Adam, if someone goes to get a rescue dog, and they are truly passionate about it, something like a dog pulling on a lead wouldn't put them off. Similarly, if they can't be bothered to put time into training said dog; then they shouldn't be looking into rescue anyway
When i met my rescue boy nearly a year ago, he was completely shut down, no life behind those beautiful blue eyes of his but he did pull on the lead.......if i had used any type of torture device as recommended by you, i would never have gained his trust; and he would not be the wonderful dog he is today.
I know you advocate the use of check chains, prong collars, e-collars etc and all i can say is, i feel so sorry for your dogs, obedient through fear, not love for you

Jann xx

Can I add it is possible to buy a small strap which clips on to the collar and the harness so if the dog slips the harness it can't escape ....



...it's called the Safety Strap from Culpeppers

the rescue i used to work with used slip leads, everyone was issued with one (including volounteers) as its easier to get a dog out of its pen using these, however if a dog was very bad puller we had harness's and headcollars, also if a dog couldnt be let off lead when being walked we would use a flexi to give them a bit more freedom when we got to the grass but would have a slip lead on them till we got there, i think the problem is here with harness's is rspca is a charity, they may not have harness's to fit all breeds of dogs they have in, however if your not comfortable using these, then ask someone in charge if you can use a harness, the old saying is true, if you dont ask you dont get.

I would agree you should ask about using something else to walk the dog

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of using aversives like a check chain, if you use one correctly it should check and release immediately, it should not EVER be used to choke the dog. If you take the dog out and something spooks it causing the chain to tighten, the effect of being choked will be associated with the situation. So as an example, if the first time the dog spooks it’s because a child has startled it, that child could then be associated with the pain and shock of the choking effect. Next time the dog sees a child it expects the choking sensation so pulls away from the child and gets choked more, reinforcing it’s belief that children cause pain. End result is a vicious circle possibly ending with a child phobic dog which is obviously not good

I agree totally that a slip lead is far easier to pop over a dogs head in a multiple dog kennel scenario, however there is nothing stopping you then swapping onto a proper collar and lead after the dog is out of the kennel in preparation for the walk.

Half checks are great for stopping the dog from backing out of a collar whilst not affecting breathing as long as they are fitted correctly

Am not going to get into the prong collar argument as I think the morality of using a device with spikes that stick into a dog to control or train them speaks for itself tbh.

I second this, I sware by them, I have trained all my dogs on them and walk them everyday with one, some people dont know how to use them

Thanks for all your replies
I'll be joining an experienced walker for the first few times. The way it works at this centre is , when you 1st start you get the 'green' dogs-the ones that are okay with people,other dogs etc. When you are more experienced you walk the 'amber' dogs and then the 'red' dogs. They don't have communal runs, just individual kennels. You get given a key to go and look for the 'green' dogs and the device that they want you to use for that dog is hanging up on the kennel door. I hope I will be able to ask for a harness or a normal collar if there is a slip lead or choke chain hanging up. Not sure it will go down well with the more experienced staff though - i went this morning and helped out in the cattery, most of the dogs i saw being walked were on choke chains and slip leads. I just don't think an already stressed out, anxious dog is going to feel any better having pain inflicted upon it by me. And I don't think anyone who goes there looking for a big dog, is going to expect it to be trained perfectly and not pull at all on the lead. It certainly wouldn't put me off rescuing a dog.

exactly - using a slip lead on an untrained dog is another kettle of fish entirely.

I've read through this thread with interest. I don't like choke chains either but they seemed to like using them at the training I went to. I have a half check which I don't use at the moment. I usually use the halti attaching the safety strap to it and then to his flat collar. Normally at home this works well and when we are walking normally with no other dogs to distract him he walks beautifully. This is going to sound really ignorant I am sure, but I am not sure what a slip lead is?? is it one that you make a collar out of by slipping it through the loop at the end? and
then using it all as a lead?

we doubled up the laundry room and the storage room

here here...............