The record-union., 1896-07-26

it keeps.
AS TO RETRIEVING.
John A Stoddard, writing in the
Sports Afield,'' says: "It is interesting
to note the changes that have taken
place in the opinions of sportsmen in
the last ten years. Take the matter of
retrieving, for instance. Ten years ago
there was hardly a dog trained that was
not taught to retrieve. The dogs quail
tiles as retriever were among the first
things to be investigated by a prospec-
tive purchaser, and if our four-footed
friend failed to come up to the stand
ard required it was no sale. At the
present time I very much doubt If half
the dogs that are trained in the United
States are taught retrieving"
He then goes on to state the causes
that have operated to bring about this
result. Dogs he says, have been bred
up to a highly nervous state which is
inimical to retrieving. They lack the
patience necessary to success in retriev
ing-a condition which is the result of
that nervous, high spirit that has been
developed in the dogs Of the present
day. A dog to succeed as a retriever
must at times follow the foot-scent of
the running bird; it is absolutely nee
essary, in fact, If he is to be successful
retriever. Now we all know that fol-
lowing the foot scent is universally con-
demned in pointer or setter, and every
effort made to eradicate the fault So
as we progress toward our ideal in a
hunting and finding dog, we are eradi-
eating the qualities most desirable in
the ideal retriever. This fact is be-
coming so evident that progressive men
are dropping retrieving from the cur
riculum of their dogs education. They
find that they are spelling good hunting
dogs by trying to teach them an accom-
plishment that is entirely foreign to
their natures. AS matter of fact, field
trials are responsible for this change"
Now, Mr.. Stoddard's views may be all
right enough if all dogs are to be judged
on field trial basis. The interest in a
field trial lies in the excitement aroused
by the dashing work of high-strung
dogs. One of a competing pair is seen
to stop suddenly in his mad career and
come to point. If he is 300 yards
ahead of the handlers. judges and spec
ttttors, as is often the case, then there
is wild scamper over the ridge and
through the gullies to get to him before
he breaks his point or the bird rises
The dog, We'll say, is stanch and holds
his point. All the more excitement
Isn't that grandr' shouts some one
Worth coming 100 miles to see!" yells
another as he pitches over into a bunch
of chaparral in his wild rush to get
there
Perhaps the bird gets up before the
crowd reaches the spot, or 1T may be
flushed and killed by the handler, but
after all the dog had simply pointed it.
1t is the wild race between the dogs and
the wilder race of the spectators to
reach them that constitutes the excite
ment of the trial That is all proper
enough-it delights the crowd and keeps
up the interest in field trial doubtless
far better than would contest between
a couple of dogs pottering about close to
the handlers, even though they pointed
birds every minute.
The ideal field trial dog is all right-in
field trial-and in order to do good field
trial work it is not necessary he should
know anything about retrieving. But it
Is very different when a man goes out for
days ordinary shooting. He cannot
travel hundreds of miles to ideal field
trial grounds, and must take his shoot
ing on such ground as he finds. Usually
this is in cover more or less close and
here a wide-ranging dog or one that
would not retrieve bird that had fallen
in a thicket would be as useless to the
sportsman as a greyhound.
1t is true good field trial dog may
be trained to work close in thick cover,
but it would not be an easy task to make
him do it. And still, If he would not
retrieve he would be of little use to the
man with the gun who wanted to get
some birds for his labor.
The fact is, field trial ability and
plain everyday hunting ability need not
be compared at all. The field trial de-
velops certain natural traits in the dog,
and after that experience an excellent
shooting companion may be made of
him. but that would end his field trial
usefulness.
No man can get any real sport in
shooting If his dog will not retrieve
what he kills-that is, the average man,
who cannot keep one dog for finding
and pointing and another for retriev-
ing. The latter may cause some dogs to
follow foot-scent, and close ranging
may make them slow, but if they will
find and point their birds within gun
shot of their masters and retrieve the
birds he kills, it need not worry man
to be told that his dog would stand a
poor show in a field trial.
We would not have the field trial re-
quirements of a dog curtailed to any
extent. because a field trial is a very in
teresting and exciting event and can
be enjoyed even by the owner of a pot
tering dog. A thoroughbred running
horse would be of little use hitched to
dump cart, burt a horse that has had
experience in a dump cart is very use
full in his own sphere.
Never think that Gods delays are
Gods denials. Hold on; hold fast;