Retriever.

Retriever. As the name implies, the retriever is a breed of dog trained to find out and bring back any killed or wounded game. The work of the retriever was long done by various breeds of dogs, such as the pointer, setter, or spaniel, but, in addition to it spoiling these dogs for their regular work, they were found to be too hard-mouthed, the worst fault possible in a retriever, as he wastes more in game injured than would have been lost without him. Crosses with the Newfoundland were tried, and gradually two kinds of retriever were introduced. One variety, known as wavy-coated, was probably the result of a cross with the setter; and the other, known as curly-coated, is from the water-spaniel or poodle. Not much attention was paid to the retriever until the introduction of dog shows, about 1850, but since that time the breed has been kept free from any fresh cross, with a great improvement in the appearance. The two varieties of retriever differ only in coat; the curly coat should curl closely and firmly all over the body, the wavy coat should fall straight and thick. An intelligent large head, with a full clear eye, should always be seen in the retriever. Legs and feet need to be large and strong. The retriever should not be too small, as it needs a powerful dog to retrieve a hare successfully. The retriever makes a very good watch-dog, and numberless bad specimens of the breed are to be found fulfilling this vocation only. The pure retriever is gentle in temper and easy to command.