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Plublished in 1905: Retrievers and Retrieving … – W. G. Eley

A Pointing Retriever

Dash, retriever

“And I read this morning,” Mr. Graham continued, “an interesting story of a retriever named Dash, and his performances in a village in Massachusetts. One day a party of ladies, made up of summer sojourners at the place, went out for an afternoon’s berrying. They tramped over a lot of country and brought home a great many berries, but one thing they did not bring home – the handsome gold watch belonging to one of the ladies of the party. She had lost it somewhere on the tramp – she had no idea where. Nest morning a search party was organized, and the fields and hills were fairly soured in quest of the watch. But no trace of it was found. The owner gave up the search in despair. But at this juncture Dash’s master resolved to make a test of his capabilities. He asked the lady who had lost the watch for the pocket in which she had carried it, and obtained it. He made Dash smell of it and then gave the command: “Bring in dead bird!” Dash started off into the fields, his master following. He ran here and there and everywhere and finally “pointed” at a little tuft of grass and bushes, waiting until his master came up. The latter put his hand into the clump and drew out the gold watch, which was in perfect condition.

“Dash bore the honors which followed this exploit very meekly. What added to the astonishment of the lady whose property he recovered, was the fact that the watch was found in a part of the field where she was ‘quite sure’ she had not been.”

“This same accomplished Dash, by the way, performs a feat which is a marvel to many people, but not to those who know how the scent of a thoroughbred setter may be trained. His master takes a handkerchief out of his pocket, manages to give the dog it’s scent, and then borrows the handkerchiefs of a dozen members of a party. He mixes all the handkerchiefs together, throws them in a heap, and tells the dog to bring him his. Dash picks up the handkerchiefs one by one and throws them down again until his master’s is reached, and then brings it to him in triumph.” 

 

Dog Stories and Dog Lore: Experiences of Two Boys in Rearing and Training Dogs; with Many Anecdotes of Canine Intelligence

by Thomas Wallace Knox

Published	January 1887
Publisher	Cassell, Limited

Scottish Game-Keeper Photo

Scottish Game Keeper photo

Published	January 1919
Publisher	National Geographic Society

It’s hard to think of the use of the skin and coat for warmth… ultimate sacrifice…

Timber Wolf / Domestic Dog mix…

The Book of Dogs: An Intimate Study of Mankind’s Best Friend

National Geographic Society (U.S.)›, Ernest Harold Baynes›

Published	January 1919
Publisher	National Geographic Society

Timber Wolf / Domestic Dog mix… Too bad they didn’t give more information.

Timber wolf / Dog…

Flat/Wavy Coat Retriever Show Ring Standard 1901

The Show Dog: Being a Book Devoted to Describing the Cardinal Virtues and Objectionable Features of All Breeds of Dogs from the Show Ring Standpoint with Mode of Treatment of the Dog Both in Health and Sickness

Harry Woodworth Huntington

Published	January 1901
Publisher	For the author, by the Remington print. Company

Published
January 1901
Publisher

1901 Show Ring standard Flat/Wavy coated Retrievers

 

Early Retriever (flat and wavy coated) Description/Standard

Published	January 1897
Publisher	Caxton Press

My Dog and I: Being a Concise Treatise of the Various Breeds of Dogs, Their Origin and Uses. Written Expressly for the Novice Containing a Comprehensive Mode of Treatment Both in Health and Sickness, Together with the Names of Some Prominent Breeders, by Harry Woodworth Huntington›

Flat Coat and Wavy Coated Retrievers

Flat Coat and Wavy Coated Retrievers Description

Flat Coat and Wavy Coated Retrievers Description

 

1915 Flat Coated Retriever Description

I think that this dog is so attractive… It’s head is swung far to the right so the front angulation isn’t clear but it’s such a good looking dog.

“Dogs Of All Nations”

by W. E. Mason

Flat Coated Retriever

Color: Rich black, free from rustiness and from white. There is
also a Golden Retriever so named because of the golden or yellow color of his
coat.

Height : 25 in. Weight: 68 lbs.

The symmetry and elegance of this dog are considerable and
essential, and he has a decidedly sporting character. The head should be long
with the skull wide and flat at the top, and slight furrow down the middle.
Eyes of medium size, dark brown or hazel in color with a bright intelligent and
mild expression indicating a good temper. The neck long and muscular, chest
broad and deep with well developed and well-sprung ribs. The tail should be
bushy but not feathered, carried gaily but not curled over the back. His coat
should be fairly long, bright, close and thick, and either straight or slightly
waved.

1880 Childrens’ Story

TWO OLD FRIENDS.

YES, indeed, they were very old friends ; very curious friends, you will think, perhaps,— the great dog and the little monkey; but wherever Pompey went (that was the dog), Caesar the monkey would go also. The reason that the monkey was so fond of Pompey, was because , when Caesar belonged to an organ-grinder, a number of boys were teasing him, and the monkey naturally got very angry at being pulled by his chain and teased by having nuts offered to him and then withdrawn, which is a very unkind thing for anyone to do. At last Cesar could stand it no longer (for his master was absent in a public-house close by), and in his struggling to be free, he broke the old cord with which he was tied, and sprang up to a lamp-post. He was soon hunted down by some cruel boys, and then he ran away as hard as he Could, and took refuge in a plantation alongside the road, and near the house in which Pompey’s master lived. There poor monkey remained all night: and very hungry he was too, but he did not dare to move. At last he heard a noise that frightened him very much. It was the deep bark of a great dog, and monkey thought, “How shall I escape from here before he sees me?”

