Transcriber's Notes: Italic text is marked _thus_; bold text is
shown =thus=. Small capitals have been changed to ALL CAPITALS.
*+* represents inverted asterism. Apparent typographical and
punctuation errors have been corrected and hyphenation standardised
except where the meaning would be affected. Original accentuation
has been retained with one exception, (see further transcriber's
notes). Original spelling has been retained with some exceptions which
are explained in the further transcriber's note at the end of the
main text. Footnotes moved to the end of the book (prior to further
transcriber's notes).
[Page Header: VARIOUS RETRIEVERS.]
[Illustration: CROSS BETWEEN WATER SPANIEL AND NEWFOUNDLAND
DOG--BETWEEN WATER SPANIEL AND SETTER DOG--BETWEEN SETTER AND
NEWFOUNDLAND DOG.]
DOG BREAKING.
THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS, CERTAIN, AND EASY METHOD,
WHETHER GREAT EXCELLENCE OR ONLY MEDIOCRITY BE REQUIRED,
WITH ODDS AND ENDS FOR THOSE WHO LOVE
THE DOG AND GUN.
BY MAJOR-GENERAL W. N. HUTCHINSON,
LATE COLONEL GRENADIER GUARDS.
_FOURTH EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED._
[Illustration: NEAR WALTHAM ABBEY, 1st Sept. 1847.]
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1865.
LONDON
R. CLAY, SON, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS,
BREAD STREET HILL.
PREFACE TO FOURTH EDITION.
A FOURTH preface, Mr. Murray!!!
There are not sufficient materials, although there is some fresh
matter, and undeniably, many excellent sketches, thanks to the clever
artist F. W. KEYL, and the talented amateur John M----n, who, contrary
to the advice of many friends, has determined that the sword shall be
his profession rather than the pencil.
Well!--another party shall speak for me, and much surprised will he be
to find the duty his words are performing; but they advocate so good
a cause that I feel sure of his forgiveness. He writes in the third
person, for we are perfect strangers to each other.
"Captain T----r has all his life been a most enthusiastic sportsman,
but never broke a dog, until a year ago, when he happened to come
across the Major-General's work on 'Dog-breaking.' Since then he has
trained two _entirely_ on the system laid down in the book. People say
they have never before seen dogs so well broken--certainly the owner
never has."
"Always an ardent disciple of St. Hubert, Captain T----r is now
still more so from the increased gratification he derives from the
performance of animals trained entirely by himself."
Reader, why not give yourself a similar gratification?
W. N. H.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, DEVONPORT,
_December, 1864_.
PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION.
I cannot help congratulating my canine friends, (and may I not their
masters also?), on the circulation of two large impressions of this
work; for I trust that many of the suggestions therein offered have
been adopted, and that their education has consequently been effected
in a much shorter period, and with far less punishment, than that of
their forefathers.
I have endeavoured in the present edition to render more complete the
lessons respecting Setters and Pointers. I have added somewhat on the
subject of Spaniels, Retrievers, and Bloodhounds. It has been my aim,
also, to give a few useful hints regarding the rearing and preservation
of Game; and I shall be disappointed if the youngest of my readers
does not derive, from the perusal of what I have written, an assurance
that he need not take the field wholly ignorant of all sporting
matters, or without any knowledge of the best method of "handling arms."
W. N. H.
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.
When Colonel Hawker, who has been styled the "Emperor of Sportsmen,"
writes to me, (and kindly permits me to quote his words), "I perfectly
agree with you in everything you have said, and I think your work
should be preached in a series of lectures to every dog-breaker in
the profession, as all these fellows are too fond of the whip, which
hardens the animal they are instructing, and the use of their own
tongues, which frighten away the birds you want to shoot," I feel
some confidence in the correctness of what I have put forth. But
there may be points that have not been noticed, and some things that
require explanation, especially as regards Spaniels and Retrievers. In
endeavouring to supply these deficiencies, I hope my additional prosing
may not send the dog-breaker to sleep, instead of helping to make him
more "wide-awake."
W. N. H.
PREFACE NO PREFACE.
(FOR FIRST EDITION.)
My respected Publisher has suggested that a Preface may be expected.
His opinion on such a subject ought to be law; but as I fear my readers
may think that I have already sufficiently bored them, I will beg them,
in Irish fashion, to refer any formalist, who considers a Preface
necessary, to the _conclusion_ of the work, where a statement will be
found of the motive which induced me to write.
W. N. H.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. QUALIFICATIONS, IN BREAKER,--IN
DOG 1