THE RETRIEYER. 25 



cai'ry in the first instance, it will not often happen 

 that he ^vill bite his game ; but, should he acquire 

 that habit, a dead bird — a pigeon, for instance — 

 may be stuck through with sharp wires, which will 

 prick his mouth when he attempts to squeeze too 

 much, and may eventually cure him of a practice 

 which will be likely to increase with age. 



Of all things, avoid letting your retriever at- 

 tempt to pick up a wounded crow or magpie ; one 

 of the best spaniels I ever had was completely 

 spoiled in that waj'. She took to retrieving 

 naturally, and would bring a snipe or woodcock, 

 or any bird whatever, any distance, withovit break- 

 ing a feather ; but, in an CAdl hour, I sent her in 

 pui'suit of a wounded magpie, which bit her 

 severely ; she got angry and killed the bii-d, and 

 ever after flew at her game, lining or dead, and 

 bit it severely. 



All dogs when urged to the pm'suit of lining 

 game, such as winged birds, get angry in the 

 chase, and are apt on these occasions to tear or 

 mutilate that which when dead they would carry 

 without breaking a feather. On this account, 

 therefore, the retriever should be made to down- 

 charge. Besides, if a dog be suffered to break 

 away on the shot when the game is killed, he will 

 be very apt to acquire a habit of doing the 

 same when the game escapes ; and, ftirther, birds 

 are frequently lost on a bad scenting day by 



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