Perfect Lead + Collar? Easy On/Off (after agility run)

[Bicoastal]

Buckling regular collar won’t do: I can’t see what I’m doing in all that hair and it sobers him as I half strangle him. Must leash up & leave the ring fast and happy.

Martingales (humane slips, etc) are the most popular. Despises collar being pulled over/off his head, insisting it yanks sensitive Pap ear fringe. Are some martingales easier than others?

When I try to pull a slip, martingale, or plain fixed loop (handle of regular leather leash fits with many inches to spare…he looks like Euro Dobes :lol:) he sets back, whips head about, whimpers, etc.

I thought a great solution would be a straight forward slip lead plus snap (for walking around the trial). The floating ring gets sucked in by his ruff down to the skin, becoming & staying tight. Must carefully work the end of leash out of his man-mane before the ring can freely slide to take it off. More punishment. A smaller floating ring might reduce the amount of hair sucked between ring and lead…

Do you think a slide lead would work? His breeder uses that often. The dogs don’t like the slide being worked down into the coat but I would not be ‘setting’ the collar; they hate the slide being pinched and pulled up to get it off as it is nearly impossible to not pinch a few hairs too. I think there are some slide leads that have just a small tubular piece of plastic instead of the scissor/clamp type mechanism she had. Would that be better?

I wouldn’t mind a kindness collar show lead. Any good candidates?

Any types I am not aware of?

I was going to go to the Cherry Blossom Cluster in Timonium, MD this weekend to shop the vendors and try lots of styles but I’m talking myself out of driving 3hrs just to shop.

Oh Mighty COTHers, help my dog! If anyone can find obscure, awesome equipment, it is the collective you!! :yes:

[Alagirl]

slide a big ring over a nylon lead , wrap it around the neck and snap the hook into the ring?

But since it is only for a short stretch from the agility ring back to the car or there’s about, I’d say doggy has to lump it that the lead is not a fancy collar! :lol:

I believe I have seen wider leads with just a ring you loop over the head.
You could probably use a rein with a ring buckled to it. would not have a hand loop, but is that mandatory for a dog leash anyhow? :yes:

[Emryss]

I use this kind of slide lead: http://situpnbeg.com/kindness_lead.html without beads, braiding or bells and whistles. It doesn’t catch long ear hair and is easy on my hands.

[bdj]

Are you running AKC? Pup can run in a plain fixed collar and you can just unclip/clip the lead to it as you enter/exit (that’s what I do) - that should be OK with his princeness if he’s accustomed to it in rally/obedience work. I often don’t even clip to the collar’s leash ring after a run - I just clip the leash right around the collar (our agility collar is super fine) - it ain’t perfect, but it does the job.

If you’re running NADAC or USDAA (where the dogs run naked), you can’t get away with that, so seriously, training may be in order. Little guy may have to suck it up and deal with a slip leash going on and off over head… you may find that using a bigger/thicker leash setup than usual makes things easier for both of you, since the heavier materials will hold a bit more of a shape than the tiny fine stuff.

Any possibility of trimming some of the longer hairs (not shaving or anything, just neatening things up - he IS a performance dog now…).

[wendy]

I have a dog who despises having a collar pulled off over the head (she has big ears that tend to get crunched when you do that)- for the trip into and out of the agility ring I use a nylon martingale collar with one of those quick-release snaps on the side. For general use, I think the quick-release snaps aren’t very safe, but for just that particular use, it’s perfect.
For the other dogs I use a slip-lead with the leash built in- I’d never normally walk a dog in a choker like that, but it works well for the agility line and you can quickly change into something better before/after the run.

I’ve seen a lot of people use these harnesses: http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1771

you just drop over the dog’s head and snap the belly snap, quick and easy. I tried one with my big ears dog, but she’s averse to anything being slid on and off over the head, so she wasn’t a fan of it.

-I know it’s legal to run in a collar in AKC, but it’s very dangerous to leave a collar on a dog running agility, which is why it’s illegal in every other agility venue; I’d suggest taking it off, always. And take them off before you practice. If you get in the habit of leaving a collar on the dog when running, odds are one day you’ll do that at a competition and get eliminated; might as well nip that possibility in the bud.

[Bicoastal]

@Emryss;6262510

I use this kind of slide lead: http://situpnbeg.com/kindness_lead.html.[/QUOTE]
Yummy Suitable width and weight for a toy breed? Must ask about their return policy so if he objects like he currently does I could return it. It look stunning.

[QUOTE=wendy;6262600]I use a nylon martingale collar with one of those quick-release snaps on the side…
I’ve seen a lot of people use these harnesses: http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1771

I’m glad you understand! I don’t want to bring that negative experience into the competition ring and I bet in time it woudl lead to avoidance and running away. Do you have a link to such a martingale with snap? I think I’ve seen them but not in small dog sizes. A drop & go harness like you describe might be the solution… plus he’d look like a real-deal agility star ;). The suggestion to get used to running him naked in practice is a good one. I just need the right tool!

bdj- USDAA and AKC. A thicker slip lead is a good suggestion but the weight on a 10lb dog very sensitive to leash changes? Not corrections: changes in my handhold, switching hands, shaking out a twist, etc have him heeling at attention.

