Training a Field Dog 155 



he has been compelled to obey. That will do for the first day if the struggle 

 has been a prolonged one, but if not and the mouth opening is readily accom- 

 plished at the "pick-it-up" order, then proceed to make him keep it in his 

 mouth to the order, " Hold." This hardly calls for any instruction, for it 

 would naturally occur to any one that the muzzle is to be grasped while the 

 word "hold" is repeated, and this continued till understood. 



The second lesson, presuming that the hold has been accomplished, 

 consists first in repetition of what has gone before, and, likely as not, it may 

 be as tedious as the first one, but it will have to last till the first lesson is 

 done well, the pressure on the jaws being applied with force as punishment 

 for refusal to obey. Each succeeding day must the teacher begin at the 

 "pick it up" and proceed as far as the last lesson before going further. 

 Presuming the first two lessons to have been successfully repeated, then hold 

 the roll to one side and give the order. Now if there is one thing impossible 

 for the dog to see in that room it is this roll, so it is very certain that his head 

 will have to be sharply twisted so as to bring the object directly in front of 

 his eyes, when he will probably pick it up to order. He must be tried at 

 the other side and the roll put in various positions for the dog to turn or 

 reach for it. This lesson accomplished with the added "hold" at each 

 test, the next word to be learned is "give" or relinquish hold to allow the 

 roll to be taken from the mouth. This is usually easy to learn, and of course 

 as the dog shows signs of understanding and obeying, he must be made 

 aware' of it by pleasant words and an occasional reward, although not to 

 the extent of giving him the idea that it is for the reward he is to get that he 

 does it. 



The next step is to walk with the dog and drop the roll close in front 

 of him. Stop and order him to pick it up, forcing him to do so if necessary. 

 Then hold your hand and order " Give." Of course if he drops it the lesson 

 must start with the pick up, followed by the hold and then the give. This 

 is a work of patience and need not be gone into in detail, as the general 

 principles governing the subject have already been fully given and they must 

 be applied as necessity arises. When the pick up is done willingly from 

 the floor the next step is to throw the roll a little distance ahead and send 

 the dog for it or take him there as a starter and then send him, gradually 

 increasing the distance, and encouraging and rewarding him for his efforts. 



Thus far the dog has picked up an object he could plainly see from 

 where he stood and he must now be taken to some place where the object 



