84 MODERN TRAINING. 



have but a limited place in a dog's education, namely, to 

 make retrieving compulsory, to break bad cases of un- 

 steadiness and to force a dog to come in promptly to order. 

 It may be used transiently for other purposes, but such are 

 merely incidental. When used skillfully for these purposes, 

 it has no equal in thoroughness and effectiveness. A force 

 collar should be used with spikes in it -or not at all. The 

 dog will not struggle against spikes ; the force neces- 

 sary to be applied to a plain collar so shocks the dog's 

 whole system that positive injury is inflicted. 



The great error lies in assuming that any man can take a 

 spike collar and apply it to training purposes without prior 

 experience. No man can use it properly in the beginning. 

 The first dogs which, unfortunately for them, afford the ex- 

 perience always suffer for it aside from educational con- 

 siderations. It would be as reasonable to assume that a 

 novice could take a gun afield and shoot skillfully at his 

 first attempt as that he could use the collar properly. 



It is recognized by experts as a very effective and useful 

 instrument in certain branches of the dog's education. 

 When applied properly the advantages are great; the dog 

 is more thoroughly obedient, the orders obeyed with greater 

 perfection and precision; the control gained in one branch 

 likewise affects all other branches; the effect of training is 

 more permanent, and the general education is more uniform 

 and perfect. Except in the case of obstinate dogs, there is 

 no occasion to use sufficient force to shock the dog's system, 

 and with them there is no need of inflicting permanent in- 

 jury. The amateur should carefully note its effects, and 

 proceed in the training with the greatest deliberation. It 

 requires manual dexterity to manipulate the collar properly, 

 which can only be acquired by practice. If there is a rope 

 on the collar, it should be the proper length for the purpose 

 used, and the trainer should endeavor to avoid getting 



