m of hooks. These
sharp pointed hooks punish cruelly when the checkcord is jerked.

204. We have, however, a more modern description of collar, which is far
less inhuman than either of those I have mentioned, but still I cannot
recommend its adoption, unless in extreme cases; for though not so
severely, it, likewise, punishes the unfortunate dog, more or less, by the
strain of the checkcord he drags along the ground: and it ought to be the
great object of a good breaker as little as is possible to fret or worry
his pupil, that all his ideas may be engaged in an anxious wish to wind
birds. On a leather strap, which has a ring at one end, four wooden
balls--of about two inches in diameter--are threaded like beads, at
intervals from each other and the ring, say, of two inches--the exact
distance being dependent on the size of the dog's throat. Into each of the
balls sundry short pieces of thickish wire are driven, leaving about
one-sixth of an inch beyond the surface. The other end of the strap--to
which the checkcord is attached--is passed through the ring. This ring
being of somewhat less diameter than the balls, it is clear, however
severely the breaker may pull, he cannot compress the dog's throat beyond
a certain point. The effect of the short spikes is rather to crumple than
penetrate the skin.

205. I have long been sensible of the aid a spiked collar would afford in
reclaiming headstrong, badly educated dogs, if it could be used at the
moment--and only at the precise moment when punishment was required,--but
not until lately did it strike me how the collar could be carried so that
the attached cord should not constantly bear upon it, and thereby worry,
if not pain the dog. And had I again to deal with an old offender, who
incorrigibly crept in after pointing, or obstinately "rushed into dead,"
I should feel much disposed to employ a slightly spiked collar in the
following manner.

206. That the mere carrying the collar might not annoy the dog, I would
extract or flatten the nails fixed on the top of the collar, on the part,
I mean, that would lie on the animal's neck. This collar I would place on
his neck, in front of his common light collar. I would then firmly fasten
the checkcord, in the usual way, to the spiked collar; but, to prevent any
annoyance from dragging the checkcord, at about five or six inches from
the fastening just made I would attach it to the common collar, with very
slight twine--twine so slig