Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-07-03

Peckp Sun.

The art of raising hunting dogs Is
thing that needs careful study as well
as severe patience. A man without
| patience can never hope To bring up Q
dog in the the way he should go. You
I get pup from some generous friend,
who has more dogs than he can con-
veniently take care of, and with it
/ pedigree that gives "A history of all the
pups ancestors, Oh. how you love
that pup, and many is the bright
dream that you have of the ducks he
will retrieve and pile up ut your feet
as you stand in your blind, warding off
the cold north wind with your back.
All 1gS grow more or less the first
year after putting in an appearance in
this world of sorrow, and as matter
of fact your pup begins to develop.
Being constantly in his society you do
not notice very great increase in his
size but his coat begins to get ragged
! like farmers buffalo robe that has
been in the family FER nigh onto forty
year" and by stopping to think for a
moment, you can see that he is about
two feet higher than he was when you
first got him. About this time he be-
gins to act tired, as though his liver is
torpid, or as though something is eat
ing him, and you begin to worry for
fear the thread of life will be severed
In the flower of his youth.
His eyes begin to run and resemble
couple of button holes in an old over
coat, his nose dries up on the end, and
turns pale yellow color, and in fact
he is the toughest looking specimen of
dor ppat thot Won aVar sayu
You ask the advice of some friend
who has had experience in dog raising,
and he tells YOU that the pup has got
the distemper. You HE yourself TO a
drug store immediately. and buy some
sulphur, and on returning home, pro-
coed to fill the dog up. Perhaps, if
nothing happens, in n few weeks he is
all right and able 10 bc around again.
and now you begin 10 think of training
him. In the meantime the dog has
shown that he has a talent for bring
ing things by filling the yard with old
bones, dead cats. pieces of harness,
and in fact everything that he could
find that smelled bad enough to attract
attention. You notice what beanti-
full head he has, and call the attention
of your friends TO different marks OF
beauty. and congratulate yourself on
being fortunate enough to procure such
prize.
At last you get half day off, and re-
main at home TO train the dog. You
begin by tossing a stick of wood, and
are surprised TO see how readily he
learns to "fetchit." Gradually YOU
toss the stick farther and farther
away, and then YOU notice he makes
harder work of it. just as like as not
he will bring a defunct cat, and lay it
down at your feet. but YOU smile and
send him off again. In the course of
the day you get slightly out of patience
and your smiler refuses to act. You
are surrounded by more dead cats,
few dead chickens that had found it
impossible to stand the cold weather,
and old zones are piled up knee deep.
The dog LAS become tired of chasing
stick, and after picking out the most
choice bone in the pile, has crawled
under the stoop to take a rest. The
idea suddenly strikes YOU that it would
be good plan to get the dog used to
the sight and sound of gun.
You 90 into the house. get half doz-
en- cartridges and your shotgun, and
then proceed to get the dog out from
under the stoop. This is no easy mat
ter, but his curiosity finally gets the
best of him, and he comes forth. He
smells of the gun, wags his tail, and
acts as though it is just what he wants.
You begin to feel encouraged. and
slipping in a couple Of shells you fire
both barrels off in the air You hear a
yelp, and looking around, see the pup
Just disappearing under the barn.
Hunger is the only thing that will drive
him out, but he gives up at last, and
trembling in every limb comes out into
the yard. BY this time you are thor
oughly Disguised and feel like kicking
yourself, but after thinking it over you
kick the dog instead, and ship him out
in the country, and have him trained
oy professional who has more time
than money.