BREAKING. 93 



any time when needed, yet not restrict the dog's range unduly. 

 If the dog is very headstrong it is well to let the cord trail, and 

 punish him frequently by catching in bushes and stones, by which 

 the spikes will prick the neck and admonish him to save himself 

 by moderating his rate of going, but if he does not need such sharp 

 treatment, and also as he begins to yield obedience, a plain collar 

 should be put on in front of the spikes, and the cord looped to this 

 by a piece of twine strong enough to stand ordinary drag, yet weak 

 enough to break when the cord is jerked by the breaker for pun- 

 ishment. 



CHASING AND SHOT-BREAKING. 



These are very common faults with badly-broken dogs and must 

 be corrected by the spikes, used in the same manner as the plain 

 collar is used with a pup, to enforce the "ho" or "drop." Some 

 dogs will, however, break shot only when a bird falls. With such 

 it is well to take an attendant to hold the cord when the dog points, 

 while the breaker advances to shoot. The attendant should not, 

 however, attempt to give orders, but simply enforce those of the 

 breaker, by spiking the dog if he does not obey promptly. If 

 sharply applied, the spikes will quickly teach even the most con- 

 firmed shot-breaker that he must abandon the practice, and when 

 once subdued, the command and proper punishment by whip will 

 keep him right. 



BITING BIRDS. 



Nearly all dogs that have been badly taught to retrieve will man- 

 gle birds. Ordinary punishment is useless, because it is difficult, if 

 not impossible, to make the dog understand for what he is corrected. 

 The quickest and most effectual way is to run a number of small 

 wires through a bird, so that they will stand out just under the 

 feathers. This must be thrown when a bird is killed, or at any 

 time the lesson is given, and as the dog seizes it, the breaker should 

 if possible catch him by the upper and lower jaw, and shut them 

 together so that the wires will prick sharply, with the command 