He jumped down from the tree, which did not conceal him sufficiently, and had just reached the branches of another, when out darted the large dog, and began to bark furiously. A gentleman came to the spot quickly, and after a while he perceived the poor little monkey huddled up on a branch, shivering and chattering with fright. Fortunately the owner of the property was a kind and good-natured man, and he called a keeper, who succeeded in getting Mr. Monkey down at last, and by his master’s directions, Caesar was carried home and fed. Pompey, the great dog, was told to be kind to him, and at last the dog quite understood that he was to take care of Caesar, as his new friend was called. Caesar at first was rather afraid of his ally, but by degrees the animals became great friends. The monkey was taught to ride upon Pompey’s back, greatly to the delight of all the children, and sometimes when Pompey was called to his dinner, he would run away so fast that poor Caesar would be compelled to tighten his grasp in Pompey’s curly coat, for fear of being thrown off; and it was very comical indeed to see him grinning and chattering as he was carried so swiftly along. When he would not get off, the dog would lie down and roll, and then Caesar perceived that he must dismount, and he did so too, pretty quickly.

But I must really tell you how Caesar repaid all the kindness he received, and for which he was very grateful. It was a habit of Pompey and Caesar to sit in their master’s study in the afternoons while he was at work. Then Caesar would stroke old Pompey, and scratch his ears, which Pompey

liked very much, and would doze off quietly on these occasions. One evening, however, their master had gone away, and had taken the dog with him. This departure became known to some evil-disposed men, who, thinking no one was in the house who would interfere, determined to rob the safe, which stood in the study, and which generally contained a good deal of money, for Cesar’s master was living some distance from a bank, and he had frequently to pay away sums of money to his farm laborers and other servants.

On this occasion it became known somehow, as these things do get known, that a large sum of money was in the house. So two men came in the dusk of the evening to the back, where the study windows looked out upon the garden, and tried to enter. They could not force the French windows open, so they broke a large pane very cautiously, and then, taking out the glass, crept into the room. Caesar was, as usual, asleep in the chair, but was awakened by the chipping of the glass, as it was picked out of the sash. He watched for some time, till one of the men struck a match, and then, seeing a velvet coat, he cried in terror, and made a spring up to the chimney-piece. He frightened the men, too, for a moment, and then one tried to catch him, but with a great spring he jumped, and catching hold of the bell-rope climbed up to the top, and the bell rang loudly.

This was an effect which no one had calculated upon. The violent ringing of the study bell,—a room which all the servants knew or believed to be empty,—induced them to hurry upstairs, and the thieves were obliged to run away as fast as they could. They were seen and pursued by the men, and one was caught in a ditch. The other got away.

Poor Caesar all this time was clinging to the bell rope and chattering; but when he was quite sure the robbers had gone he came down, and was greatly petted by all for giving the alarm so quickly. His master came home next day, and was very pleased to find that his kindness in keeping and feeding the poor unhappy monkey had been so soon rewarded. Thus you see by his great kindness to a poor dumb animal he saved a great deal of money, and perhaps some human life. Let us all, then, take example by this, and never hesitate to rescue any animal which is in need of assistance. We can all do a good action while we have the opportunity. Remember that God watches over the lower animals as well as over ourselves, and that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His knowledge. We should, therefore, never be unkind or cruel to any created thing which He made, for each tiny insect, the birds, beasts, and fish, have all a certain mission to do for God and Nature in the world, and we, by injuring or willfully killing them in sport or play, act contrary to His laws.

“Partridge driving, some practical hints on increasing and preserving a stock …”

 

By Charles E. A. Alington

“A good retriever will do all that a spaniel can do and in considerably shorter time. Not only is his pace responsible for this saving of time, but his height enables him to keep his head above stuff which would completely hide a spaniel. The natural instinct of a spaniel is to beat and to keep on beating; this instinct can be traced through all his work; even when looking for dead birds he is apt to potter and stick his nose into every tussock which he comes across, thus, no doubt, occasionally finding a bird which the retriever would miss, but in the meantime the latter will have brought perhaps three or four.”

“since we are most of us from time to time faced with the problem of buying a retriever broken or unbroken, it may be as well to mention the chief qualities which are essential in a dog if he is ever to do any real good. They are three. He must have pace, a good nose, and high courage. However well broken a dog may be, he can never become first-rate without these three qualities. A tender mouth might be added; but, as I consider this so largely a matter of breaking, I shall not include it among the qualities which a dog must be born with.”

Ch. Wisdom (Jenny)

“Ten years later, the author bought one of the late Mr. Shirley’s flat-coated heavy sort, but, although no trouble to break, it was heavy in mind and body. Mr. Shirley entered the own brother of this dog at the field trials at Sleaford; there was no other competitor for the prize. Had there been another entry, it is impossible that Mr. Shirley could have won, for a more lumbering and clumsy performance was never seen, although the task set was only that of picking up a dead bird and not a runner. But Mr. Shirley improved the next generation considerably. He had a very handsome dog to which the author was anxious to raise some puppies. With this object in view, an exchange was made for a defeated bitch called Jenny, then belonging to Mr. Gorse, before mentioned. He took a second prize Birmingham winner of the author’s breeding in exchange. But Mr. Shirley objected to the breeding programme, so that another course had to be adopted, and Jenny raised some first-rate working dogs. Then she was disposed of by the author to the late Mr. Shirley, and by him bred to the dog which had been denied to her when the author’s property. Her name was changed from “Jenny” to “Wisdom,” and she became the founder of the Wiseacre family of show retrievers. She presented them with those long heads physically that some people declare are far from “long” figuratively. Wisdom, or Jenny, herself was certainly a fool, and the origin of her long and narrow refined head was probably what is known as a “sport,” for it was not to be seen on any other retriever of that time. However, she had a good nose and a tender mouth, and is important because probably all the show flat-coated dogs are descended from her.”

from: “The complete English wing shot” By George Teasdale Teasdale-Buckell