(American Fied, Chicago, III., Oct. 15, 1903).

Fred Erb, Jr., has covered a lot of territory this fall giving exhibitions of how to train a dog to retrieve from land and water with the use of his devices, which are very simple, and, in the hands of a humane person, effective. Kindness toward dumb animals, which cannot understand the meaning of words, is the first requisite in educating them. A patient, kindly disposed person can teach a dog to do most anything, where a person of opposite temperament would fail.

Grass Valley, Dec. 8, 1903. Mr. Erb, Jr.

Some time ago I got one of your training devices, and I tell you it is all O. K. I broke three dogs, and as soon as I get some more broke I will send you a photo of some of them; they are all pointers.

I read in the American Field that you taught shooting. Do you have a book on shooting, or does a man have to come where you are? If you could give instructions on shooting, I would like to know your price by mail. Or what is a good book to learn from? Now, I take you as a true friend. I am just beginning to shoot a little; but it doesn't take me long to get a dog to retrieve. That is the best of all things I ever heard of.

Whatever instructions you give me I am willing to pay for. Tell me, if you can, how to make a dog drop to shot-wing. I want your advice and nobody else's, as I think you are the king of them all, on dog work especially.

Now write and tell me immediately, as I want to know at the earliest date. I remain, Yours truly,

Peter Wetteran. (Box 752.) Grass Valley, Nevada Co., California.

April 2, 1903.

Mr. Fred Erb, Jr., LaFayette, Ind.

My Dear Fred: - Now that our show is over I feel as though we should not let the opportunity go by of offering you, in behalf of the Bench Show Committee of the Chicago Kennel Club, our sincere thanks for the pleasure had in witnessing the exhibitions which you gave us at our Dog Show on March 25, 26, 2J, 28, at the First Regiment Armory, 16th street and Michigan avenue, Chicago.

The work you do is certainly very interesting and demonstrates what can be done by kindness with a dog. The spectators at our show were very much pleased with your exhibition, and each and all complimented us on having had the opportunity of seeing same.

We sincerely trust that you will be successful in working up a nice business in that line, for you certainly are deserving of it. At any time we can in any way assist you we will be very glad indeed to do it.

Thanking you again for your kindness and renewal of old friendship between the writer and yourself, I beg to remain,

Yours very truly,

H. J. Cassady. Sec'y Chicago Kennel Club.

{The Enquirer, Cincinnati, O., Nov. 4, 1898 at the Cincinnati Club Grounds).

One of the features of the day's sport was the work of the three retrieving dogs - Deuce, Jack and Pen. The dogs are wonders, and their work was applauded as much as that of the shooters.

(From the Sportsman, St. Louis, Mo., March 7, 1903).

Fred Erb, Jr., came to St. Louis last Saturday for the purpose of giving an exhibition at the Sportsman office of his method of making dogs retrieve, that is, bring game in after same is killed, or in fact, fetch anything that a dog can pick up and carry.

Mr. Erb at one time was well known in trap shooting circles in St. Louis. Though he gave up the shooting game some twenty years ago, there are yet many of the older shooters who shot with him living here, and they came to see him and renew their old acquaintance; same time were much interested in what he had to show them in the way of a device for training dogs.

The club room of the Sportsman was filled to overflowing, and as parties came at different times of the day, there were several exhibitions given during the day. Mr. Erb had two dogs, one partly trained and the other just being initiated.

He explained that he had trained over 1,600 dogs and had never spoiled one, as he does not use torturing methods and cow the dog. He starts in by getting acquainted with the dog and gaining his confidence, then continues by being kind all through his succeeding lesions. Over a hundred people, including some ladies, called during the day. All marveled at the control he had over the dogs, one being a ten months pointer which picked up a dead bird nicely, being his first effort. During the past seventeen years Mr. Erb has lived at La Fayette, Ind., where he has confined himself to breaking shooting dogs. So successful have been his methods that one of the best known game shots, and men of leisure, in the state of Wisconsin, offered him $500 for his system of training. This Mr. Erb refused, and though said party was a visitor at Mr. Erb's home, he never caught on, as the training was done under cover.

Since Mr. Erb has patented his devices he has sold this gentlemen a set and now he says he would not be without same for $1,000 as he will hereafter train his own dogs. Mr. Erb will willingly give these exhibitions at points not too remote from his home, and when once understood every dog owner will readily see that it will be a pleasure to raise and train his own dog. Mr. Erb has attended many large tournaments and the way his dogs brought in the dead and wounded birds was favorably commented upon by agents of the Humane Society. These devices are advertised in our business columns.

(American Field, Feb. 7, 1903, Chicago, III).

An exhibition of teaching a dog to retrieve was given in the American Field's club room last week by Fred Erb, of LaFayette, Ind., by the use of his devices advertised in our business columns, wherein he challenges anyone to equal his method to train a dog to retrieve from land or water. Kindness is the first requisite. Mr. Erb had two dogs, one fully trained, the other green. He did not use force. He had four simple devices - that completed his set - and the dogs took kindly to his training. He first made the dog understand that his command must be obeyed by adjusting a slight choke device; then he produced a cord-wound stick, mounted on crosstrees, and after a few attempts the dog picked it up and brought it to him; then he threw a small filled sack to a distance, and the dog soon understood that it was to be retrieved; then he produced a dead pigeon - the fourth article -threw it a distance, and the dog retrieved it nicely. The untrained dog was tractable in a short time. A dozen sportsmen were in the office at the time and all marveled at the quickness of perception of the clogs of the duties required of them. Mr. Erb's dogs have been seen at many trap shoots, and it has been the subject of comment how perfectly the dogs were trained to retrieve. The training in each instance was accomplished by the use of the four devices advertised in our business columns. Mr. Erb stands ready to give an exhibition within any reasonable distance of his home of how to train a dog to retrieve, if a number of sportsmen will assemble to witness the work.

(American Field, Nov. 14, 1903, Chicago, III).

I am a regular subscriber to the American Field and I consider it the best paper of its kind I ever saw. I am a great lover of the gun and dog, but at one time I thought I should never learn to shoot at the trap or in the field, nor did I think I could ever train a dog, but I am now pleased to say that I am on the right road to do both. About two months ago I met Fred Erb, of this city, and I employed him to teach me how to shoot. His instructions were so plain and simple that I "caught on" very quickly, and am now shooting both in the field and at the trap and doing pretty good work. I also own four dogs, two old ones and two puppies, which I am training under Mr. Erb's instructions, and I am meeting with very good success. If a young man ha? a natural love for gun and dog and wants to become a shooter he can do so without spending four or five years learning. First, let him subscribe for the American Field and read it every week from the front to the back page; then get some one who is competent to teach him how to handle a gun and where to hold on a bird in order to kill it and he will be surprised to see how easy it is to become a very good shot. B. W. Price.

LaFayette, Ind.

FRED. ERB, JR., WINNER OF AMERICAN FIELD CUP.