I'm a final-year Product Design student at the University of Huddersfield, and I'm currently researching the damaging health effects certain types of leads and collars can have on dogs and their owners. With particular focus on neck, spinal, and other physical injuries. These can be caused by, for example, straining against a lead, jolting at the end of the lead's travel, and owners pulling their dogs away from dangers or simply trying to get them to move along. This research will then potentially translate into a new product or redesign of existing products with potential to have this retailed.

I was wondering if any members on this forum have any opinions or information on this subject? Any issues they have with current leads, collars, etc, improvements they would like to see in these types of products, ideas for new features in products, or just any general comments?

Also, if anyone could fill out this quick confidential questionnaire it would be a great help! http://goo.gl/forms/xdpcUvSVsB 

Thanks,

Chris Dolman
University of Huddersfield

I'll take a look at your questionnaire in a mo but just to say I have HUGE issues with these Flexi-leads.   Mainly because from using one with my sister's dog, it hurt my hand but more importantly how many people I see walking their dogs up the pavement here with the lead fully extended.   Don't they realise if the dog went sideways it would go a significant way out across the road!!   Clearly not.   I am firmly of the view that a lead should be no longer than 5 or perhaps 6 foot and when used, the dog encouraged to walk alongside the owner.   I'd like to see Flexi-leads withdrawn or at least users warned about not walking their dogs with the lead fully extended alongside busy roads.

And then there's Whippets and their need for a wide collar which generally speaking is well-known ..... ditto for Greys and other fragile necked dogs.

Flexis have a place if they are used properly.  If I hadn't had them, I'd have had massive problems getting River to a point where she could be walked off-lead again - she's got a slipped disc and during rehab, she had to be kept on lead but, she is a totally determined marker which meant she was pulling like hell to wee over something no matter what I used.  Having a flexi gave her the room she needed to do that without putting pressure on her back, but with some tension to keep her steady.  On a long line she'd have just run to the spot she wanted to wee and done herself damage.

Not a typical situation I know, but just an example of how they can be very useful indeed.

I have a huge problem with seeing dogs choking themselves on flat collars as they are "walked" but I wouldn't remove them from sale - it's how they are used and how the dog is trained, just as it is with flexis.  Likewise longlines - I've been taken off my feet by a dog that absolutely should not have been on one (dog aggressive, 30ft lead, busy park - it went for my dogs and chased them round me) but again, very useful tool when used correctly.

The only things I would like to see gone are those that are designed to train with pain/fear - prongs, electric collars and (although I know this is controversial) choke chains.

The wellknown dog behaviourist Anders Hallgren in Sweden did a famous study on injuries to dogs' necks and backs caused by collars.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Back-problems-dogs-underlying-behavioral/dp/9163382822

Turid Rugaas (Norway) has done a leaflet which details problems with collars and mentions studies: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CDcQFjAEahUKEwiv2OCqr_nIAhVDvxQKHcT8DRI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.happyandrelaxeddogs.com%2Fviewdoc.php%3FLAN%3Den%26FILE%3Ddoc%26ID%3D26&usg=AFQjCNEwa-Ss_ft3vRcnvPzmGhkfnmirZQ

I see walking their dogs up the pavement here with the lead fully extended.   Don't they realise if the dog went sideways it would go a significant way out across the road!!

Looking at this vid it seems with some of them the fasteners are no where near as robust as they need to be, talk about a nice walk in the country....hah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3XYGJScZVg
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The wellknown dog behaviourist Anders Hallgren in Sweden did a famous study on injuries to dogs' necks and backs caused by collars.

The main figures from that study are posted here at this link, before he had that book printed, the 'cause' was more to do with dogs pulling on a lead, it was posted by......eh dear, name slips memory...

http://forum.champdogs.co.uk/topic_show.pl?tid=81126;pg=2
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I've attended 2 different dog training schools and I was amazed that neither gave any advise or pointed out the issues of walking a dog on fully extended flexi lead on a footpath with a road by the side.

