TRAINING NEWFOUNDLANDS. 65 



have not been sufficiently utilised around our coasts ; nothing is easier than to train him by means 

 of an effigy to bring drowning people out of the water, and one or two would prove of 

 great value at our bathing stations and in connection with our lifeboats. Water trials for 

 these dogs have been tried at Maidstone and Portsmouth, but from various causes they 

 proved unsuccessful. Such trials, however, if judiciously carried out, would, we are sure, 

 prove both interesting and useful. The idea of instituting such contests originated with Mr. 

 Hugh Dalziel, and it is to be regretted it has not met with the support it deserves. There 

 is no dog that earlier displays intelligence, and his education may be commenced almost 

 as soon as he leaves his dam. A Newfoundland's instinct for fetching and carrying is soon 

 exhibited in his manner of playing with bones, pieces of wood, a ball, or anything he can 

 pick up. He is continually running about with one or other of these things in his mouth, 

 indulging in all sorts of antics, throwing his plaything up and catching it, hiding it when 

 tired, to be brought out again when the spirit of play returns to him. 



To take advantage of these natural propensities, and develop them, is the easy task 

 of the judicious teacher. In doing so it is well to keep to one article a piece of wood, 

 round which some cloth is tied to make it soft to the mouth, and prevent it hurting the 

 teeth, at the same time that it assists in bringing him up tender-mouthed, a most important 

 point to be gained, and one which the use of a hard material in early lessons makes almost 

 impossible of subsequent attainment. The lessons are easily imparted with a little patience 

 and perseverance. This is the modus operandi : Take the object in your hand, and having 

 called the pup to you, show it him, gently shaking it before him, when he will at once 

 want to take it in his mouth. Instead of letting him take it from your hand, throw it, 

 when his attention is on it, a few yards away ; he will be sure to scamper after it, when 

 your next part is to coax him back to you, as his natural inclination will be to stop 

 and play with it. If he does not come to you, go to him, and, taking hold of the ball 

 with one hand, with the other very gently lead him back to where you threw it from, 

 and then, with as little force as possible, take it away, place it on the ground, do 

 not allow him to touch it, but pat him and praise him ; in a few minutes repeat the 

 operation, and continue until he gets tired of it, at the first signs of which stop the 

 lesson. If this is repeated twice a day the puppy will soon be perfect, and will like the 

 lessons all the better if at the end of each you reward him with some tit-bit. You must 

 then gradually extend the lesson out of doors, throwing the ball into grass, or elsewhere, 

 that he may have to seek for it ; and go on until he will " seek " at the commanding use of 

 that word, with a wave of the hand to guide him in the direction in which you have 

 previously hidden the ball. These should be strictly private lessons, as the presence of any 

 other man or dog will distract the pupil's attention, and spoil all. Lessons in the water 

 are taught on the same plan ; and diving by using a bone, or other white substance that 

 will sink, beginning by at first dropping it into very shallow clear water. We have seen a 

 dog trained in the manner we have briefly described (he was a fine pup, son of imported 

 parents), so that at six months old he would go back two miles and fetch an article 

 which he had not seen hidden ; and he was so tender-mouthed that we have seen him 

 carry a winged crow a mile without hurting him no easy task when the temper of the 

 crow and the strength of his bill are considered. 



Of the dogs imported of late years we cannot speak very highly, none of them being 

 equal to our home-bred specimens ; and we look for improvement by careful breeding with 

 these, rather than from the introduction of blood from abroad. An exception may he 

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