Leash-training your dog is more than stopping the pulling behavior. Training starts by introducing the dog to accessories like leashes, collars, and harnesses. Remember, dogs are not like humans. They don't welcome new accessories as your child would.
At the same time, most furry friends aren't leash-trained when we adopt them. You don't want your journey with your newly adopted companion to start with running battles trying to put on harnesses, push and click buckles, and attach things. When starting this journey, opt for something simple.
There's nothing simpler than a slip leash. In this guide, we'll break down why slip leashes are the best option for leash training, give you tips on what to look for when choosing a slip leash, and, of course, give you our top recommendations.
Finding the Perfect Slip Lead for Your Dog
Dogs are affectionate and loyal, but that doesn't mean they'll sit back and relax as you put things on them. These are descendants of wolves, and in the animal kingdom, putting things over the animal means dominating.
Harnesses and collars are like threats that trigger dogs' ingrained instinct to protect the sensitive areas of the head and neck. When you're dealing with a newly adopted dog, it means the bond between you is not so strong. The dog is bound to feel nervous and uneasy as you push and click the buckles and attach the leash.
It doesn't know what you're doing and whether you want to hurt it. That's not what you want to invoke in the dog. However, that doesn't mean your dog can walk without a leash or doesn't need leash training. After all, it's illegal to walk a dog off-leash in public places in Canada, such as trails, walkways, bridges, squares, beaches, and walks. So, what's the solution?
The solution is a slip lead. As the name suggests, these are leashes, but they combine the functionality of a leash and collar into one tool. The design is more of a running noose that has a handle. The lead slips and tightens when the dog pulls.
As you can tell, these leads take less time to put on the dog. The dog might not even realize you have put on the leash until it slips into position. The same simplicity applies when removing it after the training session. They're a game changer for dogs that resist wearing no-pull collars and harnesses.
Key Features of a Good Slip Lead
Although slip leads have the same design, their build quality, material, comfort, and safety vary. Here are some things to consider when choosing a slip lead.
Material
Most slip leads are made of leather, nylon or rope. Leather slip leads are usually expensive and have a classic look compared to nylon and rope leashes. However, as leather ages and loses the natural oils and forms the tiny cracks, or when wet, the noose doesn't slip freely. That means it might not tighten fast enough, and the dog escapes.
On the other hand, nylon slip leashes are strong and more affordable, and nylon doesn't fail to slip. However, nylon webbing is susceptible to fraying around the edges. So, the best option is a rope slip lead made of nylon. The rope design means the webbing doesn't have edges that can fray.
Adjustability
An adjustable slip lead allows you to choose how much the noose can tighten depending on the size of your dog's neck. The advantage of buying an adjustable slip lead is that you can use it for different dog breeds or as a puppy grows.
You just need to make the stopping size larger or smaller. In fact, you don't have to measure your dog's neck size every time. You just measure once, position the noose stopper, and the leash will always stop at that point unless you adjust again.
Comfort
Dogs are natural explorers, and they pull as they try to smell scents on the sides of the trail, to chase prey, or to protect you. As you leash train it, the aim is to discourage pulling without causing pain or punishing it for a trait ingrained in its blood.
Make sure the leash is comfortable. Go for a rope wide enough not to cut into the dog’s sensitive skin when it pulls. The leash should also have a stopper for the noose so it doesn’t overtighten.
Top Slip Leads
Even after knowing the features to look for when buying a slip leash, it’s still challenging to know the perfect option for your dog, courtesy of the many options in the market. But don’t worry. We have done the hard part for you. We have tested many slip leashes, from durability to safety features, and here are our top recommendations.
Noir Slip Lead
The safety of your furry friend is the priority. It makes no sense to buy a slip lead that puts your furry friend’s safety at risk. Remember, any miscalculation on the side of the manufacturer on how much the leash should tighten can have serious consequences.
However, that’s not the case with the Noir Slip Lead. The manufacturer creatively added a rubber stopper that can’t accidentally slip by itself. That means when the dog pulls on the leash and the leash tightens, it’s just to a certain amount. It can’t go all the way into choking the dog.
For example, if the dog jumps over the fence, and the leash gets caught, the leash will hit the maximum slippage, and won’t tighten more than that.
