644 DOG-BREAKIXG. 



300. If you object to a setter's being taught to 

 lift on the ground that it will make the other dogs 

 jealous, pray remember that the argument has equal 

 force against the employment of a regular retriever in 

 their presence. 



REGULAR RETRIEVER TO BEAT. 



301. We all have our prejudices every Englishman 

 has a right to many. One of mine is to think a regular 

 retriever positively not worth his keep for general 

 shooting if one of your setting dogs will retrieve well. 

 However, if you shoot much in cover, I admit that a 

 regular retriever which can be worked in perfect 

 silence, never refusing to come in when he is merely 

 signalled to, or, if out of sight, softly whistled to, is 

 better* particularly when you employ beatersf but 

 even then he need not be the idle rascal that one 

 generally sees he might be broken in to hunt close to 

 you, and give you the same service as a mute spaniel. 

 I grant this is somewhat difficult to accomplish, for it 

 much tends to unsteady him, but it can be effected 

 I have seen it and, being practicable, it is at least- 

 worth trying; for if you succeed, you, as before 292 

 make one dog perform the work of two ; and, besides 

 its evident advantage in thick cover, if he accompany 



* Of course, a regular retriever is absolutely necessary when a 

 team of spaniels is hunted, none of which are accustomed to retrieve. 



\ Regular retrievers arc never used in America except on the 

 Chesapeake bay for fowl-shooting. H. W. H. 



