126 Modern Breaking 



held, it is most likely that he will refuse to 

 take it. If it should be held higher or lower 

 than it has been held previously, the result will 

 be the same. Therefore, great care should be 

 taken to gradually raise the object above the 

 level of his head, and in the same way lowei 

 it until it may be held to the ground. When- 

 ever the object is held so low that the dog will 

 refuse to take it, it should be moved back to 

 the next lowest place to which he has been ac- 

 customed, and then it should be held gradually 

 a little lower. Finally, the object should be 

 laid on the ground, but the breaker should not 

 let go of it, keeping his hand under one end 

 of it while the other end rests on the ground. 

 The dog will act awkwardly in getting hold of 

 it, and the first few attempts may fail en- 

 tirely in trying to get it into his mouth, in 

 which case it will assist him if the object is 

 raised a little so that he may grasp it more 

 easily. When he will do this, let the object 

 be placed upon the ground with the hand 

 alongside of it, for, if the hand is taken away, 

 the dog will refuse to touch the object because 

 at this period he is guided largely by the hand. 

 When the dog will pick the object up from 

 the floor, the hand gradually should be drawn 

 away, each time a little farther, until finally 

 the dog will pick up the object without paying 

 any attention to the hand. These various steps 



