312 KENNEL SECRETS. 



Beyond being accustomed to wearing a collar and led 

 about, taught to come when called by name, lie down, 

 and obey a few other common orders, puppies of non- 

 sporting breeds do not require any formal course of train- 

 ing, for if they are given their liberty from the very first 

 and admitted often to the house, are much in the com- 

 pany of the members of the family, and restrained or en- 

 couraged as is necessary, they will, if naturally intelligent, 

 in time not only acquire surprisingly good manners but 

 very nice discrimination. Nature is not, of course, alike 

 bountiful to all, nor are all puppies equally gifted with 

 powers of observation, but the infinite majority when un- 

 der favorable conditions can, as said, be safely left much 

 to themselves to learn by association. 



The foolish notion is very prevalent that puppies in- 

 tended as guards should be put on the chain at a very 

 early age that they may know none others than the mem- 

 bers of their own families. As a matter of fact such 

 treatment dulls understanding as well as warps body and 

 limbs, and the victims become in consequence merely 

 noisy and dangerous machines. A puppy can never be 

 made a good, safe and efficient guard by any such means 

 as this, and instead of being put into seclusion he should 

 be given the liberty of his master's premises, where it will 

 be possible for his instincts and faculties to develop. 

 Meeting then all classes of callers he will soon learn from 

 the manner of his people and by outward signs, as dress, 

 speech, etc., to discriminate between those to be readily 

 admitted and others who should be regarded with sus- 

 picion. He should also be widely introduced to his own 

 kind, a familiarity with which begets courage and an easy, 

 self-confident bearing. 



To teach all puppies, of whatever breeds, to retrieve is 

 always a wise plan, for the accomplishment can be utilized 



