Umbilical Leads

[Arya]

Hi all, I have made an umbilical lead for my GSD girl from heavy duty fishing line (careful of finger with this stuff!) and a heavy duty belt and clip. My reasoning behind this is not just to have both hands free. I am trying to get my girl to realise that the safest place in times of stress is by my side, even when times are the most stressful for her (think trial ring!). In day to day life, if she is worried about something she comes racing back to me for security but in the trial ring, she still has episodes of dissociative behaviour (human term, I guess you'd really call it displacement behaviour in doggy terms), even though she is improving out of sight. I am trying to get that last little niggle ironed out in the nicest, kindest way for thedog. I want her to stick with me and feel happiest there at my side and use this as a coping mechanism in times of worst stress. Hence the umbilical lead when out and about. I also think it will eliminate any subconscious tightening of the lead on my part and make me walk better with the dog, if any nervousness is caused by poor skills by me as a handler. Fishing line cos it's light and not too obvious, though I have it plaited at the moment for added strength. Anyone's experiences with umbilical lines would be much appreciated. I know the famous 'Monks of New Skeet' in America who train GSDs use an umbilical line and they are great trainers. Any thoughts?

Edited August 9, 2007 by Arya

[Guest Pandii]

What is an umbilical line I have never heard of them

[Arya]

What is an umbilical line I have never heard of them

Instead of a regular lead, a lead attached to a belt around your waist. So you don't use your hands to keep the dog with you, they are attached to your middle

[kendall]

I would assume it is a 'lead' or similar that is attached to the trainer's waist?? I have seen them sold on some doggy websites as more obvious leads so that you have hands free while you are walking. (sorry posted at the same time!)

I think your idea makes sense (although I am not a trainer and have never used one before ).Good luck with it and let us know how your dog improves. I do agree with the others though - I would use something other than fishing line (forgot to mention that before)

Edited August 10, 2007 by kendall

[Purpley]

Black Dog used to make one, but I can't seem to find it on the website, sorry Pandii.

[poodlefan]

I don't use one and I wouldn't recommend them.

I know of at least one large dog owner who got dragged into the path of an oncoming car by his dog. If you end up with a strange dog on top of you, it will be very difficulty to get the lead off you and you could end up in the middle of a dust up.

I think it's a safety issue to be able to detach the dog from you very quickly.

I think a wrist attachment would be far safer than having the dog attached to your body though.

Fishing line cuts... badly.

Under controlled circumstances like in a trial ring, I can see a use for one, but I'd never do it out in public areas like walking in the streets.

Edited August 9, 2007 by poodlefan

[Poodle wrangler]

I found these:

http://www.windchill.com.au/walking_belt.htm approx. $30, depending on size +post.

Advantage is that it can be used with an ordinary leash.

Blackdog had one, but was > $50.

http://www.snooza.com.au/products/active-walker.shtml

Snooza one is lightweight, wear on your waist and has velcro quick release- not suitable for a dog that doesn't already walk/ run nicely on leash.

I don't know if any are suitable for you? ?too heavy-duty?

[Guest Pandii]

Thanks for the explanation

[Kavik]

I agree with PF. After tearing my medial ligament because I didn't let go of the lead when the dog lunged to say hi to another dog (was walking someone else's dog) - your safety is important!

For practicing obedience trialling, if you don't want to go straight to off lead, you can tuck the lead into your pants/belt (this is what I am doing at the moment) and maybe go a thinner/lighter lead than normal. Then you can see how the dog goes without your hands on the lead, in case you give unconscious signals etc. but you still have the lead there if you need it.

Edited August 10, 2007 by Kavik

[Weimlover]

Here's the link to the Blackdog one just scroll down to the "Hands free belt"

I have the Blackdog one but haven't used it for ages for Bailey after Bailey pulled me over while I was wearing it

I do use it sometimes for Keesha when I'm practising obedience, she doesn't pull though so it's not a problem.

