# Slip lead trouble-shooting (she's so smooth and slippery!)



## Poppy'sHooman (6 mo ago)

Hi all! Looking for some trouble-shooting help for getting our slip lead/line/gun dog lead/etc to stay in the right place.

We are training our 17 week Poppy with the slip line, I'll attach the specific product we were recommended and using down below. Before getting into a whole discussion about what the right tools are etc, I've read a ton of the other threads about this and at the moment we're going with the recommendation of the trainer who we're working with, who is totally supportive of us using a variety of tools (which will likely include a front clip harness/slip lead combo, depending on what type of walk or training we are up to). Currently we are only doing short training sessions with it while we work out the kinks and get used to it, both in house and outside with distractions. She's going to be a city dog, not a hunter; and we do a combo of heel practice/training and free walk with check-ins combo. 

With (hopefully) all that out of the way, the one thing we're finding is that Poppy's coat is so smooth and slippery that the slip line won't stay in the right place. The whole purpose, to my understanding, is that it is supposed to sit right up under her jaw and skull so that it won't cover her windpipe when she pulls (which she does, she's a puppy and we're currently focusing a ton on neutrality). But the line keeps slipping down to where it IS over her throat/windpipe, defeating the whole purpose and making it no different than her flat collar. If I stopped and adjusted it every time we would never get anywhere. I'll set it up in the right place, pull all the loose skin folds down her neck out of the way, and tighten it enough that it doesn't seem to fall and I can still slip two fingers under. But the second we start walking (heel or otherwise) it has slipped way down. When she's walking nicely, in heel or not, it's not a problem. But then, there's another dog or a piece of trash or a smell that is just too enticing, and then it's a problem that it's not in the right place. Is it too heavy? Is the line itself too slippery? Is there a trick I'm missing? 

Any tips or tricks are much appreciated! Also on the hunt for a front-clip harness that fits the V body would be lovely, but I am reading some other threads about this. We had a back clip harness by the danish brand Hunter and aside from the problems with the pulling intensity with the back clip, the shape of the harness did not fit her at all.









Alac halsbånd med stop orange, i flere størrelser.


Halsbånd i orange med reflekser fra Alac.




perspetshop.dk


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## DrogoNevets (6 mo ago)

I’m not expert
But is that rubber stop not moveable to keep the correct size and thus position?


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

it is indeed like this with puppies. it seems the lead you picked is also made from the more slippery material, making it more prone to slip down on the puppy neck, I did that with my first boy too. then I was looking for a material which is less polyester and more cotton, also instead of the full rounded shape more flat, and that stayed put much better. having said that, part of the training process will be to adjust it several times, so that the puppy learns that there is no forward movement when the slip lead is at the wrong place (same thing with show collars). hope this helps.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

When young, and you know they are going to be pulling I go with a wide collar and slowly integrate the thin collars. 
I use a martingale that is one inch wide as soon at one will fit them.


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## Poppy'sHooman (6 mo ago)

texasred said:


> When young, and you know they are going to be pulling I go with a wide collar and slowly integrate the thin collars.
> I use a martingale that is one inch wide as soon at one will fit them.
> View attachment 104880


This is good to know, I am not in love with her current collar and have been thinking about a wider option. I'll go ahead on that now, thank you!


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## Poppy'sHooman (6 mo ago)

Gabica said:


> it is indeed like this with puppies. it seems the lead you picked is also made from the more slippery material, making it more prone to slip down on the puppy neck, I did that with my first boy too. then I was looking for a material which is less polyester and more cotton, also instead of the full rounded shape more flat, and that stayed put much better. having said that, part of the training process will be to adjust it several times, so that the puppy learns that there is no forward movement when the slip lead is at the wrong place (same thing with show collars). hope this helps.


Aacckkk, ya I wondered. We got the one the trainer recommended which they had chosen based on the little ball thing not slipping the way some apparently do. I'll keep adjusting for now for the short sessions with it and maybe change it up in the future.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

@Gabica 
I even asked the instructor What’s the trick to getting the show collar to stay high on the neck of a puppy. She said “ The puppy acting correctly.” It’s true, when Heifer does not pull, the collar stays in place.


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## Poppy'sHooman (6 mo ago)

texasred said:


> @Gabica
> I even asked the instructor What’s the trick to getting the show collar to stay high on the neck of a puppy. She said “ The puppy acting correctly.” It’s true, when Heifer does not pull, the collar stays in place.


We've seen that as well for trouble shooting. We'll keep at it


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## Poppy'sHooman (6 mo ago)

Just to update, got a wide collar for more everyday use and have ordered a front clip harness to make us feel a little more comfortable while out in high distraction areas while we keep working and training the heel etc. She's actually amazing with heel when she's in it and she totally gets it, but obviously still a puppy so we don't maintain it for the whole walk and she's definitely still struggling with neutrality. Thanks everyone!


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