CH. XL] DOG NOT NOTICING BIRDS. 179 



mon collar, with very slight twine twine so slight that, 

 although it would not give way to the usual drag of the 

 checkcord, however long, yet it would readily break on 

 my having to pull strongly against the wilful rush of an 

 obstinate dog, when, of course, the spikes would punish 

 him, as the strain would then be borne by the spiked 

 collar alone. 



304. Guided by circumstances, I would afterwards 

 either remove the spiked collar, or, if I conceived another 

 bout necessary, refasten the checkcord to the common 

 collar with some of the thin twine, leaving, as before, 

 five or six inches of the checkcord loose between the 

 two collars. 



305. If you should ever consider yourself forced to 

 employ a spiked collar, do not thoughtlessly imagine 

 that the same collar will suit all dogs. The spikes for 

 a thin-coated pointer ought to be shorter than for a 

 coarse-haired setter ! You can easily construct one to 

 punish with any degree of severity you please. Take a 

 common leather collar ; lay its inner surface flat on a 

 soft deal board : through the leather drive with a ham- 

 mer any number of tacks or flat-headed nails : then get 

 a cobbler to sew on another strap of leather at the back 

 of the nails, so as to retain them firmly in position. 



306. I have supposed that your dog has scented the 

 birds before they rose, but if he spring them without 

 having previously noticed them (as in some rare cases 

 happens even to well-bred dogs) you must bring him 

 back to the spot at which you feel assured that he ought 

 to have been sensible of their presence, and there make 

 him "Toho." Afterwards endeavour to make him aware 

 of the haunt by encouraging him to sniff at the ground 

 that the birds have just left. The next time watch very 

 carefully for the slightest indication of his feathering 



N2 



