308 KENNEL SECRETS. 



to be enforced or severe punishment inflicted for every 

 breach. The idea that the writer desires to convey is, 

 that precisely the same methods of restraint and correc- 

 tion — and no more exacting — should be employed with 

 him that a wise parent would employ with her child 

 while yet it was strong in impulses but poor in will-power. 

 In a word, let the first treatment which is administered to 

 a puppy be much the same as that which reason tells is 

 right and proper for a child between one and two years 

 of age. 



Puppies acquire powers of discernment with very great 

 rapidity, and where they are much with their masters or 

 mistresses they are soon able to detect changes in humor 

 by the voice, hence are almost, if not quite, as easily 

 influenced as a child ; and when they do wrong a mild 

 scolding and a tap of the hand will generally be sufficient 

 penalty. 



Perversity and self-will are, of course, inevitable in all 

 higher orders of animals, and unless held in check until 

 reason asserts itself they are sure to warp the nature and 

 make no end of trouble in the future ; therefore, obedi- 

 ence is a quality that must be fixed at the earliest possible 

 ao-e Nor will this be difficult if correct methods are 

 employed, although, unfortunately, many who attempt the 

 training of puppies stray at this point, and by impatience 

 and severity break their spirits if their tempers are mild, 

 or if they are unusually obstinate, render them more 

 wilfull as well as dull and surly. 



It is not too much to say that all puppies under judicious 

 management from the first can be thoroughly trained 

 and governed ever afterward by kindness, for surely no 

 other animals are endowed with natures so affectionate, 

 honest and loyal as their kind ; and with these qualities 

 an anxiety to please can never be found wanting. Con- 



