The prince was apparently anxious to give a different impression than he did a week earlier, The Daily Mail reported. Photographers caught him Saturday going after the dogs with a walking stick.

On both occasions, the prince was hunting pheasant at Sandringham, the royal estate in Norfolk.

Buckingham Palace, in an official statement, said that Edward was not trying to punish or harm his dogs, only to separate them when they started fighting over a pheasant. But the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has launched an investigation.

This time, Edward gave photographers plenty of opportunity to get pictures of the black Labradors being patted, stroked and cuddled.

"It appeared the dogs and Edward were on best behavior," one eyewitness said. "When the shooting finished, he let them off the leads and they jumped up and licked him. He made a real show of handling them in a friendly manner."