228 TRAINING THE HUNTING DOG 



shown by the plea that he didn't know it was loaded, 

 or by resting in the shade when uncomfortably 

 warm, etc. 



However well a dog may perform in his yard 

 lessons, they cannot be accepted as final data con- 

 cerning his actual work afield. Carrying an object 

 to hand is not all of retrieving. The dog must have 

 a keen intelligence, so that he will understand how 

 to work intelligently to the gun ; he must have a keen 

 nose, so that he may be able to trail running birds to 

 their hiding places, and locate the dead ones; he 

 should have a pleasant, tractable disposition and take 

 pleasure in his work ; he should be able to mark and 

 remember the flight of wounded birds, and also be 

 able to distinguish between the flight of a wounded 

 bird and one which is not. 



The finished retriever does his work expeditiously 

 and accurately, because he knows what to do and 

 how to do it. The poor retriever knows but little 

 more than how to fetch a bird when he comes across 

 it. All the intelligent cognizance of details is lost 

 to him. 



Retrieving ducks and geese is too laborious work 

 for the average pointer and setter. Furthermore, 



