long leads

[Ursa's daddy]

I have been unable to locate the old collars for my two. If I go to the broom closet and get the harnesses and leads, they immediately think "road trip" and get all excited. They then go to the first vehicle in the drive and want to get in. I can take the "little dog" leads and make slip collars, and they will walk in the yard. Therefore, I purchased two new collars and one 20 ft lead, since the store did not have two leads the matching color. I opened the bag in the breezeway and let the chows check out the purchases. They understood this was significant, but weren't sure. It took a few tries to get the collars correctly adjusted, and I took the lead out of its plastic. Ursa figured it out and started to talk about it. I then had two dogs sitting at the door waiting for me to let them out. I clipped one end of the lead on Malachi, and then put Ursa's collar through the loop and out the door we went. Initially, there were a few stops to untangle the 10 ft of lead that they would get under foot, but they figured it out. There was limited pulling. We walked across the yard to check the bluebird house; no visitors , to the compost pile, then over to the large long leaf pine. It was fun to smell around the base because there was evidence of the elusive bushy tailed tree rodents. We walked over to the pond, where frogs would jump off the bank into the water. There were new smells. Rabbits? We went all the way around the pond then walked behind the new blueberry bushes. Malachi checked the first one and thought the first one needed to be watered, which he did. We walked behind the yard fence, where the dogs can watch the cats stalking crickets, but they can't go. Ursa found interesting smells under the bushes. We finished going around the house and back to the breezeway door where the water bowl proved to be most refreshing. It was a good walk. They did not pull once we got going. I simply looped the lead around my wrist, then let it slip in the palm of my hand under my thumb like you would with a horse's reins. They could have easily jerked it out of my hand. They stopped when I said "wait" while I untangled the knot they managed to get in the lead. It was a really good experience. I will get a second 20 ft lead and we will try this again. I don't remember who suggested getting the lead, but thanks.

[Piff Poff]

I use a 20ft long lead for Henry, we both hate using a short one now, the times we walk with another biped we tend to use a short lead because other people are not so good at skipping over the leash when necessary. I do usually buy horse lunge lines as they are at least half the price of a dog lead.

[Sarahloo]

I've found the Flexi leash a lot easier to deal with. Once I got entangled in a regular long lead and fell flat on my face! A retractable leash does all the work for you.
Good job untangling the knot right then and there! If the knots drag on the ground, the leash will rip in no time! It's no fun to look for your black chow after the leash has ripped in half because doggie saw a deer. Even with proper care, they won't last forever, but what leash does?

[Piff Poff]

A retractable leash can suggest to a dog that it is ok to pull all the time though as they have to pull against a little resistance to get the longer line. One reason I buy lunge lines is their durability. The current one is only just starting to look raggedy and it's almost a year old, and I let it drag on the ground all the time.

[Ursa's daddy]

Sarahloo and Piff Poff, thanks for the comments. I do have a retractable leash and don't plan on using it on my two for a number of reasons, one of which you mentioned. Ursa seemed to like the walk yesterday, and came to tell me about it when I stepped into the breezeway. Today is not going to be a good day, but it will be clear tomorrow, and we will do it again.

[Piff Poff]

We have our first 'warm' day her in Albertaland since last September, sun, blue skies and warmer winds, the grass is visible and going green, it's lovely outside.

[Sarahloo]

A retractable leash can suggest to a dog that it is ok to pull all the time though as they have to pull against a little resistance to get the longer line.

It's just the opposite with Loo. He used the long lead to pull like a crazy dog. With the Flexi leash, he walks as if he wasn't on a leash at all, and ambles here and there and has fun. Weird how different dogs are.

[Judy Fox]

We use 26 ft. pony lunge reins for our girls. I loop the lead up in my left hand and control it with my right hand. The girlies love it because when we are in places Where I can let them have the full length they can sniff and wander round where they want but I am still in control.