SETTER TO RETRIEVE. 645 



you in your every-day shooting, you will thus obtain, 

 in the course of a season, many a shot which your 

 other dogs, especially in hot weather, would pass 

 over. If, too, the retriever hunts quite close to you, 

 he can in no way annoy his companions, or interfere 

 with them, for I take it for granted he will be so 

 obedient as to come to "heel" the instant he gets 

 your signal. 



WATER RETRIEVERS OR WATER SPANIELS TO RETRIEVE 



WOUNDED BEFORE PICKING UP DEAD WILD FOWL. 



302. This a knowing old dog will often do of his 

 own accord ; but you must not attempt to teach a 

 young one this useful habit until you are satisfied 

 that there is no risk of making him blink his birds. 

 You can then call him off when he is swimming towards 

 dead birds, and signal to him to follow those that are 

 fluttering away. If the water is not too deep, rush 

 in yourself, and set him a good example by actively 

 pursuing the runaways ; and until all the cripples that can 

 be recovered are safely bagged, do not let him lift one of 

 those killed outright. If very intelligent, he will before 

 long perceive the advantage of the system, or at least 

 find it the more exciting method, and adhere to it with- 

 out obliging you to continue your aquatic excursions. 

 For advice about water retrievers, see 81 to 85. I 

 have placed this paragraph among the " refinements " in 

 breaking ; but I ought, perhaps, to have entered it soon- 

 er ; for if you are fond of duck-shooting, and live in a 



