TEACHING TO RETRIEVE. 149 



rabbits, &c., and to bring them uninjured to his master. 

 After a time, he may be taught to bring a ball or glove from 

 the water, which he does more readily even than on land, but 

 is very apt at first to deposit it on the shore, as soon as he 

 reaches it, in order that he may shake himself clear of the 

 water hanging to his coat. This should be discouraged, as it is 

 very apt to induce the dog to leave his game on the edge of the 

 water as soon as he comes out. When these dogs are required 

 for punt-shooting as well as river-hunting, their education is 

 better commenced on the river-side than in the punt. Nothing 

 answers better for this purpose than the shooting of" flappers," 

 which usually comes on in July and August. The water being 

 then warm, and the young birds awkward, and not very good 

 divers, great encouragement to persevere is afforded to the 

 dog, and he may be easily induced to swim more or less for 

 hours, and to hunt the side of a brook in the most ardent 

 manner. There is very little difficulty in entering these dogs 

 to wildfowl, as they seem to have a natural bias that way j 

 but they should be carefully broken from rats, which abound 

 on the banks of rivers and ponds. The only art consists in 

 confining their range, by making them beat to hand, and in 

 persuading them to retrieve wounded or dead birds. The 

 range is much more easily taught the water spaniel than the 

 land variety, because he is almost always in sight of the 

 shooter, and always within the sound of his voice. If, there- 

 fore, the puppy has been taught to come in at the word 

 " Back," and to turn to the right and left on land, in obedience 

 to the hand, as in ordinary spaniel-breaking, he will be sure 

 to obey in the water, where he seems to ask for the directions 

 of his master. The eye of the swimming dog is only able to 

 command a small circle, being very little raised above the 

 level of the water, and therefore he cannot see far from his 

 nose ; but by watching the hand of his master for the voice 

 should not be used more than necessary he is often directed 

 to the right spot, and afterwards is glad to claim the assistance 

 which is found to be so useful. 



