490 DOG-BREAKING. 



long, according to the animal's disposition, and may be 

 gradually shortened as he gets more and more under 

 command. Even when it is first employed you can put 

 on a shorter cord if you perceive that he is becoming 

 tired. In thick stubble, especially if cut with a sickle, 

 the drag will be greater, far greater than when the cord 

 glides over heather. The cord may be of the thick- 

 ness of what some call strong lay-cord, but made of 

 twelve threads. Sailors would know it by the name of 

 log-line or cod-line. To save the end from fraying it 

 can be whipped with thread, which is better than tying 

 a knot, because it is thus less likely to become entangled. 

 50. Hunted with such a cord, the most indomitable 

 dog, when he is perfectly obedient to the " drop," is 

 nearly as amenable to command as if the end of the line 

 were in the breaker's hand. By no other means can 



SPANIELS 



oe quickly broken in. The general object of the trainer 

 is to restrain them from ranging at a distance likely to 

 spring game out of gun-shot, and to make them perfect 

 to the " down charge." If one of these high-spirited 

 animals will not range close when called to by whistle 



line will sometimes prevent a timid animal from ranging freely. 

 By-the-bye, the thinner the cord the more readily does it become 

 entangled as a rule, a checkcord cannot be too firmly twisted 

 a soft one quickly gets knotted and troublesome. (See note t,< 

 177.) 



