Using a slip leash on a dog that pulls

[sixthreesix]

Has anyone used a slip leash on a dog that pulls as a method of correction and training?

Sorry but all the headgear is just a substitute/mask for training your dog properly to walk to heel.

Yes it'll be hard work. Yes it takes loads of practice. Yes it's annoying.

But it's worth it.

Slip lead untrained is just asking for issues with the neck and throat. I sometimes use one eg for gundog class but mine is 90%+ there with his heelwork. To get to this point it's been flat collar, training lead, and loads and loads of practice.

I have a spaniel, they're absolute toads for pulling. But he does now toddle alongside me happily until told to "go sniff" which means he can take his eyes off me and chill.

If you use a slip it needs to sit as high up as possible with the lead held above, not low down and held from behind.
We train off lead walking at heel first then add the lead in after.

We have a springer and use a Halti.

The vast majority of her walk time is off lead so on lead training took a bit of a back seat. She has amazing recall and has been so easy to train in everything else - but pulling on the lead we've had real trouble cracking. Our fault, we missed the boat in the very early days because we focused so heavily on off lead and recall.

We tried a Halti a couple of weeks ago and it took her less than 5 minutes to get used to it and stop pawing at it. The results were instant, she just doesn't pull. Still sniffs, still wags her tail, seems completely unbothered and chilled. Just no pulling.

It's been a revelation and means our older dc (15 and 12) can now take her for a pootle around the block of an evening without having their arm ripped off.

I'm also seeing improvements in her when on lead but not in the Halti. I don't bother with the Halti on off lead walks as it's only one or two minutes on lead to get there before she's off - but her pulling has definitely reduced quite a bit. So whilst it's obviously not as good as extensive training to heel, I don't agree that dogs 'learn nothing' with head collers - the behaviour learned when in the Halti definitely transfers over to times without it to some extent.

Every day is a school day.

I've used slip leads for 30 years on lots of different dogs, some who pulled and some who didn't. Yes the terrier sounded as though he was being strangled occasionally when he tried to chase a cat, but he is 13 and no damage to his neck or trachea 🤷‍♀️

It’s designed to be painful, might not be a huge amount of pain- but that’s literally how it’s designed to work.

We found a harness more effective

I can only speak for the Haliti designed by Dr Roger Mugford which is definitely not designed to cause pain. Quite the opposite in fact. When used correctly, it is designed to reduce pressure on the face and front of the dogs neck. It allows them to pant, eat and drink but will gently close their mouth if they pull which they don't like but this is discomfort not pain. Halti collars are supposed to be used with two leads, one on a normal flat collar which does the majority of the work, and one on the halti for direction and to minimise pulling.

Of course any lead used incorrectly can cause a dog pain, and the halti is no more immune to this than any other type of lead.

“if they pull which they don't like but this is discomfort not pain.”

It tightens when they pull, the harder they pull the tighter it gets.

Discomfort is just a more palatable word for pain.

The dog doesn't control how hard it pulls on the halti though, the handler does.

The dog pulls against the flat collar and the handler uses the halti to turn its head and close its mouth. Hence the dog should never be in pain.

I hate haltis. Their nose is their main thing, awful to control them with it. In their line of vision all the time. Feel very sorry for dogs on them.

I've had three Great Danes, used haltis on all of them, once they got used to walking calmly I didn't need to use them any more, just used traditional collar and lead.

No to slip leads. Very hard on their throats and cruel. Have you tried a harness?

I hear you, but having them run in front of a car uncontrolled is more awful. Haltis for me are a step in a series of things I try in order, and are not necessary on a permanent basis.

Also, it only moves their nose on a very short term basis.

Nobody gets a dog and buys a head collar at the same time, they use them because they’ve got an issue they’re trying to resolve.

A halti wouldn’t be my choice of head collar brand, but it’s a training aid so someone can keep themselves and their dog safe while they work with them, it’s not something somebody has just put on their dog for the hell of it.

It's something people use when they haven't the knowledge or experience in training dogs.

6 weeks of puppy classes doesn't remotely cut it.

I mostly agree with what you said earlier, largely a halti isn't necessary, however it is another tool in the toolbox for certain circumstances.

Definitely takes time and patience. That's true after all aspects of dog training though.