THE BREAKING OF GUNDOGS 
or to tearing it to pieces. The motive matters not, but importance lies 
in the fact that this is the golden moment not to be missed in turning 
that carrying instinct to account. With two dead pheasants’ wings tied 
tightly together repair to a field the puppy does not know, throw the 
wings a couple of yards; as the puppy reaches them get up and walk away. 
He will most probably come tearing after his master, carrying the wings, 
fearing he will be lost, in what is to him an unexplored wilderness, and not 
wishing to leave his new toy behind. Catch him and remove the dummy 
by opening his mouth gently; a great step has been successfully taken 
in his education. With a little care and tact he will learn, with the assist- 
ance of the aforesaid salmon line, to wait till he gets the order to fetch. 
While these simple early lessons are in progress, a few stout and tame 
Belgian hares may, with advantage, join the class; their constant presence 
immensely simplifies the fur question in the future, when runners have 
to be caught in rabbit warrens. 
Young dogs cannot see too much of the world, they are the better for 
being taken everywhere; the more they see the better. When possible, 
a short stay in a town does them great good. Learning to sit where told in 
the street while their master disappears from sight, all tends to the great 
point in a good gundog, keeping his head in all circumstances. Too much 
trouble cannot be taken to ensure a tender mouth. Young dogs should start 
retrieving cold birds, i.e., those that are stiff and rigid; when quite skilful 
at picking them up cleanly, it will be time enough to begin with a freshly 
killed one. A partridge is the most suitably sized bird to begin with, 
and beginners should not be sent for runners till their retrieving of dead 
birds is quite perfect, and there is no danger of the fatal squeeze to make 
the struggling bird keep quiet. Always make a retriever wait before 
sending him out, except, of course, in the case of an experienced old friend 
who can be sent at once, when necessary, without danger of his running 
in next time. 
Dog training is very much a matter of common sense, and must be 
varied to suit certain conditions; much that has been suggested for pointers 
and setters applies to spaniels. They must quarter their ground nicely, 
and drop to hand, shot, and wing, though when broken purely for wood- 
cock shooting, in thick covert, it is better that they should come to heel, 
instead of dropping to shot. They must be perfectly steady from chase, 
and one of the easiest ways of making spaniel puppies drop to wing, and 
keep within shot, also to correct their range and quartering, is to work up 
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