BREAKING TO RETRIEVE. 305 
enough to run, and hide one ata time at a little distance, after 
trailing it through the grass so as to imitate the natural progress 
of the animal when wounded. When putting the young retriever 
on the scent at the commencement of the “run,” let him puzzle it 
out till he finds the rabbit, and then make him bring it to his 
master without injuring it in the least. Encouragement should 
be given for success, and during the search the dog should have 
the notice of his master, by the words “Seek! seek! seek dead!” 
&c. A perseverance in this kind of practice will soon make the 
dog very clever in tracing out the concealed rabbits, and in process 
of time he may be entrusted with the task of retrieving a wounded 
partridge or pheasant in actual shooting. But it is always a long 
time before the retriever becomes perfect, practice being all im~- 
portant to him. 
Most shooters now use a slip for the retriever, at battues and other 
shooting parties, the keeper leading him in it till he is wanted, 
which is a good plan when a keeper is always in attendance. In 
any case, however, these dogs should be made to drop “down 
charge,” as the gun may be used while they are at work, and if 
they are not broken to drop they become excited, and often flush 
other game before it is reloaded. 
The breaking of the water-sponiel or retriever is also a com- 
plicated task, and as he has to hunt in the water and on the banks, 
his duties are twofold. These.dogs are used in the punt as well as 
on the edge of the water, but when the education is finished in 
the river, the pupil will generally do what is wanted from the punt. 
As in the land retriever, so in this variety, the first thing to be 
done is to get the puppy to “fetch and carry ” well; after which 
he may be introduced to “ flappers” in July and August, when the 
water is warm, and he does not feel the ill effects and disagreeables 
attendant on a cold winter’s day with a wet coat. The young birds- 
are also slow and awkward in swimming and diving, so that every 
encouragement is afforded to the dog, and he may readily be in- 
duced to continue the sport, to which he is naturally inclined, for 
hours together. The chief difficulty at first is in breaking the 
water-spaniel from rats, which infest the banks of most streams, 
and which are apt to engage the attention of most dogs. The dog 
should be taught to beat to the hand, and whenever a flapper is. 
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