Adjustable Size Sofia Slip Lead
Different dogs have different neck sizes. The neck size of a Newfoundland is not the same as that of a Border Collie. The size that’s excessively tight for a Newfoundland might be too loose for a Border Collie.
So, when you go for a slip leash with a maximum tightening of around 18 inches, it’ll choke a large dog with a neck size of around 24 inches when it pulls. The same applies to age. The neck size of a 6-month St Bernard puppy can’t be the same as a fully grown St Bernard.
If you bought the leash when the puppy’s neck size was 18 inches, it’ll be choking when the dog’s neck size is 26 inches. That means you’ll require different leash sizes. Luckily, the Sofia Slip Lead solves all these problems.
The stopper for the maximum leash slippage is adjustable. That means you can make the maximum tightening to be 18 inches when the dog is 6 months old, adjust the maximum tightening to 23 inches when the dog is one-year old, and finally adjust the maximum tightening to 26 inches when the dog is fully grown.
Padded Swivel Handle Chocolate Dog Slip Lead
One thing to remember when buying a slip leash, is that you’re buying it for leash training. That means you’re already dealing with a pulling dog. The most common leash failures and accidents that happen is when the leash slips out of hand when the dog pulls.
For example, you’re walking your dog on the sidewalks of a busy street, and it spots another dog on the other side of the street, suddenly pulls, the leash slips out of hand, and the dog is knocked by a car. It’s the worst turn of events. So, when choosing a slip leash, make sure the leash gives you a good and safe grip.
You can get no better grip than what the Padded Swivel Handle Chocolate Dog Slip Lead offers. As the name suggests, the slip lead has a padded swivel handle made of high-quality nylon webbing.
The padding on the inside of the webbing makes sure you don’t get leash burns when the dog pulls strongly. The swivel design eliminates the chances of tangling as the dog turns. It’s like the coupling of a tractor-trailer.
Olive Dog Slip Lead
Training the dog doesn’t mean you expose it to painful things, like collars that dig deep into the dog’s skin. The accessory is meant to discourage pulling behavior and should not have side effects like irritations, tangles, and hair loss. The Olive Dog Slip Lead is one of the few accessories that gets the job done without causing discomfort.
This lead is designed like a rope. That means it sits between the hairs instead of sitting and pressing on them like a flat collar. As a result, the rope doesn’t cause matting or bald spots on the dog’s neck. Another thing is that as the dog pulls, the cylindrical shape of the rope exerts pressure evenly.
It’s not like a flat collar that can exert more pressure on the edges depending on the dog’s pulling angle. Another thing is that the rope is 10mm wide, which means it can’t cut into the dog’s skin.
In fact, the manufacturer has already pressure-tested this leash. So, there are no worries about the leash causing irritations and chafing. It’s just a mild tightening that discourages pulling.
Mango Dog Slip Lead
The features of the Mango Dog Slip Lead are similar to the above slip leashes, but we had to include it due to its unique color. As the name suggests, this leash looks like a mango. The combination of the mango color of the rope and the golden color of the swivel gives the leash a seamless look.
You’ll love how the leash compliments the undertones of blacks, grays, and browns in most dog breeds. Another thing is that the leash is lightweight, weighing only 8 ounces. That means you can carry it in your handbag and walk with your dog off-leash. When a need strikes or you’re getting into public places, just remove it and slip it over the dog’s neck.
How to Use a Slip Lead Properly
The first step when using a slip lead is to create a loop. Make it large enough to pass over the dog’s head. Let the noose sit high on the neck, just behind the ears. Slide the stopper to position to adjust the tightness. The leash should be snug but not tight enough to choke your dog.
When leash training, apply gentle, consistent pressure when the dog pulls. This will create a momentary tightening, discouraging pulling behavior. As soon as your dog stops pulling, release the pressure on the leash.
Conclusion
A slip lead is the most minimalistic, easy-to-use, and effective tool for discouraging pulling. The most important thing when buying a slip lead is to make sure it has a reliable stopper so it doesn’t tighten excessively and choke your furry friend. The above slip leads are high-quality, have a reliable stopper, and are pressure tested to make sure they can’t hurt the dog’s neck.