Slip leads for dogs: Padfoot’s perspective
At Padfoot we strongly support the use of slip leads (or learning leads as we call them) over flat collars, harnesses, haltis and other devices. Why? Because - when used correctly - they work entirely at your dog’s instigation. Your dog is in control of what they’re experiencing.
If your dog isn’t pulling, a slip lead is a lightweight, comfortable piece of rope hanging loosely around their neck. If they pull however, it very quickly becomes mildly uncomfortable, thus encouraging your dog to back off pulling and hence reward themselves with a release of discomfort. This makes it really quick and easy to teach them to avoid lead pressure and hence avoid any injury pulling may cause.
It’s always worth bearing in mind - particularly when being ‘sold to’ by the harness-promoting community - that it’s not the tool that causes injury. It’s pulling. Teach your dog not to pull and you could walk them on anything. Cop out of teaching them and opt for a harness because ‘they’re not hurting themselves’, and they’ll still cause injury to themselves over the long term. Recent studies have shown that dogs pull over 60% harder in a harness. That’s a lot of force going through their joints. A responsible dogsperson teaches their dog not to pull.
Slip leads unfortunately did suffer some reputation damage in the ‘yank and crank’ days of dog training, where unscrupulous trainers would use them to punish undesirable behaviour. But that’s not the fault of the tool itself. A slip lead, when used considerately and correctly, is almost magical in its ability to resolve pulling entirely.