184 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



do in forming these tempers and dispositions, it follows that 

 too great care cannot be taken to train them properly, and 

 especially never to correct in anger or caprice. 



The indispensable qualifications of a truly valuable retriever 

 are, an exquisite nose, a very soft mouth, unflinching courage 

 in water, perseverance on land, never to lay down game, however 

 heavy or far to carry, and a mild tractable temper. A dog 

 gifted with these requisites must be trained entirely by kindness. 

 This rule should never be forgotten. Severity may sometimes 

 be needed to restrain an impetuous, headstrong pointer or 

 setter, but so much depends on a retriever's own will and 

 willingness, that any dog requiring harsh breaking had better 

 be at once dismissed. 



Some time ago, a hasty gamekeeper near Edinburgh got a 

 practical lesson from his dog, which he would remember better 

 than the soundest scolding his master could have given. He 

 dropped a partridge with his first barrel, wounding another, 

 which fell out of bounds, with his second. The dog retrieved 

 the first bird, but not having perceived that the other was hit 

 too, only wagged his tail, with an expressive look at the dead 

 partridge, when ordered to fetch its neighbour. The keeper, 

 losing patience, gave him a flogging ! For weeks, although 

 most willing and efficient in collecting the dead or wounded 

 for any one else, the sagacious creature obstinately refused to 

 recover game killed by one who so rewarded his efforts. The 

 keeper, fully aware of his mistake, tried his utmost by kind- 

 ness to regain the dog's confidence. 



Fast retrievers are great favourites with all bad shots, as 

 they quickly run down footed game, if ever so slightly struck. 

 Winged game, but especially wild-fowl, are far more satisfac- 

 torily retrieved by a slow dog. 



To old Boss of Tongue belongs the originality of training a 

 dog to course seals. This mongrel, with a dash of the grey- 

 hound, used to creep like a cat along the sandbanks of the 

 Kyles of Tongue. Whenever he felt secure of overtaking his 



