There is no difficulty in fixing the time at which the education of a puppy should commence, for a person of intelligence can always detect when the little one is capable of reasoning. This stage reached, he should be subjected to salutary restraint and prevented if possible from acquiring bad habits. Moreover, every time he falls very far from grace he should be at once corrected for it. The reader must not assume from this that rigid propriety is to be enforced or severe punishment inflicted for every breach. The idea that the writer desires to convey is, that precisely the same methods of restraint and correction - and no more exacting - should be employed with him that a wise parent would employ with her child while yet it was strong in impulses but poor in will-power. In a word, let the first treatment which is administered to a puppy be much the same as that which reason tells is right and proper for a child between one and two years of age.

Puppies acquire powers of discernment with very great rapidity, and where they are much with their masters or mistresses they are soon able to detect changes in humor by the voice, hence are almost, if not quite, as easily influenced as a child; and when they do wrong a mild scolding and a tap of the hand will generally be sufficient penalty.

Perversity and self-will are, of course, inevitable in all higher orders of animals, and unless held in check until reason asserts itself they are sure to warp the nature and make no end of trouble in the future; therefore, obedience is a quality that must be fixed at the earliest possible age. Nor will this be difficult if correct methods are employed, although, unfortunately, many who attempt the training of puppies stray at this point, and by impatience and severity break their spirits if their tempers are mild, or if they are unusually obstinate, render them more wilfull as well as dull and surly.

It is not too much to say that all puppies under judicious management from the first can be thoroughly trained and governed ever afterward by kindness, for surely no other animals are endowed with natures so affectionate, honest and loyal as their kind; and with these qualities an anxiety to please can never be found wanting. Considering which, no sounder advice than this can be given beginners: Open the way to this natural disposition to please. Be ever kind and patient with your charges. Never give an order either in or out of the house without making them obey - provided always you are sure that they understand what you want. Emphasize your orders by pointing or other motions which they can interpret. Speak encouragingly but firmly - never much above a conversational tone if it will reach them - and as briefly as possible, else you will confuse them. Let your manner slightly increase in earnestness as they are about to obey and while doing so. And when each required act has been performed show your approval by a few pats on the head or some toothsome morsel.

Above all avoid nagging, expect nothing unreasonable, and let your lessons and orders be as few and far between as possible at first, otherwise your puppies may regard you in the light of an infliction.

There are times when puppies, no matter how obedient usually, are likely to prove intractable, and at such the easiest way out of the difficulty is the best. For instance, if a puppy, brimful of vitality and play, is on a romp with an acquaintance of his kind he is scarcely likely to respond to a call uttered several hundred yards away; consequently his master, if intelligent, would naturally withhold it until he had gone near enough to be able to enforce obedience. Here, again, many beginners stumble badly by severely whipping their puppies when they fail to respond; in consequence of which treatment for a long time afterwards they very generally run from them on like occasions; whereas the only sensible method to be employed under these conditions is to catch the culprit by the collar and gently lead or draw him in the direction from which the call was sent, rebuking him meanwhile, and after proceeding a short distance stop and reassure him with a few pats; then, for a time, to be even more kindly demonstrative than usual.

Teasing and over-petting are also errors that beginners are especially liable to fall into, the one inevitably injuring the temper and exciting aversion towards the offender, while the other is absolutely incompatible with implicit obedience.

The importance of instilling good habits at the earliest possible age is by no means always appreciated by those who undertake the education of puppies, and frequently traits are encouraged that sooner or later must prove extremely annoying. One of these is, emphasizing every affectionate greeting with the forefeet - an act which, of course, no person neatly dressed can tolerate. This tendency seems quite uncontrollable during the first few weeks of life, yet it can soon be overcome if patience and firmness are exhibited from the first, and the forefeet of the offender are invariably tapped and he is forced back on all fours. But assuming that a puppy has reached his sixth or seventh month and this bad habit exists, the following method, recommended by Mr. Waters in his most valuable work, " Modern Training and Handling," should be resorted to : When the puppy places his forefeet upon the person, grasp a foot gently but firmly in each hand, speaking to him in the blandest tones and the choicest pet phrases, the manner being the perfection of kindness, at the same time stepping on his hind feet just hard enough to pinch them. He will soon endeavor to break away, notwithstanding the kindness of manner; but the punishment should be continued a few minutes before releasing him.

Soon thereafter call him up and repeat the lesson. Usually two or three of these simple lessons are ample. He cannot then be induced to put his feet on the person. Occasionally, at long intervals, he may forget himself for a moment, but the slightest reminder adjusts him to instant correctness.

The habit of barking is another extremely unpleasant fault, and once settled it is scarcely possible to overcome it except by the whip, which it must be borne in mind should never be used except at the immediate time of the offence.

A few words here regarding corporal punishment. Undeniably in some instances it is salutary, but as a rule it is absolutely pernicious; moreover, the infinite majority of dogs can be governed by kindness purely. And certainly nothing approaching nearer such punishment than smart taps with the hand should ever be administered to young puppies. After the sixth or seventh month, where mild measures fail the only proper means of correction is the whip, but the use of it even then can be justifiable only after acts of positive disobedience and wilfulness; and before maturity severe applications of it are rarely ever required. The writer has never found occasion to resort to the whip, for suasion has always proved potent with him, yet he has noted some instances where had he been the owner of the dogs he would have applied it, and perhaps vigorously. In all these, however, manifestly there had been a woful lack of proper management during early life.

While the opponents to the use of the whip are many, it is a significant fact that none of the notable trainers appear in their ranks; and what is still more surprising, with no small proportion of these same people who denounce it kicking is the popular substitute. It ought not to be necessary to urge that neither this nor the use of the broom handle or like instrument is ever pardonable, nor will they suggest themselves to other than brutes.

Beyond being accustomed to wearing a collar and led about, taught to come when called by name, lie down, and obey a few other common orders, puppies of non-sporting breeds do not require any formal course of training, for if they are given their liberty from the very first and admitted often to the house, are much in the company of the members of the family, and restrained or encouraged as is necessary, they will, if naturally intelligent, in time not only acquire surprisingly good manners but very nice discrimination. Nature is not, of course, alike bountiful to all, nor are all puppies equally gifted with powers of observation, but the infinite majority when under favorable conditions can, as said, be safely left much to themselves to learn by association.

The foolish notion is very prevalent that puppies intended as guards should be put on the chain at a very early age that they may know none others than the members of their own families. As a matter of fact such treatment dulls understanding as well as warps body and limbs, and the victims become in consequence merely noisy and dangerous machines. A puppy can never be made a good, safe and efficient guard by any such means as this, and instead of being put into seclusion he should be given the liberty of his master's premises, where it will be possible for his instincts and faculties to develop. Meeting then all classes of callers he will soon learn from the manner of his people and by outward signs, as dress, speech, etc., to discriminate between those to be readily admitted and others who should be regarded with suspicion. He should also be widely introduced to his own kind, a familiarity with which begets courage and an easy, self-confident bearing.

To teach all puppies, of whatever breeds, to retrieve is always a wise plan, for the accomplishment can be utilized in exercising even if not absolutely an essential part of the education. But this is within the province upon which the writer does not care to intrude, and he advises all who would train their dogs to provide themselves with the book already alluded to, "Modern Training and Handling," from the pen of Mr. B. Waters, who is the acknowledged authority on field trials, handling and kindred subjects.