Why is it that some people jsut don't have the sense to see the danger they're putting their dog in?

I took 3 of mine to the park this morning and we bumped into a fellow with his BC on a long line, bit timid but nice enough.  We passed by and I thought I saw a headcollar but it didn't register at the time.  As we walked off I looked back, and the long line was attached to the headcollar.  The dog seemed calm but I still had an uneasy feeling.

We get round to the other side of the field, and I looked back to see the guy and his BC right over the other side, a young lurcher of sorts bouncing towards the BC to play - you can guess what happened.  The BC tried to play back, took off to chase the dog and hit the end of the long line with quite a bit of force, and was wrenched round off the groun by the headcollar Poor thing went straight into a down and must have been in so much pain.

I'm kicking myself for not realising it when I could have suggested a harness (and suggested why the setup was dangerous), but I'll be keeping an eye out for him so hopefully I can get chatting to him.  I've got horrible imagies of that poor dog in a little while, with whiplash, or spinal damage, or even with a broken neck... :(

Thats a sad story. :(

People too often use different leads without knowing how to use them, or even training theyre dog to use it the correct way.

Sometimes I see people with choke chains, actully strangling a dog which hasnt been trained to heel and is pulling with all its might.

Hope you get too see him and have a word, wish everyone would say something if they see it.

It's shocking - I do wish manufacturs would be very clear when selling equipment and state for example with the headcollar "NOT TO BE USED WITH A LONG LINE"

I do hope the bC is OK. You will have to update us, Nikita :)

I was really annoyed when using a long line in conjunction with a head collar was shown on dog borstal several times. It is just not on.

Lindsay
x

When I went to see a well known behaviourist years ago with my dog aggressive Dobermann, he advised using a headcollar and extending lead.

The only one I use, which I think is safe with a long line/extending lead, is the Canny Collar, as it does up behind the ears rather than under the chin. But you still need to be a bit careful.

The canny collar does say on the packaging not to be used with an extendable lead.

I wouldn't use any headcollar with an extending lead or long line - in fact, I won't use any collar at all.  Soli goes out on a harness at all times when she's on the flexi, it's just not worth the risk of damage - she had quite a few vertebrae out of line just from pulling on a normal lead and collar, without the increased force from hitting the end of the lead at speed.  IU wouldn't risk a headcollar and long line or flexi even with a very calm dog - any dog can move quickly suddenly.  The BC was moving at a nice, steady pace until the lurcher bounced at it, then it was running in a heartbeat and was literally taken off the ground and wrenched 180 degree by the headcollar.

But this is just bad use of an extending lead by the owner :( When Tara is on an extending lead I always keep it at it's minimum when other dogs are around.

Daisy

The BC was on a long line - Soli's on an extender.  I keep it short around other dogs too, mainly because of her issues - she's a lot more likely to react if she has space to get speed, she'll use it to charge at them.  The BC's owner did have the long line loose though, when the poor thing got wrenched - when me and mine met him earlier he had half of it reeled in, but I'm guessing that was to avoid getting it tangled in the trees as when I turned back to see if it was attached to the headcollar he'd let the reeled in bit loose, as he was on open ground.

I'd say with any type of lead/collar/headcollar/harness it depends entirely on the character/behaviour of the individual dog.