SELMAN'S HOBBY IS TRAINING OF DOGS FOR SPORT
March 14. The many ways of which San Josquin Valley ranchers have turned to enlarge their income from vineyards, orchards and dairy ranches have gained widespread attention during the last few years.
One rancher will turn to a small flick of chickens for his additional income, while another will acquire purebred stock of various types for his side-line interest.
The hobby of John Levis well-known rancher of the Selma district, is training gun dogs. His hobby, which he has followed for more than thirty years, is now materially stimulating interest in a sport that during the last few years has become widespread.
Native of Selma
Levis, a native of the Selma district, started his hobby more than thirty years ago, when he trained four imported English pointer dogs for the late Clarence Berry, well known Selman, who amassed a fortune in the Alaska gold fields and in California oil.
Dog training long remained a hobby for Levis and his success with gun dogs became well known among sportsmen and yearly the number of pointers, setters and retrievers brought to him for training increased.
With the advent of the depression, Levis, like many other San Josquin Valley ranchers looked to other fields for a source of revenue.
Trains Many Winners
Many dogs that have won various San Josquin Valley field trials were trained in their puppy days by Levis, and last year thirteen pointers, and setters were trained for their owners by him.
Method of Training
The training of the pointer, according to Levis, requires from two to three months of constant work, beginning with daily lessons in the yard where dogs are trained to retrieve and obey the more common commands.
When the earlier training is finished Levis starts the field trips to teach the dogs various commands used in the field and to accustom them to a gun.
Modern equipment for the housing of the dogs during the training period has been constructed by Levis at his ranch home at the corner of Mendocino and Huntsman Avenue, three miles east of Selma