DOGS, AND- THEIR CHABACTERISTICS. 365 



ferthexf throw i* over the house or some building ; hide 

 it, hie vTaVk soon obey your every command. Enforce 

 obedaeiice at all times. Dto not correct him in anger, nor 

 whip him unnecessarily ; but when necessity demands it, 

 have no hesitancy in punishing him. for faults or omissions 

 he has committed or omitted. In teaching the puppy 

 to lie- down, the expression generally used is, " Down,, 

 charge.'" The word, " Down " is better,. because it con- 

 veys the command to the dog without unnecessary words. 

 The fewer words one uses the better. Teach the dng 

 to asBoeiate- words with actions in this way. Tell him 

 to " down, " at the same time pressing him down with 

 joxiX hand. He soon learns that when he is told to 

 *' down," if he doesn't mind, your hand will force liim. 

 Connecting the command with the raising of your hand, 

 he soon fearns to drop at sight of the uplifted hand, as 

 readily a:s at the- word. Practice and discipline are 

 what makes him perfect in this respect. When you 

 are ready to' teach him to retrieve from water, don't 

 throw him in the first time you happen to have liim 

 near it. Don't throw him; in at all, for you will frighten 

 him and dfelay his learning. But select some bright 

 'day, some place where the water is shallow and warm^ 

 and go down with him to iis edge. When the atmosphere 

 -offers strong inducements for him to take a bath, throw 

 sticks on the verge of the stream, where he can wade ; 

 :gi'adually extend the distance, and in a few days he 

 will bring from the water as well as from land. 



Whe» the dog retrieves, insist that the object brought 

 shall be- deMvered into your hand , don't let himi drop 

 it at yowr feet- or any other place. Don't let him jump 

 up on 3'ou, but teach him to come to you with the duck 

 in his mouth, to sit on his haunches and hold the bird 



