The difference in the tastes of dogs is curious, and often strongly
marked. Two terriers, boon companions at home, were taken to
the Hebrides; in their home haunts they hunted the same game
together--rats, rabbits, hares, partridges, and pheasants--but in
the north the chief sport was among woodcock, though there were
thousands of rabbits. Yet neither dog flushed a single woodcock, save
by accident, nor would take the slightest interest in any but rabbit
sport. They showed that marked aversion to woodcock common to many
dogs not used to them. Sometimes dogs will acquire a taste for hunting
and retrieving woodcock, and then make this a speciality. A curious
point in the case of the two terriers was that one suddenly became
very fond of the remains of cooked woodcock, whether hungry or not,
while the other refused ever to look at them, even when purposely kept
on short commons by way of experiment. It was a strange sight to see
the appreciative dog crunch up the frame of a woodcock, winding up the
performance by stowing away the head, bill and all.
The best retrievers usually refuse to pick up and carry a woodcock,
unless specially schooled to carry anything from puppyhood. To train
puppies to fetch and carry things objectionable alike to their sense
of smell and touch, perhaps the best plan is to teach them to retrieve
well-filled tobacco-pouches. They may be thrown long distances, and a
dog will never bite them--at least, twice--and so acquires a perfect
mouth. A retriever not trained in this way will probably refuse to
touch a woodcock, in spite of every coaxing--one, induced at last to
pick up a woodcock, has been known to spit it out, turning up his lip
in contempt, and otherwise showing his intense scorn. Now and again
a young and obedient retriever may bring in woodcock at the first
trial--but with a look of anything but relish.
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