What length choke chain and lead for showing

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dozzie

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I have posted my entry off! So now committed to Mastiff Association show in september! EEEEEKKKKK!

Now looking at the pics from the OEMC show the dogs were shown in brass choke chains (well some were in chrome but i liked the brass!). But what length should i buy? Her current chain is 24 inches and i can just squeeze it over her head so really too small now. So got to get a new one anyway. I will need to order on line because of the length and metal but not sure of what length to go for. Will 30 inches be long enough? I can get one on line up to 36 inches.

Then what length lead? There are leads ranging from 2ft to 5 ft. I am going to go for a plain dark brown one, 3/4 inch wide. (I like the rolled ones but think they would look a bit poncey on a Mastiff LOL!)

Still got a few weeks to go and i am already panicking lol!
 
I'd check with any showing friends or maybe give her breeder a call to double-check.
Although I think 30 should be enough - 36 and you could way too much chain before the lead even begins, IMO. We show and trial on the dead link (I've seen judges actually move the lead onto the dead link when people have been trying to string their dogs up :p) so it can be as long or short as you want it, as long as it goes around the neck :p
I doubt you'd need a lead as long as 5ft, that's more GSD territory :p
We don't show with the rolled leads but a lot of breeds do, I have a short rolled one for close work and think it looks very smart.
 
It's easy to hide faults in a dog's movement/keep it from falling on the forehand by 'holding it up' with a choke chain/slip lead up behind the ears, if the collar is loose and around the base of the neck near the shoulders, the dog's movement cannot be hidden in that way.
Don't know if it happens much in the mastiff showring, can't see it being an effective trick on some of the heavier breeds :p
 
Ah ok! Yes it did happen when the dogs were being stood up. I wondered if that was what you meant. Is it ok to do it when the dog is being stood up? I didnt like it but everyone seemed to do it. It didnt happen when they were running the dogs up an back. They were too busy just hanging on to them LOL! Burgers and sandwiches were more interesting for some (most) of the dogs! LOL!

Have just left a message with Emmas breeder!:)
 
We don't do it (we play push-me-pull-you :p) but I know a lot of other breeds do hold the lead quite high for the stand. If you keep the leash tight-ish and train/encourage the dog to keep her nice alert show stance with the head up using your hand (and maybe a little treat in it) using a word like 'stand', it's better than forcing them into it.
 
CaveCanem said:
We don't do it (we play push-me-pull-you :p) but I know a lot of other breeds do hold the lead quite high for the stand. If you keep the leash tight-ish and train/encourage the dog to keep her nice alert show stance with the head up using your hand (and maybe a little treat in it) using a word like 'stand', it's better than forcing them into it.
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OK. That is what I have been trying to do but it is a bit tricky with treats LOL! She is a greedy girl! I stand her up and use my treat hand to get her attention and then treat after she has stood for a few seconds or so. We are going for longer each time.

I am going to be sooo rubbish! LOL!:D But I guess at the end of the day i will still be taking the best dog home.:)
 
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