!46 MODERN TRAINING. 



Another very objectionable trait may be exhibited by an 

 obstinate dog, at this stage of his lessons, namely, he may 

 deliberately walk or crawl past the pad although well know- 

 ing where it is and how to pick it up. Some cunningly pre- 

 tend not to see it. Prevent him from crawling by or pass- 

 ing it, by tapping him over the nose with the whip, thus 

 punishing him for avoiding the object and driving him back 

 to his proper position. This fault is disccuragingly obstruc- 

 tive if not corrected, but is easily cured in two or three at- 

 tempts by this means. 



After he will pick up the cob willingly to order, it may be 

 thrown a short distance, two or three feet away, gradually 

 increasing the distance as he becomes more and more pro- 

 ficient with each succeeding lesson. A lighter and longer 

 cord may now be put on him simply to keep him in subjec- 

 tion as, if he has been properly taught, he will need very 

 little punishment thereafter. When the cob is thrown out, 

 if the dog does not start promptly to the order Fetch, catch 

 the collar close to his neck, hold the cob in front of him, 

 give the cob a toss, the dog a jerk after it and the order, 

 Fetch, all at the same instant. Repeat till he will start after 

 the cob the moment he is ordered. 



When he picks up the cob, he may stand perfectly still 

 or refuse to turn around facing his handler. If he is jerked 

 with the collar, it will probably throw the cob out of his 

 mouth. A better way is to hold him steadily with the rope 

 giving him at the same time some light cuts with the whip 

 on his hind legs ; this will force him to quickly face toward 

 his trainer, when he will generally obey the order Come in. 

 At this stage he may be encouraged and given an incentive 

 to action by giving him an occasional reward for good per- 

 formance. Now the trainer can form a very good estimate 

 of his skill by the degree of confidence which the dog has 

 in him. Except in the case of an extremely obstinate dog, 



