296 SPANIELS 



in shooting, whether in or out of covert, with spaniels, 

 retrievers, etc., unless they are properly broken and 

 all whistling and yelling can be dispensed with. I 

 have but rarely seen a Highland keeper with a well- 

 trained retriever. The latter are generally spoiled by 

 bad treatment Vv^hen ferreting for rabbits, the securing 

 of the rabbit being of more consequence than the 

 education of the dog, which was expected to behave 

 steadily afterwards in covert-shooting. 



I have seen some very good poodles — a breed which 

 seems more easily broken than any other breed. My 

 friend the late Captain Colquhoun, of the 4th Dragoon 

 Guards, told me of a cross between a poodle and a 

 cocker which, I think, belonged to his father, the editor 

 oi Moor mid Loch, in which mention was made of it, 

 and which was a rare performer. I have also known 

 several pure-bred poodles in France which were very 

 perfectly broken, and were extraordinarily intelligent 

 on game. 



Spaniels, Clumbers especially, are easily broken to 

 work within range when they have had a i^xN birds 

 shot to them. If well treated, and a sensible dog, it is 

 wonderful how a spaniel will work round game, and 

 herd it in so as to be shot by its master. When 

 working for a stranger, such dogs are apt to become 

 careless, especially if the shooting is bad. A steady, 

 heavy-going Clumber will turn his whole attention to 

 the game he wishes bagged, and his disappointment 

 must be great when all his trouble of hunting it to the 

 gun has been thrown away ; and being naturally slow 

 dogs, they know well enough that they cannot catch 

 the hare or rabbit, and so look to the gun to do so for 

 them, and if the game gets off unharmed they are very 



