Collars and Leashes Used in Legacy's Trainings

Terry's Tips > Collars and Leashes Used in Legacy's Trainings

COLLARS

Collars - friend or foe? Collars are a means of control - a handle on a dog - and are imperative to safety in most of our modern lifestyles. The collar provides a means for identification - an important safety issue should your dog become lost. A frightened dog running loose can be more easily caught if wearing a collar. On the other hand, almost any collar can accidentally snag on something, presenting a serious problem to an unsupervised dog. (Microchipping is a safe alternative method of identification.)

THE PREMIER COLLAR

Generically known as a limited slip, a half-check collar or a martingale, the Premier collar restricts slightly when tension is placed on the leash. This is enough to prevent your dog from pulling free, but the Premier is collar is loose enough to be comfortable with a slack leash. It's a favorite collar in Legacy's program. We carry a full range of sizes and colors for sale at our training center.

THE GENTLE LEADER HEAD COLLAR

There are various brands of head collars or halters. Legacy has tried most of them, and after twenty years of experience, we still consider Gentle Leader the best of the head collars. It is not a muzzle. You do not jerk or pull your dog, but simply hold on to the leash quietly and allow the Gentle Leader do the work: 1) It functions like a halter on a horse, where the head goes, the animal will follow. It's power steering. 2) The Gentle Leader is a natural method for canine communication. The strap around your dog's muzzle delivers a psychological message. In watching a group of dogs, you might see a higher ranking dog encircle the muzzle of another dog with her own mouth. Most dogs recognize the muzzle strap as an extension of your leadership. Most dogs settle into a more mellow attitude with minimal training. For more information, please borrow one of our DVD's or videos showing the use of the Gentle Leader in detail. Should you decide to try one, we give Legacy students an extra 20-minute Gentle Leader fitting and use lesson free of charge. You can then borrow one of our Gentle Leaders for a test drive.

BELT-TYPE COLLAR

Many dogs and most puppies will respond very nicely in Legacy classes on their usual every day belt-type collars. The fit must be the right balance between a collar snug enough so the dog can't pull out of it and one that's loose enough to be comfortable.

THE EASY WALK HARNESS

Not a collar and not a traditional body harness, the Easy Walk is designed to keep your dog from pulling forward on the leash. Unlike any other no-pull harness on the market, there is a ring in the front of the harness which prevents the dog from pulling. The dog will walk into the harness and stop when tension is felt. Many of our students are using Easy Walk harnesses. Our school has a full range of colors and sizes on hand. We give Legacy students an extra 20-minute Easy Walk fitting and use lesson free of charge. You can then borrow one of our Easy Walk harnesses for a test drive.

ABOUT CHOKE CHAIN COLLARS (Slip Collars) OR PINCH COLLARS

In days gone by, the term choke chain was synonymous with obedience training. Recently, more trainers are going by the motto, "Use brains, not chains," meaning there are ways to train dogs that don't rely on brute strength or intimidation. Because these collars can hurt, the dog may become confused and identify the pain with something he or she sees when that pain is felt. Dogs have been known to resent or lash out at whatever is close when the collar is tightened (including the person holding the leash). Some owners mistakenly use choke or pinch collars for dogs that lunge at others. This can result in a dog becoming more reactive to the person or dog approaching. Legacy's Program does not use choke chains or pinch collars.

LEASHES

Leashes - friend or foe? Leashes are imperative to your dog's safety but are not used to jerk dogs into position. We use motivation and reward for that. The leash can work against you - literally - if you tighten it. If you pull one way the dog instinctively pulls the other. It's a natural opposition reflex.

TRAINING LEASH

A six-foot leather or fabric leash is the most versatile for training. It's long enough to allow some distance between you and your dog when practicing stays, but not so bulky that it can't be gathered for close work. We will ask you to temporarily tie a knot in the middle to help you judge safe distances between dogs while in class. We have leashes for sale or loan at Legacy. Spring-loaded (retractable or Flexi) leashes are not used in class.

Questions About Equipment

Legacy's "official" office hours are from 12:00 Ð 4:00, Monday through Friday. Staff is quite frequently there all day, but might be busy with classes. If you cannot call or visit during our office hours, please phone or email. Someone will get back in touch with you. 360-683-1522 or info@legacycanine.com