VARIOUS BREEDS. 



would oppose formidable obstacles to the speedy 

 return of a smaller dog. Others, again, recommend 

 a cross of the sheep dog or setter ; while some 

 advocate a touch of the greyhound or lurcher. I 

 have myself bred, broken, and tried them all 

 during the last ten years, and have besides had 

 many opportunities of witnessing the perfor- 

 mances of retrievers of various breeds in the 

 possession of others ; and the conclusion at which 

 I have arrived is that a cross between the broad- 

 shouldered, short-legged Newfoundland and a 

 thoroughbred setter, is more likely than any 

 other to answer the expectations of the sports- 

 man. Dogs of this description possess the 

 strength, aptness for receiving instruction, and 

 general steadiness of the one, combined with the 

 fine nose, quickness, and accuracy in following 

 on the track of feathered game, which characte- 

 rize the other. No doubt good retrievers have 

 been obtained of almost every sort ; but this cross 

 affords, in my opinion, the best chance of suc- 

 cess where time is an object, and where the puppy 

 as is too generally the case is consigned to 

 the care of an indifferent trainer. 



My first experiment with the greyhound was 

 the produce of a powerful dog of that kind, and 

 a capital retriever, who was herself the offspring 

 of a Newfoundland and a setter. I kept two 



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