature, 

 whose portrait is given on the opposite page, used to do this as if by 

 instinct ; and it was a rare occurrence indeed, to lose a winged or 

 wounded bird when " Sambo" was with me.f 



* Col. Hutchinson, in his little work on dog-breaking, says : " A really good 

 retriever is a scarce and valuable animal. ****** jj e should be per- 

 fectly mute ; of a patient disposition, though active in the pursuit of birds ; of so 

 hardy a constitution as not to mind the severest cold therefore no coddling, while 

 he is young, near a fire and possess what many are deficient in, viz., a good nose ; 

 consequently, a cross that will improve his nose, yet not decrease his steadiness, is 

 the great desideratum in breeding. He should swim, rapidly, for wild-fowl tliat are 

 only winged will frequently escape from the quickest dog if they have plenty of sea- 

 room and deep water." 



f The same author (Hutchinson) remarks as to this accomplishment in a retriever: 



