This section is from the book "Breeding, Training, Management, Diseases Of Dogs", by Francis Butler. Also available from Amazon: Breeding, training, management, diseases.
Nearly all dogs, (especially in their pup-pish days) have a natural propensity of running after objects and carrying them about. I have rarely met with an exception ; it appears to be the instinctive pastime of the whole canine fraternity. There can be no difficulty therefore, in cultivating an instinct so amusing ; no barrier to directing it to pleasing and useful results. The first lesson must be perfect play. A ball, a piece of wood, or anything easy to grasp and not injurious to the teeth, should be thrown a little Way. As soon aa the pupil has picked it up, he must be teTpted, (if possible), to carry it back to his master. Should he not return to him with it, it should be gently taken out of his mouth, and again thrown, e.v citing the dog a little between the acts. It should invariably be taken out of his month. If he persist in holding it fast, tap his nose, saying, " Let go Sir,'" to make him relax his hold ; at the same time keep hold of the object, till he gives way. Then praise him and play with him a little. As he progresses, send the object farther and insist on his restoring it to you. Remember this: in training a dog, no more punishment must be administered, than hist enough to answer the purpose. Recollect also, that the less of reprimand you can get along with, the better. I have observed a general defect in all trained dogs ; they are too " hard broken ;" have been taught more to fear than to respect. See how sneakingly they crouch at their master's threat! This should not be. They should be engaged, as far as possible, to yield a willing obedience. A dog will show his style of education, as perceptibly as a child, and the method pursued in his training is calculated either to secure to him a career of comfort and enjoyment, or to impregnate his every movement, with a sneaking timidity, degrading to the brute and disreputable to his master. When he fetches well and is carrying the object in his mouth, walk off, calling him to follow you. Do not go too far, before you take it from him ; then give it to him again and go a little farther. Should he drop it, make him pick it up again, which if he refuse, replace it in his mouth, and make him carry it again, and still go on, never omitting cither to make him pick it up, or to replace it in his mouth yourself, every time he may drop it. Avoid his dropping it at all, if you can, by not allowing him to carry it too far at first. When you are satisfied that he knows his duty, he may be corrected a little or scolded upon every transgression. A basket may now be given him to carry, the handle of which must be placed straight in his mouth. He must then follow with it. It should be taken from him at short intervals at first, (every time praising him up), gradually increasing the distance as before, and occasionally, should he drop it, he may be made to feel his transgression. At all events, whenever he drops it, he must be impressed with a consciousness of wrong. The severity of the punishment must be graded according to the merciful judgment of the owner. Often a severe lecture will give great effect to a light chastisement. The basket should be thrown for him to fetch, and should he take hold of it wrong, the handle should be presented to him, that he may take it off the ground.
Seeking and Finding, are also very easy to teach a dog, already initiated in fetching and carrying. In order to effect: this, when you have thrown anything, hold your pupil, a little, before you let him fetch it ; first of all a very short time and at a very short distance, increasing little by little both time and space. This being fairly accomplished, throw the object where he cannot see it, repeating the same means. Should he not find it immediately, pretend to help him look after it, even pointing it out to him, if necessary. Make him follow you with it a little ; then take it out of his mouth, drop it, unknown to him, and excite nim by "Look about" till he find it. Continue this exercise of dropping, until he is perfectly familiarized to it. After this, drop or place the object in any spot, holding him in view of it at the same time; then take him off a short distance, but out of sight ; whisper to him " Fetch it" and let him go, that he may bring it to you. You may reduce all your commands to a whisper, if the whisper be used conjointly with the regular word of command. In this manner, he is made clearly to understand, from having had a previous indication of your will. By dropping an article and causing him to fetch it, at graduated distances, he may be trained to retrieve at any length. In order to render this more effectual, introduce him occasionally to your pocket-book, gloves, handkerchief, cane, etc. Of course he will the more readily recognize these objects than other strange articles, and when dropped, he will never fail to recover them.
 
Continue to: