LESSONS IN " FETCHING." 521 



diameter, sufficiently flexible for you, but not for him to 

 bend. Shape this much into the form of the letter U, 

 supposing the extremities to be joined by a straight line. 

 Place the straight part in the dog's mouth, and passing 

 the other over his head and ears, retain it in position by 

 a light throat lash passed through a turn in 

 the wire, as here roughly represented. The 

 flexibility of the wire will enable you to ad- 

 just it with ease to the shape of his head. 

 When in the kennel he ought to be occasionally thus 

 bitted, that he may not fret when he is first hunted with 

 it. It will not injure his teeth or much annoy him if it 

 lie on his grinders a little behind the tushes. 



101. Sometimes a retriever, notwithstanding every 

 encouragement, will not pursue a winged bird with 

 sufficient rapidity. In this case associate him for a few 

 days with a quicker dog, whose example will to a cer- 

 tainty animate him and increase his pace. It is true that 

 when he is striving to hit off a scent he cannot work too 

 patiently and perseveringly ; but, on the other hand, the 

 moment he is satisfied he is on it, he cannot follow too 

 ^apidly. A winged bird, when closely pressed, seems, 

 through nervousness, to emit an increasing stream of 

 scent ; therefore, though it may sound paradoxical, the 

 retriever's accelerated pace then makes him (his nose 

 being close to the ground) the less likely to overrun it ; 

 and the faster he pursues the less ground must he dis- 

 turb, for the shorter will be the chase. 



102. Retrievers are generally taught to rush in the 



