matically checks the impulse for wrong- 
doing. 
Heredity counts for a great deal in 
gundogs—and the last vivid impressions 
of the bitch are nearly always trans- 
mitted to her offspring. Assuming an 
owner breeds puppies, the dam should, 
if possible, be worked quietly at both 
hunting and retrieving up to the last 
possible moment, as there is no doubt 
that where this can be done the inclina- 
tion to perform similar actions is thus 
more completely imparted to her prog- 
eny. 
T will be necessary to mention a few 
articles among the paraphernalia of 
the kennel which are necessary for 
teaching the young idea. 
The Kennel Gun (or Pistol) —A light 
shotgun rifle or revolver is enough. 
After the puppies are born it is a good 
plan to fire off a gun daily outside the 
kennel, and also at feed time as soon 
as the puppies begin to eat food on their 
account. If this is done there is little 
likelihood of any individual member of 
the litter becoming gun-shy. Where a 
puppy has been acquired by gift or pur- 
chase the gun or pistol must at first be 
fired at some distance; if the puppy is 
loose in a roomy kennel he will at once 
evince either fear or indifference to 
the report; in the event of the former 
the charge must be reduced or the gun 
fired farther off, until he becomes ac- 
customed to the sound. 
The Whistle-—The whistle plays an 
imortant part in the early training of 
young puppies. The particular kind 
used is unimportant, provided the same 
or a similar one is used throughout, and 
the first or “come in” (generally a 
“wobbly” call) is not varied; this as 
well as the other field calls should be 
sounded as softly as possible. The call 
sounded for puppies at every feed is 
the “come in” or recall, and when the 
puppies have the run of the yard they 
may be reassembled by means of it: as 
each comes up in response he should 
receive a morsel of biscuit or some tit 
bit. 
PUPPIES so taught in kennel rarely 
fail to report themselves in the ex- 
ercise field; in the event of an early 
default there on the part of one or more, 
ignore it for the time being, but next 
time out obtain the services of a stran- 
ger and get him to chase the delinquent 
away from the centre of attraction, 
when he will quickly return to his han- 
dler for protection. 
The Check Line.—This is merely a 
strong piece of line fitted with a swiv- 
elled spring hook, in reality only an 
elongated lead, used for the purpose of 
working a puppy at a greater distance 
from his handler than can be done on 
' Page 29 
an ordinary lead. It is, however, the 
stepping-stone to complete liberty, 
which some puppies achieve, although 
later they may require to be hitched up 
again for refractory conduct. In some 
cases it is possible to dispense with the 
check line altogether. 
Lesson No. 1.—This is the most im- 
portant lesson of all, and should be 
learned thoroughly, as it is the founda- 
tion on which all the others rest. Un- 
less puppies are perfect in this, their 
further education will present consid- 
erable difficulty. 
As soon as the puppies begin to feed 
obtain an assistant, sound the “come 
in” on the whistle and only allow one 
puppy to feed at a time outside the 
kennel, making him sit up in front of 
his dish and do not allow him to pre- 
cipitate himself on its contents as he 
will certainly struggle to do; give him 
the command “hup” (or “drop,’”’) keep 
him sitting up by means of gentle re- 
straint as long as he struggles; when 
he becomes resigned tell him to “hie on” 
or “go on,” at the same time releasing 
him to feed, and so on through the litter. 
\W HERE there is only one puppy the 
trouble is trifling. The sooner this 
lesson is imparted the better. When a 
puppy will sit up facing his meal, with- 
out offering to touch it until ordered 
to do so—he is a fit subject to receive 
further instruction. As soon as each 
individual puppy is perfect the whole 
litter can be fed together in this man- 
ner outside the kennel. 
“Kennel Up.’ — Before the puppies 
have quite finished their meal outside 
the kennel remove the plate and place 
it inside the kennel, giving at the same 
time the command “kennel up,” they 
asa 
ee Ps I ee * / 
Photo by Underwood & Underwood 
will all then of their own accord scram- 
ble into the kennel after the remains 
of their meal, and be duly shut in. At 
a later stage they will readily obey the 
behest without any food being placed in 
the kennel, but for the first few times, 
and later every now and then, it is 
advisable to throw a fragment of bis- 
cuit into the kennel to induce a puppy 
who has been taken out for exercise to 
enter. 
N the event of an individual puppy 
being taken in or out of a kennel, 
whether on lead or not, he should al- 
ways receive the word “hup,” and be 
kept sitting while the door is being 
opened and shut. 
First Walks—Very small puppies 
can be allowed to exercise themselves 
collectively in a dry yard or enclosure; 
but for instructional purposes they 
must always be taken out individually, 
so that it is as well to accustom them 
to the lead and couples from the very 
first. Owing to motor traffic, roads are 
so dangerous that they cannot be given 
their liberty on them. They generally 
become accustomed to the lead and cou- 
ples in two or three days. 
Dropping to Hand.—While leading 
the handler raises one hand above his 
head giving at the same time the verbal 
command “hup”; if the previous in- 
structions have been duly carried out, 
the puppy will at once drop to the word, 
and in a very short time to the upraised 
hand alone. At first it is necessary to 
emphasize the uplifting of the hand, 
almost to the extent of jerking it up. 
After this lesson is well carried out on 
lead, substitute the check cord, length- 
ening it as the pupil progresses, until 
finally the signal is obeyed at liberty. 

Early lesson in retrieving 
