Check Chains & How to Use Them

Fantastic post caryll, as ive said before if used correctly check chains can work wonders

Great post Caryll

Good post caryll

Great post Caryll!

Great post and as per usual great advice Caryll

Hi, just saw this from your other posts' link - thanks really interesting. Would you recommend this on a 6 1/2 month old staff. that the other techniques are not working on? I walk Milo out everyday but I am increasingly traveling (now I realise) going to places where I can let him off the lead asap (he's very good off of the lead). That said there is always generally a period of walking on the lead to get to our destination and it's really getting me down.

I noticed ages ago he'd pull more when the children were ahead either walking or on bikes so always made them go behind but he still pulls hard

A check chain won't stop a dog from pulling.

I know that sounds contradictory, but what I mean is, it should only ever be used for short periods of training, not for general walking.

Have you tried the suddenly turning the other way every time he starts to pull? I know it'll take you ages to get anywhere, but pretty soon your dog'll begin to watch you for the direction change and therefore won't pull on the lead. It will take a while, though.

I can't get Suki to stop pulling either. She very well behavied the majority of time but the first 5-10 minutes of the walk can be difficult espically if she has alot of pent up energy or at the dog park when she knows she is going to play off leash.

Excellent post as the chains are sooo often misused.

Caryll wrote:A check chain won't stop a dog from pulling.

I know that sounds contradictory, but what I mean is, it should only ever be used for short periods of training, not for general walking.

Have you tried the suddenly turning the other way every time he starts to pull? I know it'll take you ages to get anywhere, but pretty soon your dog'll begin to watch you for the direction change and therefore won't pull on the lead. It will take a while, though.

Hi, read and understood. When I do it I have to literally pull him in the direction I've changed to AND call him yet he is so responsive off of the lead (not to heal though) It's almost like he's going 'no, no, no wrong direction' in a realyy confused way. Persistence it is then. Would it be wise to let him run free then do the heal training? It's normally as bad on the way back as he is there though usually!

He came to us with a huge thick (wide) lurcher collar which we are wondering gives him more ease to lean into iykwim? Is there a collar/harness or such you wouyld recommend that may help us with the training?

Thanks

I would use either a flat leather collar (no wider than one & a half inches, preferably 1 inch) or a half-check, same width. Wide collars give you no control whatsoever!

cool thanks will have to get onto it. The pulling is rather spoiling our otherwise fantastic relationship I have to say :0/

woody has a half check but on most occasions its not used he is on a harness, only if he is being difficult do i change the lead from the harness to the half check - it works wonders! great advice caryll

Winston actually trots along quite nicely on a collar and lead or a harness, but if we are out and he sees kids, he goes bonkers and nearly pulls my arm out it's socket. Amazing how much most staffys love kids. ( my puppy school instructor recommends a halti for staffys . What does everyone think ? )

One thing with check collars is to never leave them on your dog if you aren't there. There was a vet show on here a while back, and the dog had tried to leap out an open window and the choke chain got caught on something. He didn't die, but came close...

i heard that a halti is great for a staffy and other dogs aspecially when training for walking or distractions. I used one for my mix breed dog and it did wonders and am planing on getting one for coco when shes a bit bigger.

vanessa wrote:One thing with check collars is to never leave them on your dog if you aren't there. There was a vet show on here a while back, and the dog had tried to leap out an open window and the choke chain got caught on something. He didn't die, but came close...

A check chain should only ever be used for training & shouldn't be left on at any other time, even if the dog is in the same room as you.

Great post Caryll

Is it okay to use a half check collar in the same manner and can a half check collar be left on in the house at all times?

I know some people take collars off in the house adn when playing, so don't see why a half check collar would be any different?

I was looking at something like this:

CLICK HERE

I wouldn't advise leaving a collar on in the house all of the time. It can get caught on something and potentially injure the dog. I believe they can be used in the same manner but I would still keep it to short training sessions and not use it for an entire walk.

Gee wrote:Is it okay to use a half check collar in the same manner and can a half check collar be left on in the house at all times?

I know some people take collars off in the house adn when playing, so don't see why a half check collar would be any different?

I was looking at something like this:

CLICK HERE

I use something similar to this for Taz - it does work Ok for her, and only being part check, it doesn't pinch her or have a hazard of choking -but I rarely collar her up in the house or garden as I'm always with her - generally only when I'm expecting visitors:)

Hmm.

Troy's collar is basically on 24/7 and I have never had an issue. I can't really think of how he would hurt himself in the room I leave him when I am out.

