A front clip can be handy on walks, but it changes the path of the lead. When your dog slows down, sniffs or switches sides, a loop can end up near their front legs.
Before giving up on this clip, watch when the lead gets under the legs.
Is a loop trailing in front of your dog?
A long length of slack lead can drop down to the ground. That gives your dog more chances to step over it.
Adjust the length you hold to your walking distance, while keeping some slack. The aim is not to keep constant tension or to force your dog to stay glued to you.
When they stop to sniff, follow the change in distance instead of letting a big loop build up in front of them.
Check the position of the ring
A harness that turns or a clip that sits too low is worth checking for fit.
The weight of the lead’s clasp can also matter with some equipment. The PetSafe Easy Walk instructions note that a heavy clasp can pull its front strap down; this applies to its own design, but it is a reminder to check that lead and harness work together.
Source: PetSafe Easy Walk instructions
Use the attachment points provided by the manufacturer. A handle, a patch or an adjustment buckle is not a ring for the lead.
What should you do when the lead is already caught?
Stop somewhere safe and let the lead go slack. Free it calmly if your dog accepts being handled, without pulling to force it to slide.
Don’t keep walking in the hope that the loop will free itself.
Can you use the ring on the back?
If your harness has a back ring designed for walking, it can be another option depending on the situation and the manufacturer’s instructions.
Changing the attachment point does not replace lead-walking training, though. If tangles happen often or you find it hard to manage your dog’s movements, a trainer using kind methods can help you adjust your handling.
The most useful observation is a simple one: does the problem come from the length of lead, changes of direction or the harness moving?
Read also
- My dog’s harness twists to the side: what should I check?: to check a harness that turns.
- The MyDogGrip harness: front clip for guiding and back ring for freer walks.
- Do no-pull harnesses really work?: to find out what a front clip really changes.
- Dogs and lifts: the little-known danger of a lead caught in the doors: another situation where the lead can get caught.
- Walking your dog with a pram or a baby in a carrier: to manage the lead with a pram.