Page 20 - K9News_Issue12_July2020

C

Collarsollars

&leadsleads

“Like most things in life, often the most useful
is the most effective and showing dogs is
no exception. Probably the simplest, and
something we take for granted, is the collar and
lead. But choose the wrong one and it can mean
the difference between winning and losing. Of
course, the choice is endless and it may take a
while before you find the one that suits you AND
your dog, suiting your dog is far more important
than going along with the tide and using one
which everyone in your breed has. Of course,
you have so many different breeds in so many
sizes and they should complement your dog, not
draw attention to him or her. A lead of course breed and needs a collar that is going to contain
is to be in control of your dog and to guide it in them, and they seem to work quite well. In
the direction you want to go. Take the choke this breed, or a similar smooth coated one, a
chain, here is a metal collar with two uses, first carefully placed choke can give the impression
used as just a collar and second as a means of of a good shoulder by placing it in such a way,
correction. But be careful, as a choke chain can a chrome choke on a Dobe’s dark, shining coat
also do a lot of damage if not used correctly. I and a judge’s eye is drawn to it.
would not advise the use of a choke chain on a
young puppy, here you would be better to start However, there are some breeds that l don’t
collar training with a soft leather or nylon think the use of a choke would be a good idea.
type but l will come to that later. On toy breeds, small and dainty dogs, and as
such their necks could not take that type of
The breeds that use choke chains pulling and could quite easily frighten a dog.
are mainly in the working pastoral You can of course buy
group. Let’s use a Dobermann a nylon
to demonstrate this. This is a
particularly strong

20
K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020