He has come a long way with his many fears and oversensitivies, but this one doesn’t seem to be going away. Thank you for the suggestions and keep em coming. At present I don’t know what to do :no:.

[Marshfield]

I use a British style slip which does come in a narrow width light weight size http://www.jjdog.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=jj&Product_Code=BSL420&Category_Code=2CATNewBritishStyleSlipLeads

[Emryss]

@Bicoastal;6263263

Yummy Suitable width and weight for a toy breed? Must ask about their return policy so if he objects like he currently does I could return it. It look stunning.

Absolutely. I have toy dogs. Cavaliers and a toy poodle - and I see these used by many people with toy breeds all the time at shows.

[Gamma_Raise]

have you considered a lure-coursing lead? Some of the benefits of a martingale combo, but fastened around the neck without needing to pull on/off over the head. You have to do some looking to find tiny sizes, but IG sizes will accommodate a Pap easily enough.

BIF blankets and leads

All Hounds

MJ Leather

[Ride_On]

I have an Aussie that I use a plain old slip lead on her and I just keep it loose and off it comes and it is easy to put on.

[Bicoastal]

In this image there is a plastic slider on the leash portion above the D rings. Does this mean you hold two lengths of one continuous piece of material together? Or do the two ends get sewed together further up? Some coursing slips appear to be one strap strung through two D-rings so handler is holding two lengths of one continuous piece of material; lets go one end, and the remaining length quickly “slips” through the D-ring freeing dog to run naked.

I have contacted Sit Up n Beg about their return policy. Also contacted BIF Blankets and Leads to ask if they could custom make one for a toy breed (I hate the red flames, anyway :lol:). Also emailed Jans Martingales about making a smaller collar size.

I have looked into the lure coursing slips and think they may be a good idea. A wider collar across the throat would help me find it amidst all the hair!

I think a narrow rectangular “ring” instead of the D-rings would reduce the amount of hair sucked up by the ring and pulled tight. I wish I had a sewing machine so I could try this myself as no one shop has exactly what I think might work best.

[wendy]

well, if he’s little, does he mind being carried? many little-dog people prefer to carry their dogs into and out of the ring. The dog is carried in, the leash is carefully removed (you might need to experiment in class to see what type of collar your dog doesn’t find aversive when it’s being removed), the dog runs, and then the dog is taught to leap into the handler’s arms at the end of the run. The leash is then put back on for the trip out of the ring (some venues will eliminate you if you exit without a leash attached to the dog, so don’t get in the habit of not doing this).

[Bicoastal]

[QUOTE=wendy;6264675]
well, if he’s little, does he mind being carried?[/QUOTE]

I think AKC requires leash be on the dog whether dog’s paws are on the floor or not. AKC, ya know :winkgrin:.

All of this searching and the wonderful links have led me to this gorgeous piece of fun!

What do you think??? The creator said the leash is open for 10" before the two halves -so to speak- are sewn flush together. Those two D-rings can still catch the coat but if I can return it easily, the price tag is worth a shot…

[bdj]

@Bicoastal;6265163

I think AKC requires leash be on the dog whether dog’s paws are on the floor or not. AKC, ya know :winkgrin:.

This is correct - doesn’t matter how small (or big) the dog is, it has to be leashed when you exit the ring - no leash, no Q!
(Judges are VERY big on that rule - and I saw our judges this weekend very clearly watching for folks to leash up before they OK’d next dog to run.)

[IFG]

I have bigger dogs, but this works for them:

http://www.myrope.com/dog_training_supplies/detail.asp?prodid=11&grpid=14

[Bicoastal]

Update: 2 choices to choose from

I have corresponded with two vendors both making similar style coursing slips. Which one?

This style is $10 plus shipping (maybe $5). The vendor is recommending this lead type after hearing about my pup and wants/unwants. No idea what the color will be but I showed her the Jans one and said I love bold & orange. From http://www.bifblanketsandleads.com/.
[URL=“http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/jansmartingales/3583848/martingale_walking_lead__collar_and_leash_combination___small_dog/handmade/pets/collars/small_dog”]
This gorgeous one is $17 plus shipping $3. I love the bold colors! The vendor warned me after I requested a narrower collar that the awesome orange won’t show much…From Jans Martingales

I was telling my mentor about fluffybutt insisting on heeling while out walking: I dislike it because 1) I don’t want to devalue the heeling behavior or practice a sloppy heel and 2) just go be a dog, already! She suggested a harness :lol:. I totally want this just so I can customize the label and feel like an agility bada$$.

[BaaramuLuke]

Have you seen Real Keen Leashes? They can be made thick or thinner, slip lead or snap with or without a ring to make it a slip lead. I think they are just fabulous. Lots of agility folks use them, they’re soft, stretchy and made of all natural fibers (wool, alpaca, mohair).

Shameless plug here, I only have a little further to go to pay off my beloved Keen. Yeah, he was named after the wonderful dressage horse. You can see them on Facebook, look for our page, Real Keen Leashes. LOL, sorry, could not resist.