Maybe I should consider it and take it off when I am not home but leave it on when in my presence.

Gee wrote:Is it okay to use a half check collar in the same manner and can a half check collar be left on in the house at all times?
I know some people take collars off in the house adn when playing, so don't see why a half check collar would be any different?
I was looking at something like this:
CLICK HERE

Yes, you can use a half check for training.

I never leave any sort of collar on my dogs in the house. I've seen & heard of too many nasty accidents when they get caught up & you don't see it until it's too late. It would also start to rub the fur off the dog's neck after a while.

We always take Suki's off in the house. We have push down type door handles she could get a collar stuck on and they can get into just about anything so we always err on the side of caution.

Gee wrote:Hmm.

Troy's collar is basically on 24/7 and I have never had an issue. I can't really think of how he would hurt himself in the room I leave him when I am out.

Maybe I should consider it and take it off when I am not home but leave it on when in my presence.

I think the view is that when unsupervised, they might get caught on something when they are being adventurous and not be able to release themselves - I occasionally place bandanna on her in the house & when I pick up her collar she will go and sit by the door for her walk

Gee wrote:Hmm.Troy's collar is basically on 24/7 and I have never had an issue. I can't really think of how he would hurt himself in the room I leave him when I am out.
Maybe I should consider it and take it off when I am not home but leave it on when in my presence.

Believe me, they can get caught on so many things - door handles, even the dog's own claws if he starts to scratch his neck. Once caught, the dog cannot release itself & will usually panic - resulting in possibly serious injury, maybe even death.

Why leave it on at all, even when you're there?

Guess I'll start taking it off!

Does that half check collar I linked look okay?

Yes, looks a nice collar. I don't know how effective the all-material ones are, I've only ever used a tape/chain half check like this...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Softex-Check-Adjustable-Collar-50cms/dp/B0059GGCA2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1332843836&sr=8-6

Looks okay to me. We usually walk with a harness and collar. The harness is used most of the time but if we are coming up to an area where we want to be able to control Suki's head we clip the lead onto the collar.

Gee wrote:Guess I'll start taking it off!

Does that half check collar I linked look okay?

they are Ok , I found with some, you have to be sure of the plastic fastenings as the strength of a pull will snap them easily and then you have a dog to catch - The one I use isn't quite as much check as the one Caryll posted

Taz wrote: The one I use isn't quite as much check as the one Caryll posted

The trick is to adjust the material part of the collar so that the two ends don't quite meet. That way when you tug on the collar it will tighten & be a little uncomfortable, but won't choke.

dont like chains especialy the full check ones. we have the half check i think that is enough. dont like chain colllars or leads. the collars arent nice and the leads hurt your hands any way

Okay cool.

I prefer the look of the material type check collars to be honest. I know that is no basis to make a selection on when it comes to correction tools but if they do the same job, I'd prefer it.

Troy is wonderful to walk on a morning when it is quiet, hardly had to correct him at all this morning! Some better control over him with a half check collar for those excitable times could benefit us though.

I in know way think this will solve all our problems, but some assistance never hurt.

Caryll wrote:

Taz wrote: The one I use isn't quite as much check as the one Caryll posted

The trick is to adjust the material part of the collar so that the two ends don't quite meet. That way when you tug on the collar it will tighten & be a little uncomfortable, but won't choke.

I'll keep this in mind when fitting!

_julie_ wrote:dont like chains especialy the full check ones. we have the half check i think that is enough. dont like chain colllars or leads. the collars arent nice and the leads hurt your hands any way

That's why I use a softex half check & a softex lead! Easier on the hands and the dog's neck!

Caryll wrote:

_julie_ wrote:dont like chains especialy the full check ones. we have the half check i think that is enough. dont like chain colllars or leads. the collars arent nice and the leads hurt your hands any way

That's why I use a softex half check & a softex lead! Easier on the hands and the dog's neck!

The chain can hurt at times if you need to shorten the length, but I don't have much of a problem. I understand what you mean about using another material for the lead. The GF would be angry if I went out and bought another lead after she bought the chain one!

Im off to get skye a new collar today as she has calmed down alot and is starting to not need the harness as shes walking to heal most of the time and her collar is a thick leather one so not much control in it
Both mine have their collars off in the house and only put on when we go out
I used check chains for my gsds and haltis and when used properly they are brill
Good bit of info there Caryll just a shame when you see check chains on dogs they dont always have them on correctly