Hi everyone,
Just wanted to share this with you. Thanks to Lorelei's suggestion of a "lunge rein", I have had a lovely, stress-free morning walk with Sparky. He could jump and run about as much as he wanted, and I had peace of mind knowing I could get him back easily. Strange thing was, with the rein on, he had perfect recall each time, even though it was trailing loose! (Then again, he could still be in shock after "losing" me the other day ;))I'm going to do lots of recall training when he's on this, so hopefully it will improve things.
If anyone else is having problems with getting a lovely pup to come back when called, I would definitely recommend one of these before bothering with an extendable - no tight string twisting around his little legs (or my big chubby ones!:)). Not tested out when he gets stuck in playing with another dog yet, but for having a little run on a quiet field it was great!

Tracy

I want to get one of those where do you get them from?
I've been having lots of recall problems and think that sounds a great idea.
how do you attach it to the coller though do you just tie it on?
K

I agree with you Tracy, I bought one from E-bay ages ago, it is great for retrieve training at dog training classes, especially when my boy wants a game and wants me to chase him, they don't get in the way when they trail loose like and extending lead and my boy forgets it is there until I need to grab the other end.
K, check out the equestrian section of E-bay, under sporting goods, or check out a saddlery near you.

You can buy them from any tack shop/horse you can also use tracker leads.

try www.robinsons-uk.com/robcl/thats amail order online cat. there quite cheap too and do animal things too like clickers dog coats

horse accesories catalogue

By the way, K, they just clip on with the same attachment as as normal lead - it's just like a very long lead.
Tracy

I buy mine from the local equestrian and pet centre, like i said on the post about letting the dog off the lead.

Thanks everyone! I have just ordered one from Robinsons it gets here Tuesday, cant wait! It will be so nice to see her running free again and to start the recall training while out in a field, her recall is fine in the house and garden, the delivery cost alot more than the lunge rein but worth it!!
Miasmum I looked in the yellow pages but the nearest tack shop is about 15 miles away, thanks anyway
K

Yeah, I have horses and found this out whilst at a show - couldnt find the girls lead so stuck the lunge on instead, to tie her to the wagon much better than a lead as she could still wander about, rather than lie on the floor with no room to move. Everyone I know with horses uses the horses gear on there dogs its cheaper to share and the dogs love it because they can strech out for at least 5 metres !!

Sunny xx

How long are tracking leads? Robinsons have 9 metre lunge reins - about 18 feet in old money. Is that long enough for a tracking lead?

What are tracking leads?
K

Hi chaps-Tracking lines (as they're most commonly called!) are really just like very long leads that are used for tracking with your dog. Some of them don't have the handlers 'loop' at the end, as, if your dog is doing a track, you don't want it getting stuck in anything, such as trees. Mine are also thinner and more lightweight than a normal lead would be. I use a 30 foot thin leather line for my adult lab bitch when we track and a 20 foot thin webbing one for my pup, but you can get them up to 50 foot long. Its also possible to find tracking lines that you buy per foot and then you just stick a release clip on the end. If you have any problems finding them, try putting the words 'Working Trials' into a search engine and I'm sure that you'll find loads. Any way hope that helped-enjoy your dogs

Ali xx:)

Thanks Ali, also just realised I still cant count - 9 metres is 27 ft not 18 !

Like the sound of these tracking leads!
Tracy

It's probably long enough but may be too heavy or not heavy enough depending on your dog and the type of rein you buy.

Sorry if i'm being stupid but whats the difference between them and an extendable lead.

A lunge rein is just a long lead really while an extender spools out as the dog travels away from you, but you can fix the length by pressing a button on the handle. I dont use one as Morse pulled like a train for ages and the extender just encouraged it. I also had problems with the blessed button not working when I needed to fix the line.

We had a try out of our harness and line this morning and it was ..... interesting. He throws his chest into the harness and pulls so we were back to stopping and relaxing and moving on, then we got tangled in a thicket and finally attacked by Angus anti- lead, a large and wilful black lab who hates to see dogs on leads.And he trampled all over my track. The kind farmer who let me into his stubble fields is now ploughing for winter wheat so its back to finding an empty field for tracking. Tracy I wish you had seen this as youd have a good laugh and never accept my suggestions again!

If you are using a harness for tracking why would you want to stop when the dog is throwing himself into the harness and pulling?

Because being dim, and worried about adjusting it outside, I put the harness on to walk off to our field. In future Ill use his ordinary lead for walking in and put the stuff I need into a rucksack, as I dont drive. Thanks for making a good point. :)

Lorelei
What an image I have in my mind now. And you were being such an inspiration too!;)
Tracy
PS Sparky now has gorgeous Pointer girlfriend on the park called Heidi - bought that lunge line just in time!

hi,i got a 30ft training lead last night from jollyes for £9.99,not bad!

Lucky you billybob! Tracy, I can just see Sparky and Heidi planning to give you the slip - PointerX BC now thats interesting a Collinter, a Pollie, a Bordointer put me down for one! :D

I paid £5.99 for my lunge line, I got it from Robinsons but the postage made it up to £13 I dont mind though as I think they are a great idea and it works well for me and my dogs recall has improved already, although I've not chanced it with out the lunge.
K

well done glad to see your maing progress:) i wouldent chance it without being enclosed somewhere :D just incase;)
Good luck with the off the lead recall:)