CH. in.] SPANIELS BROKEN IN. 31 



any whip, be used with such severity, or, I should rather 

 say, perseverance, as to conquer the most wild and 

 headstrong, and these are sure to be dogs of the greatest 

 travel and endurance. The cord may be from ten to 

 twenty-five * yards long, according to the animal's dis- 

 position, 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 thickness 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 be- 

 come entangled. 



55. 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 



be 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 



* With a resolute, reckless, thinner the cord the more readily 



dashing dog you may advan- does it become entangled, as a 



tageously employ a thinner cord rule, a checkcord cannot be too 



of double that length, whereas, firmly twisted, a soft one quickly 



the shortest line will sometimes gets knotted and troublesome, 



prevent a timid animal from (See note to 262.) 

 ranging freely. By-the-bye, the 



