views on slip leads?

[misdee]

i chucked one in my viovet order last week to go over £29 to get free postage. it arrived yesterday, and i used it for the jack russell i found to take it to the vets to get scanned.

however, it really reminded me in some ways of choke collars .

i bought it as am emergency spare for when ralph destroys his collor (regular occurance), but am not entirely comfortable about using it.


is there a place for them? or shoud i just use it for rounding up strays dogs that seem to come awandering this way?

[BertieBotts]

This is yahoo answers, but the top answer seems comprehensive.

uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101123043854AAoNRTd

[misdee]

thank you.

this one goes loose when slack. but is very rope like.

think i'll keep it for emergencies. and for when ralph finally walks beside me without a need for a leash but needs to be on one in public areas iyswim. he is slowly getting there.

[misdee]

or i might knot it into a tug toy...

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

I keep a thin one in my dog bum bag that goes with me on every walk. I have had to catch a stray several times now and it is so much easier to ger a slip lead on than anything else, plus I know I have a spare should I use my walking lead.

Some of the rope ones have a little leather toggley thing so you can 'set' the collar and not over tighten, which makes it a lot more humane, but they would never be my lead of choice.

[Rhinestone]

Agree completely WTWTW - I have also used one to catch a stray and they're invaluable for that but otherwise no, I don't like them for all the reasons above. Keep it for emergencies as WTWTW suggests but don't use it as your normal lead.

[misdee]

will def keep it for emergencies then :)

now to sort out a bumbag for me...

[chickchickchicken]

i would never use one for walking a dog but i do use it at agility. its handy and quick to take lead on and off in between turns

bumbag....i was thinking we could have some bumbag porn - like we do with collars - but bumbag porn sounds soooo wrong

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

Roffle @ 'bumbag porn', I have this it's bigger than it looks, can get quite a lot in it and it has lots of separate pockets.

If I need to carry more than that then I just take a rucksack.

[misdee]

bumbag is sooo wrong lol

cheers for the link.

now whats that poo bag holder for used poo bags? which zips up?

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

I believe you mean a dicky bag.

[DogsBeastFiend]

Another one here who keeps a slip lead in her pocket whenever out (have been known to have one in my handbag too) for catching strays or should a lead break/be lost.

Wouldn't use them on a day to day basis, definitely not.

[TheReturnoftheSmartArse]

Does anyone have a Dicky Bag? Is it a Good Thing?! Do I need one??

[misschenko]

Its important to be shown how to use the slip lead safely, and definitely not a good idea for puppies.
I used to think slip leads were cruel but a couple of sessions with a gun dog trainer changed my mind. My lab, at 12 months, knew how to heel and walked really well when he chose, even won a rosette at training class. But on walks he'd unexpectedly veer off to the side if he saw something interesting, and my arm and shoulder were becoming painful. Now we use a slip lead all the time and dog now walks with lead draped loosely round his neck, if he starts to move out of the heel position I just have to do a very gentle tug, more of a steer really, and he immediately adjusts his speed to get back in position. My arm/shoulder pain is gone and I wouldn't go back to a normal lead now.