Unreasonable on dog walk

Has the slip lead been working ok for you all up until this incident? If so why change it based on opinions online? Your vet/trainer suggested it so surely if it’s been ok stay with the professional opinion.

A dog headcollar is kinder to use if your dog pulls, or a harness that you clip the lead to the centre of the chest.

Your husband is a dickhead. He sounds like a bully and a big baby. Your poor dog. You have a choice, your dog doesn't.

Your poor dog-

Is your husband an experienced dog owner?
Because if he treated your dog like that when your dog was displaying submissive behaviour to send a message to the dog she wanted to say hello to-all completely appropriate- and he treated her so abusively what would he do in a situation where there was an actual problem or danger?

His behaviour subsequently was also a worry-we all act hastily/make mistakes and then we own up to them and learn.
He is more concerned about his loss of face than anything else and is being ridiculous. He is the one that set the poor example for your child and he should be apologising to both of you. and the dog

Agree with previous posters, this doesn't like an appropriate use of a slip lead. You need to stop using the slip lead you will create more problem for yourself and your dog will suffer. You husband has acted cruelly by applying so much force. I wouldn't accept this from your husband and you need to do better for your poor dog.

@Cluckycluck - of course meeting other dogs is an important part of a walk. Dogs are generally sociable creatures and usually enjoy interacting with each other. I’m sorry your dog has been attacked 3 times, that’s really bad luck. My dog is 10 and is walked daily off lead in the forest and I’ve never had a problem with other dogs saying hello to her or vice versa, nor have any of my friends who own dogs. However I’ve definitely noticed an increase in poorly trained, reactive dogs since lockdown. Thankfully these dogs are usually kept on a lead even in open forest areas and if I come across one I will put my dog’s lead on and will not allow her to interact with them.

I agree!

OP, your DH sounds like a nasty piece of work.

Quoting this so OP doesn't miss it.

@Hatexmasdinner get rid of that lead and stop strangling your dog on a daily basis.

Was it a training session? Did he accompany the action with a word?

Either way he's being an arse to you.

So a slip lead is the same as a choke chain. How cruel. You should be rethinking if a dog is for you.

He wouldn’t be anywhere near my dog again.

That's not what dogs go out for and dogs don't need to say 'hello' to every dog they meet. It is dog owners like you that cause problems. My dog has been attacked 3 times by dogs that the owner has said 'he/she just wants to say hello!'

Dog don't need to greet each other. Dogs should be allowed to socialise if appropriate safely with dogs they are familiar with.

A slip lead can be a useful and safe training tool when used correctly.
Your husband reacted poorly but unless he has previous form for being cruel the dog then I would put it down to a mistake. If he does have previous form then you have bigger issues to deal with.

Edit: I should have quoted 'stargazerlil', first part of post is a response to their post

Sounds like he realised he'd been too harsh on the dog, felt bad, then took it out on you. Pretty immature behaviour. I'd have to say my piece but then drop it. If he did it again, I'd be quite angry.

I think slip leads are used as they are very quick to put on and off, but they definitely shouldn’t be yanked.

Slip leads do have a place, they're quick and easy to get on and off, which is why they are sometimes used in vets or kennels to move a dog safely and quickly from A to B. Or you might keep one by the front door if your dog can't be relied on not to dart out. That's what @Toenailz means by used for safety. But they're not safe to be used on walks.

More generally, maybe your DH was brought up to think that that's the way to train a dog and he's unaware that there's been massive research into how dogs learn and that training methods have changed accordingly. If he's not swayed by dog welfare arguments, you could point out that organisations such as Guide Dogs have completely switched to force free training because it's been shown to be more effective and they can't afford not to.

It's always good to be shown these methods in person by a qualified trainer but there are plenty of online videos to give you an idea. Dogs Trust do some basic ones and Kikopup is worth a look too.

@Toenailz

Very well explained.

@Hatexmasdinner

and you are married to a bully.

This. I bet this isn't his only abusive trait.

What an utter fucking arsehole. Keep him away from your dog.

A slip lead is a safety lead used to prevent escape. It's used frequently by fosterers and adopters of very nervous dogs, and particularly foreign dogs, who are major flight risks - if they escape, you're just not getting them back. It's supposed to be temporary, until the dog has properly settled and is no longer a flight risk - some dogs always remain nervous, so always need it for their own safety.

It is NOT a replacement for training and it is NOT a training aid and should never be used as such.

Your DH is being cruel, and none of you should be using this as the main lead to walk the dog - it is used as backup, along with a harness and lead, which should be what you actually use to walk the dog.

I'll repeat - the lead is a safety measure. It is NOT to be used to strangle your dog (which is exactly a object that is designed to be escape proof and used round the neck will do).

If your dog is not a nervous dog, bin the fucking thing and use appropriate gear.

I've foreign rescue dogs that never lived in a house or walked on a lead until they were adult. You do not need to use a 'pop' on a lead to correct unwanted behaviour. Actual training does that.

And if you do have a nervous dog, you're not helping with your usage of this. Do fucking better, all of you.

Poor dog!

You know that your husband is training you too right?
You know how you will be punished the next time you "undermine" him 🤨

Was the other dog on a lead?

Has he been cruel to the dog before? If it was an accident he should have apologised, not stormed off.

what's your reasoning for using a slip lead? if you're okay with using one you accept that they cause pain (even though he obviously overused it). You both need to engage the services of a positive dog trainer ASAP because neither of you seem to know what you're doing. Using an aversive method on your dog while it's in submissive mode will also help to make your dog reactive to dogs. He was awful but you both need to do a LOT better.