[86]. Lessons in "fetching" recommended. Dog, not taught to retrieve, bringing dead Bird he had found. [87]. Taught to deliver into your hand; never pick up a Bird yourself; Dog which often lost winged Birds she had lifted. [88]. Retrievers taught to carry something soft; injudiciousness of employing a stone. [89]. How encouraged to plunge into Water. [90]. Diving, how taught. [91]. "Fetching" taught with a Pincushion; with a Bunch of Keys. [92]. Made to deliver instantly. [93]. Practised to carry things of the size and weight of a Hare. [94]. "Fetching," how taught at commencement. [95]. Regular Retrievers taught to fetch Birds; to "foot" Rabbits and Winged Game. [96]. Retriever observes when a Bird is struck; a quality particularly useful in a Water Retriever. [97]. Pigeons and small Birds shot to Retrievers. [98]. Injudiciousness of aiding a young Dog when retrieving; makes him rely on Gun rather than his own Nose. [99]. Fatigue of carrying Hare tempts young Retriever to drop it; taught to deliver quickly by rewards of hard boiled liver. [100]. If he taste blood, put on Wire snaffle; how made. [101]. Retriever how taught to pursue faster; should commence to "road" slowly, but "follow up" rapidly. [102]. Why Land Retrievers should "down charge". [103]. Some Retrievers may "run on shot," but those for sale should "down charge." [104]. Retrievers not to be of a heavy build, yet strong and thick-coated. [105]. Cross between Newfoundland and Setter makes best Retriever; the real Newfoundland described. [106]. Cross from heavy Setter best Retriever. [107]. Most Dogs can be taught more or less to Retrieve. [108]. Young Retriever to lift Woodcock and Landrail. [109]. Retrievers never to kill Rats, lift vermin, or wounded Heron, &c.
CHAPTER V.—527.
INITIATORY LESSONS OUT OF DOORS. TRICKS.
[110]. Lessons in Country Walks. [111]. "Instruction in quartering;" hunted where least likely to find Game; taught while young. In Note, Bitch shot over when seven months old. [112]. If unreasonably long before taking to hunting, the remedy. [113]. Utility of Initiatory Lessons; taught without punishing. [114]. Self-confidence of timid Dogs increased. [115]. The more Dogs learn, the more readily they learn. [116]. Two superior Dogs better than half-a-dozen of the ordinary sort; Action of Dogs; their Feet; Loins; dash of Foxhound gives endurance; cross with Bull hunts with nose too low; Reliefs desirable; best Dog reserved for evening. [117]. Memorandum, never to ride through gate with gun athwart-ship; instance of Dog's behaving admirably the first day shown Game. [118]. Proves the value of Initiatory Lessons. [119]. Summary of knowledge imparted by them. [120]. Why to signal with right hand. [121]. One word only of command; dogs attend to the general Sound, not to the several Words. [122]. Names of Dogs not to end in "O;" to be easily called; to be dissimilar. [123]. "Drop" better word of command than "Down;" use words of command least likely to be employed by others; when purchasing a Dog ascertain what words he is accustomed to.
CHAPTER VI—537.
FIRST LESSON IN AUTUMN COMMENCED. RANGING.
[124]. Regular Breakers make Dogs "point" paired Birds in Spring, tends to Blinking. [125]. Better not to see Game until shot over; taken out alone on a fine day in Autumn. [126]. Perpetually whistling to animate Dogs, injudicious. [127]. Beat largest fields, and where least likely to find Game. [128]. Commence from leeward; scent bad in a calm or gale. [129] to 133. Instructions in "ranging." [134]. Kept from hedge; Range greater on moors than stubble. [135]. Distance between Parallels dependent on tenderness of nose. [136]. If the Dog is to hunt with another, the Parallels to be farther apart. [137]. No interruption when winding Birds, yet not allowed to puzzle; Nose to gain Experience. [138]. Birds lie well to Dog that "winds," not "foots" them. [139]. Inattentive to Whistle, made to "drop," &c.; when rating or punishing, the disregarded order or signal to be often repeated; Whip to crack loudly. The attainment of a scientific Range difficult, but of surpassing value; the best ranger must in the end find most Game.
CHAPTER VII.—549.
FIRST LESSON IN AUTUMN CONTINUED. CAUTION.