Modern Breaking 133 



hand. The breaker must take plenty of time 

 to accustom the dog to this change. 



In all these early lessons the dog has been 

 taught to grasp a corncob or a roll of soft 

 cloth of similar size. The corncob is, of course, 

 the more convenient, as it is easily replaced 

 when dirty, light and nice to hold, and does 

 not slip in the mouth. When these objects are 

 handled well, you must begin accustoming the 

 dog to others, such as the dog whip, an old 

 hat, stick, cane, a ball, old shoe or slipper, etc. 

 A good-sized wooden ball, into which wire nails 

 have been driven and the tips filed off and 

 slightly sharpened, is a good thing to work 

 him with. It will require considerable care 

 on his part to pick it up without getting 

 pricked. This will make him soft mouthed. 

 Another expedient, that can be used with a 

 hard-mouthed dog, is to put a small pincushion 

 with the pin points turned outward inside of a 

 woolen sock. An object of this kind requires 

 careful handling and will break most any dog of 

 closing down too hard on objects he is retriev- 

 ing. Socks of different colors should be used 

 from time to time, so that the dog will not 

 become apprehensive at the sight of objects of 

 one color. Pieces of meat are nice things for 

 him to fetch, and when he does this nicely and 

 will fetch raw meat with a tender mouth there 



