FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 2O3 



voluntarily carrying the things in play for his own 

 amusement. 



The trainer, adopting the idea of amusement from 

 the dog's standard, joins in the dog's frolic and, with 

 a liberal bestowal of flattery to inveigle the dog into 

 making a semblance of retrieving, terms such tenta- 

 tive efforts a method. 



Briefly, the important faults of the system are that 

 it is entirely inoperative if the dog has no inclination 

 to play; that dogs vary greatly in their capacity for 

 play when compared one with another, and that the 

 same dog at different times varies widely in his 

 moods concerning it ; that, though a dog may be in- 

 clined to play according to his own liking, he may 

 not be inclined to play according to the liking of his 

 trainer; that, being taught in play, many inperfec- 

 tions will necessarily be incorporated into his manner 

 of retrieving ; that he will never engage in it as a 

 serious act entirely subject to the will of his trainer ; 

 that aged dogs, not being playful, cannot be taught 

 by it, and that when at any time in his mature years 

 the dog finds the work irksome or laborious to an un- 

 pleasant degree, he will quit it for good and all. 



The natural retriever is rarely a finished retriever. 



