228 The Sporting Dog 



have a chance to ripen under experience. Les- 

 sons hurriedly crammed do not take deep root in 

 either the human or canine mind. Slow develop- 

 ment is nearly always the best development. It 

 should be the rule, if one desires his dogs to be 

 really finished and perfected, to leave them with a 

 reliable trainer for two seasons. Some of the best 

 dogs reach their form slowly, preserving their 

 natural good qualities only by coming under dis- 

 cipline without the severity of a rushed education. 

 When Mr. Burdett bought Cincinnatus's Pride as 

 a young dog, the selection was made on account 

 of the dog's beauty and attractive disposition. 

 Mr. Burdett expected to get a shooting dog for 

 his Southern trips. Richards, I think, was his 

 trainer at that time. Mr. Burdett owned Anne 

 of Abbotsford, one of the best field trial winners 

 of the day. After the trainer had had the two to- 

 gether in the Northwest for several months, he 

 wrote to Mr. Burdett, saying_that, unless he was 

 mistaken, he would have a surprise ready in a few 

 weeks. A little later came a letter saying that 

 Pride was beating Anne in the class of his work. 

 Mr. Burdett was indeed surprised and doubtful ; 

 but permitted the trainer to have his way, and the 

 dog world knows the flashing career of Pride in 

 the Southern trials of the next season. 



The pointer. Jingo, was another case of late 

 development. In his first experience he had not 



