Hi, I'm Chloe
and I'm a Canine Behaviourist and Training Advisor
here at Battersea
Today, we're going to look at how to use a long-line lead
and what it's used for
A long-line is a long rope with a clip at the end
that you can attach to your dog's harness
like you would a normal lead
Long-lines are great for giving your dog more freedom
but still having control of what they are doing
They are a safe and effective way to practise recall
and give your dog more freedom
before letting them off lead completely
As with all things
if your dog's recall is becoming an issue
and they don't seem to be making progress, we would advise
contacting a dog behaviourist for advice
Let's take a look
Long-lines come in a variety of lengths
from three metres up to thirty
and it's important to take the time
to get used to holding them properly
They usually have a handle at the end
but you can buy ones without
Long-line leads are fixed length and they're more robust
than the retractable leads that you can buy
They also come in different materials
for different size dogs
For example, a lightweight fabric long-line
would be more suitable for a small dog
so it won't weigh them down
But for a larger dog
you could look at a Biothane grippy material
or heavy duty webbing because it's more robust
Whatever you choose, it's important that you can hold it
comfortably in your hand
and if it pulls through your fingers
that it's not going to hurt you
First, unravel the line so there's no kinks or knots
Wrap the line up loosely into your hand
creating a hoop to hold
We always recommend
that you attach the long-line to a harness and not a collar
This is so if your dog runs to the end of the line
they're less likely to hurt themselves
If your dog's harness has fastenings on the front and back
we recommend attaching the long-line
to the back of the harness to avoid them getting tangled
Hold the line with two hands
The hand closest to the dog can manage the slack of the line
and slow them down if needed
Your other hand holds the rest of the line
and the handle if there is one
With your second hand, you can pull the line in
if you need to shorten the distance
or bring your dog towards you
This two handed method also means
you won't stop your dog too harshly
and you have less chance of dropping the line
Rather than just pulling the end of the long-line
when you need to stop your dog, you can grip and release
using the hand that's closest to them
This will slow them down gently to a stop
As you build up your dog's responsiveness
you can work up to dropping the long-line completely
and letting it trail on the ground
This is once you are more confident in their recall
before you let them off the lead completely
Doing this allows you to keep practising their recall
with the option of having them under control
on the lead if needed
Long-line leads are great in big open spaces
but it's important to be aware of your surroundings
They can be trip hazard to others
and get caught up in the environment around you
Keep an eye on the length of the line that your dog has
For example
if your dog's using a long-line that's five metres
the dog doesn't need to have
the whole five metres reeled out all of the time
Too much slack can cause you to get tangled up
and even lose control
especially if you're in a busy environment
Be aware of what's around you
when you're giving your dog freedom on the long-line
If your dog runs for something
and you're caught off guard not holding the line properly
it could run through your fingers and cause injury
If you or your dog do get tangled
try to stop your dog from moving
If they're food motivated
throw some treats onto the floor to divert them
and keep them still while you untangle them
If you've got to the point
where you're letting the full long-line lead
trail on the floor, you ideally want one without a handle
Or if you're confident in your dog's progress
you could consider cutting the handle off
Without a handle
the long-line should move more safely across the ground
and avoid getting caught on things easily such as branches
Long-line leads are great for teaching your dog behaviours
like a recall in a safe controlled way
You can find out more about that
in our 'Teach Your Dog a Recall' video
That was our advice on using a long-line lead with your dog
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