Long Lines

[NZVizsla]

Hiya,

Can anyone recommend a good online company that stocks long lines? Ideally in Australia due to the postage.

Thanks!

[Seita]

k9pro: http://www.k9pro.com.au

Steve has some really great long lines! The ones with rubber in the middle are really good for grip, I have one of the 15ft softer nylon type lines which is really really lovely.

[Aidan]

One of my dogs wears a long-line most walks and the one I keep coming back to is the Black Dog one, I think it's a "medium" but it might even be a "small". I initially bought it for the smaller dogs in my classes but it would take an awful lot to break it. What I like about it is that it never gets caught, even walking along the rocks on the foreshore, or sending for retrieves in thick scrub (which can be a shocker with most lines).

If you have a strong dog and not strong hands, I would take a look at those grippy ones that k9pro sells.

[Tiggy]

http://www.freewebs.com/lodgeropes/

I love lodgeropes . I have three leads from them and I've just ordered a 10ft long line and it cost me $10 including postage.

[Zug Zug]

I have K9 pro's grippy line also and it's a fantastic quality line that would be very hard to break. Given you have larger dogs, I would highly recommend it.

[dasha]

I go to local hardware store and buy desired length of venetion cord or similar then just tie a clip on it.

[Aidan]

I go to local hardware store and buy desired length of venetion cord or similar then just tie a clip on it.

Been there, done that, carry the scars... too dangerous to you, your dog or an innocent bystander. The same applies to rope.

[CareyJ]

We just bought a replacement 30ft longline from our local saddleworld store for $18. I think they might do online orders. Try www.saddleworld.com.au; saddleworldmaddington.com.au (located in WA though) or europa.com.au.

I was going to buy a shorter and cheaper one but they were not as nice to hold on to. And I too have the scars from a cheap & nasty lunge lead. The new one is much nicer on the hands!

Edited April 6, 2010 by CareyJ

[Kavik]

NDTF also do long lines.

[Prydenjoy]

One of my dogs wears a long-line most walks and the one I keep coming back to is the Black Dog one,

Is that the "tracking" lead on their website? Wow, it's not cheap!

[Evolving]

I have K9 pro's grippy line also and it's a fantastic quality line that would be very hard to break. Given you have larger dogs, I would highly recommend it.

I have this one as well and while I have not used it much it is really good.

[Aidan]

One of my dogs wears a long-line most walks and the one I keep coming back to is the Black Dog one,

Is that the "tracking" lead on their website? Wow, it's not cheap!

That is the one, and yes you would want to be using it a fair bit (as I do).

[huski]

I've wanted one of those grippy leashes since I first saw it at a training workshop last year. *stamps foot*

[Tiggy]

Been there, done that, carry the scars... too dangerous to you, your dog or an innocent bystander. The same applies to rope.

I don't agree with that. I used these ropes to train horses, neither the horse or myself ever had a rope burn or any injury. The rope is lovely on the hands. I've had the gripper leashes and they're really rough on the hands. Give me rope any day.

[Aidan]

Been there, done that, carry the scars... too dangerous to you, your dog or an innocent bystander. The same applies to rope.

I don't agree with that. I used these ropes to train horses, neither the horse or myself ever had a rope burn or any injury. The rope is lovely on the hands. I've had the gripper leashes and they're really rough on the hands. Give me rope any day.

That cotton rope they use for horses is nice and soft, probably a bit heavy for a dog though, same with sailing rope (main sheet for a dinghy, that sort of thing). The sort of rope a person might get for a long-line for a dog thinking "this is about the right weight" is too thin, and almost always completely synthetic. It was halyard rope that I slashed my wrists with, people were very kind to me though.

[woodbyne]

How about trying a saddlery might be chaeper than the online dog stores. Just use a lunge lead

[bedazzledx2]

Me tooooo!!!! Ouch!!!!

I go to local hardware store and buy desired length of venetion cord or similar then just tie a clip on it.

Been there, done that, carry the scars... too dangerous to you, your dog or an innocent bystander. The same applies to rope.

[Erny]

Me tooooo!!!! Ouch!!!!

I go to local hardware store and buy desired length of venetion cord or similar then just tie a clip on it.

Been there, done that, carry the scars... too dangerous to you, your dog or an innocent bystander. The same applies to rope.

And I carry the scars of someone else who does this with his dog ...... me in the process of saving the dog from running out onto the road.

Bad news.

[Prydenjoy]

So what are the situations that you might use a long line? Berri has a fairly good recall on walks (I wait until he looks at me, then call - Not too sure what he'd do if he was in full flight in the other direction), but not when he gets out the front of the yard. Once he realises his freedom he's off (thankfully we're on a quiet road, but of course I still worry!). Would a long line work in this situation, or would he just generalise the line equalling his lack of freedom?

[Aidan]

Apart from tracking, you can use them for recalls or for a bit more freedom in areas where a failed recall might put the dog at risk. One of my dogs isn't good with other dogs and if we went "over threshold" a recall would have a much lower probability so she drags a long line when we're out.

The idea is that you don't "use" the line. It is just there for back-up. So you would start in a lower-distraction environment and work on your recalls, stops, heeling or whatever control behaviours you use then add distractions, setting your dog up for success. I very rarely secure my grip on the long line, I would cue a recall or stop before I needed to use the line about 95% of the time.

A tip for those who want to use one, don't try and keep paying it out and coiling it up. Just let it drag on the ground, let it slide freely in one open hand. If you need to use it to stop or bring back your dog, grab it with both hands. A harness makes life easier as the line is less inclined to get caught under the legs.