I would be vary wary of using fishing wire for it, that could do some serious damage if your dog decided to pull I second what kavik said and try tucking the lead in your pocket, that work well too

[Kelpie-i]

Arya, here are my thoughts on the umbilical lead.

I don't think they have any benefit and are no different to a normal hand-held lead....apart from the fact that your hands a free.

If your dog is anxious or nervous in the ring, the best thing is to work on her confidence skills and teach her coping strategies by using some various training methods.

The best way for a dog to deal with such situations is when the dog learns to deal with stressful situations by making his/her own judgement calls (all taught/moulded by you of course) rather than being "forced" into being next to you by use of a lead with no other instruction.

I would also agree that the danger to your back is increased as GSD's have one hell of a pull on them.

[Arya]

Thanks everyone for your input! I was aware of the pull power but had the lead up close to minimise this and know about fishing line, having fished for years LOL. The cutting power of that stuff means I've never recommended it to any people at my club for such work but decided to give it a go myself. Interested to read all your views. Kelpie-i, you might like to know I now feel you were spot on. It was an experiment and yes, experiments need to go for longer than a couple of weeks but I must say that the use of this tool provided absolutely no change when the dog was put under pressure in the ring in a test situation yesterday. SO scrap that idea and back to the drawing board LOL.

Am now working on further coping strategies such as exposing to lots more dogs around as we work (as if we weren't doing this before... but now even more so) and hey, just hanging in there and using advice we've been given and remembering that we've had lots of improvement so far anyway. But I thought I'd give it a go, always open to new ideas. I can categorically say this one doesn't work that well though LOL.

[persephone]

I Happen to love this type of (long) lead )

Hamlet has to be walked on one , as he tends to go off after rabbits, roos, etc .On his long lead, he can enjoy a walk with comparitive freedom..I can take photos, carry things, and not worry.

I have made my own as well....

Here is Hamlet "modelling" under sufferance..ably assisted by Pat-the-dog, being a nuisance of a little beast

Being not worried about aesthetics, and more worried about indestructibility

I used

old car fanbelt

length of plastic-coated steel cable "clothesline"

Strong large-ish caribiner clip.

The cord ( about 4 mtrs) is knotted to form a loop both ends.

One end is attached to the carabiner clip, and one to the swivelled snaphook all our dogs wear on their collars. (and, no , no-one has ever accidentally gotten hooked up)

The caribiner then gets clipped onto the fanbelt around my middle.

Why I use a fanbelt and caribiner, is that the clip can slide the whole way around the belt. It is also easily unclipped quickly!

Our dogs are taught to not cross in front of us...so anyone on this lead can trot backwards & forwards , covering a fair area, and keeping away from my feet! ( usually)

I use this on youngish pups who tend to dash off..this way they can be given treats/praise much more often, and they learn to stay close. (It didn't ever work for Hamlet!!! When his legs move fast, his ears do NOT work at all...neither does his homing instinct :rolleyes: )

Mind you, there is no danger of busy roads here..and our dogs do not pull. I would worry if there was a slight person with a strong dog!!

Edited August 12, 2007 by persephone

[Tassie]

When I read the original topic, I was thinking you meant the same sort of thing as the Monks of New Skete use - a longish leash attached to your waist that you use around the house and garden. I used to use my 10 metre tracking lead for my dog when she was a pup, and used to take off and my fences were not secure. It meant I could be hands free to do stuff round the house - she had some room to roam around, but I could be aware of her if she needed to go out and toilet.

(She still comes when she hears the washing machine finish, and then comes outside and settles down near me while I hang out the washing - she's 5, but the habit still lasts.

I do use and have used a hands free walking belt (now Black Dog, but had a Snooza) when walking my 2 Border Collies. I like that it leaves my hands free to walk naturally. That said, my dogs are under pretty good voice control, walk quite nicely after the first 100metres or so , and in cases of need (other dogs, traffic, other pedestrians etc.), I quickly gather their leads in my hands, so I figure I have the best of both worlds. I also like that if I trip and fall (like on uneven pavement - not dog-caused - I know the dogs are still attached to me.