As we all know dog training classes are actually to train the human I think safety, good and bad re collars,leads and harnesses should be discussed as part of a puppy class. Or at least some sort of reading for first time owners.

In the old age of one of my dogs, when he was totally deaf and losing his sight, walking him on a flexilead was a real boon, as he still enjoyed wandering about and sniffing, and could do so safely without getting lost or into difficulties.  Walking near roads etc was the time to retract the lead and walk nicely close.

I agree, though, with Schnauday, that training classes, especially but not exclusively puppy classes, should cover the the use of the various bits of equipment now available for dogs.

Some very useful information, thanks!

Just on a side note, in my original post I forgot to include a disclaimer (Oops!) If you do not wish for your comments to be used in my project please let me know! None of your personal information will be used in this research.

Thanks,

Chris

To Flexi lead users please also consider people with impaired vision. I have a blind friend use has been tripped up and tangled up on more than one occasion from these leads been used incorrectly

I do use a flexible lead at times. My wild child was on it today as her recall has lapsed again. However it is always used with a harness not on the collar. It is also only used in the forest, not on the road.
Generally mine use flat collars and leads and are trained not to pull to prevent ill effects. The wild child uses a gencon when walked by OH to ensure no pulling.
I do use slip leads when doing gundog training or sometimes on walks but only those with two shoppers, one to prevent the lead tightening more than their usual collar.

The wild child uses a gencon

A study was done with 12 dogs on 4 different types of head cages, the abstract is below:

Study.

Research has shown there is no evidence to support the notion dogs reactions to different halter head cages are different, all dogs show severe stress reactions to all the head cage traps.
Study findings below:

“The responses of 12 dogs to four different head collars were compared in a crossover design over four 10 min sessions each spaced 2 weeks apart.

Group 1
included pawing, pawing nose, biting/pawing leash, opening mouth, rubbing face, and shaking head.

Group 2
included rearing up, balking, rushing forward, and rolling on ground.
No statistical difference was observed between dogs’ reactions to the head collar types.
Based on this study, there does not appear to be an increased acceptance of one head collar type over another.
There were no long term follow ups so long term consequences are unknown.”

Ref:
Comparison of dogs’ reactions to four different head collars, Applied Animal Behaviour Science Volume 79, Issue 1, 20 September 2002, Pages 53-61
L. I. Haug,  B. V. Beavera and M. T. Longneckerb
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Not keen on flexible leads at all. I use a normal lead as I find with my bad back and foot it's more comfortable and secure for me. My other half prefers the flexibility lead and uses that. My dog's quite happy with both but I feel walks better for me with straight lead. Often we see dogs right on the end of their flexible lead with child being pulled along! A trip hazard for some walking round corners or those that chat in groups oblivious to the dog.
I see a place for flexible leads rehabilitation  and for nervous dogs . Not used a harness on my boy since a 6 month puppy he outgrew two and then I brought a collar. I do wonder which is best thou to use?

Something I see a lot of are badly fitted flat collars. I'd say at the training classes I've been to over the years, and when out walking and meeting other dogs, most have the collars far too loose. The number of times I've seen a dog back out of a collar is ridiculous, they may as well not bother wearing one. You can get away with it in a training environment but in the big wide world there could easily be disastrous consequences.

I use a flexi lead at certain times such as a dog recovering from a injury or a in season birch who is getting some exercise, lead is kept short until down the wood then they are allowed some freedom but not allowed to run stupid, but I agree mine are normally walked on leather leaders, collars are custom made rolled leather half checks, flexi,s are just to cumbersome to carry and yes I do use proper flexi s, not the cheap ones and a also bought one's heavier than they recommended

Exactly Merrypaws, I can see it coming in very handy with my deaf girl in the future - she doesn't tend to take off at speed, and actually she's usually pretty close to me hoping for biscuits, but a flexi lead could come in very handy. But as you say, never on roads!