Puppy lead recommendations?

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RockinRudolph

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Hello!

My fiancé and I have recently bought 2 pups, one is a border collie and the other is a little terrier cross. They can start going out for walks as of next week. Are we better with harnesses for them or just the usual collar and lead? I haven't had dogs before - fiancé had one as a child. I was hoping to get to puppy classes but local courses don't start for another few weeks yet. Any recommendations or advice appreciated. My idea was to start practising on the lead around the garden before going out into the big wide world!
 
Crikey you will have your work cut out with 2 pups! Personally I'm not a fan of harnesses, unless used for medical reasons and always start as I mean to go on with puppies by teaching them to walk on a collar and lead.

I use a 6' training lead and a regular collar as wide as comfortably possible

Kim
 
Lol! I know, must be mad. They were from the local dogs home, couldn't take one and leave the other ....! Thanks for your advice, I always imagined that harnesses looked more 'comfy' if that's the right word, but happy to go with the collar. They are living out and have quite a large garden to destroy/play in but really looking forward to taking them out on walks!
 
I would also go for a collar, it will give you more control.
Harnesses are good for huskies that pull, tracking dogs, dogs with neck injuries and dogs that are trained not to pull but generally they offer a lot of freedom of the head and neck and attach you to the strongest part of the dog which is not ideal when training the basis.
Incentivise staying beside you and walking nicely in the early days by using food or a ball, clicker training is very good for this.

You can't go wrong with a good old leather lead or a good training lead with a few extra d-clips.
Would steer well clear of chain leads, thin nylon or short bungee leads.

Flexi leads for 'off-roading' and only when you have voice control.
 
Great - thank you very much for that! Makes sense with the harness thing, I can see why it would make training difficult. I have a clicker for the horse so need to dig that out to use with the dogs. It's practically impossible to train 2 dogs together so needs planning! Border collie understood how to sit almost immediately, terrier took a little longer but we are getting there!
 
Wot she said ^

Harnesses allow the dog to snake ahead with their head and neck, you're anchoring yourself to the strongest part of the dog which makes anything you do more ineffectual.

This is my most favourite lead - long, adjustable, soft webbing, clips and rings for tethering. Leather leads are wonderful but need a bit of working in before they are truly comfortable and most they sell in shops aren't long enough or are cheap leather, best to ask the GSD folk where to buy nice long ones online.
 
I'm not opposed to harnesses for puppies actually (just to be difficult:p) - if you're teaching a puppy to walk on the lead from the start, it shouldn't make a difference what the lead attaches to. They aren't great for pullers, but a little puppy shouldn't be pulling, the idea is to teach them not to:) A soft flat collar should also be fine though, it's down to your personal preference.

A multi-length training lead is the way to go, leather or webbing - my only caution on a little puppy would be nothing too heavy that will drag on them (thinking of my own leather lead which is a solid bit of kit and would be far too heavy on a puppy).

Do introduce the lead at home, make it no big deal for the puppy. Don't drag the puppy if it goes on sit-down strike, instead encourage it to come to you. If they are really unnerved by it, as occasionally puppies can be, you can begin by tying a length of ribbon to the puppy's collar and letting it drag behind them at home, until they learn to ignore it. Watch out with two puppies though, I'd do that with them separated or it might turn into a fun game of 'drag the other puppy around by the neck':D
 
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