Show Lead/Collar

SizzleDog

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#22
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around how that works...can you get a pic of it on a dog?
Sure! Here's a little tutorial, I'm sorry it's confusing. I had to do it a few times - and watch Steve Guitron do it a few times - before I understood it!

1. Start at the "small" loop in the lead. Put one end of the chain through the small loop, like so:



2. Next, put the "large" loop in the lead through the same chain ring you just fed through the "small" loop:



3. Pull the "large" loop all the way through the chain ring until the other chain ring is almost to the "small" loop:



... and viola! A cleaner, neater looking show collar/lead combo!




Next, put the show lead on the dog you promised would never have to show again, and that his life would Schutzhund/IPO from here on out. Laugh as he looks confused, then a little torqued off, then sad. Go ahead, laugh at him. ;)



Kaylee does not approve of your taunting of the red dog.

 

Saeleofu

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#23
Awesome, thank you! Makes perfect sense now :D

And pictures of your dogs never hurt either :rofl1:
 

SizzleDog

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#24
For reference, here is my plain kangaroo lead from Braid A Roo... note the pretty black chain.




Annnd... my fancy lead from Braid A Roo. Honestly, I hardly ever use it. I mostly use it on puppies because it's lightweight and a little bit ridiculous... just like them. ;)

 

SizzleDog

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#26
Forgot to mention re: kangaroo leather... If you don't want sore hands (especially with a large dog) make sure the strands have been beveled.

My lead is beveled... the lead in the photo for comparison is not. See the difference?

 

Red Chrome

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#27
I use a snake chain for LoLa and a nice WhitePine leather lead, attached to the collar the same way that SizzleDog does. Her lead is black and her chain is silver.

Judge has a silver jewlers link chain(I haven't seen the black!, He needs that!) with a White Pine lead threaded the same way through it.

I buy my show stuff from 3C's. I like them and I can order it and pick it up at the show!
 

kady05

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#28
I think the bright, glitzy, heavily beaded leads overshadow the dog and are a bit, erm... I don't know. Showboaty. Like the dog needs beads and fancy colors to be noticed. One of my leashes does have subtle beadwork, but honestly I'm too embarrassed to use it except on silly puppies in non-licensed UKC classes. I try very hard to be respectful to the judges, which to me also means not presenting my dogs on leashes that fight for the judges' attention.

In AKC, the judge sees very little of your dog. I believe the suggested time limit is 2 minutes, and usually you don't even get that. Don't waste precious seconds on the judge glancing at your flashy lead. And in UKC, most judges I've shown to do not like "showboating" in any form... so again, out come the plain leather show leads. ;)
You really think having a colored lead is disrespectful to the judges? Sorry I want to have a little fun in the conformation world with a lead that I think is pretty! It's not like I'm putting flashing lasers all over my dog. He doesn't *need* a fancy lead to be noticed (he has quite a bit of flash all on his own), but *I* like it, so I use it.
What about the handlers that come out in brightly colored suits, or silly hats, etc.? I'd say those are a lot more distracting than a thin 3' lead!

FWIW, I've had numerous judges tell me they liked my lead, and that it was tastefully done.. UKC & AKC.. so.. yeah.
 
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#29
If you do decide to make your own, you'll want a core for strength. My friend used paracord, but that does add a bit more width than some people like. HTH!
I've made my own show leads before, and don't really use them because I found they cut up my hands, it's cheap craft cord, strong but not soft! Paracord is a much nicer material to use.

Here's my take on show leads and collars.

#1 - NO snap. The leash should be securely attached to the collar. Snaps break, but more importantly snaps easily come loose if you're fumbling around with the collar, which you will do a lot in the conformation ring. I can't tell you how many dog fights and/or escapes I've seen because of a slipped snap.
This! I'll echo this, I've not used a snap lead before, because I saw to many of them break while watching shows, so I always go snap free with show leads. Related note, I have had the welded bit you press down on, on a regular trigger snap off on a leash before, it was Jinjo's leash, had to wedge my finger nail in it to get it off his collar.

#2 - I use a jeweler's link chain collar. Those snake chains look nice, but break easily and pull out hair. They are available at shows - they are just tiny little chains. If you don't want to use a metal chain, just go the standard nylon show collar route.
I have yet to have one break, but I have had one get a "hitch" in it (it's actually too big for her, why I have two of them, so it tangled). I like them better for her because ALL other forms of collars slide down her neck to easy and then you loose control of her, the hex does not slide out of place until you position it to. And I have not had it damage the fur on her neck. Just my experience.

*deep breath*

And just a bit of a soapbox speech... keep in mind I've had very old, traditional mentors that have been showing/finishing/specialing one of the most cutthroat and competitive AKC breeds for decades, so take what I say next with a grain of salt.

This fad of "glitzing up" show leads annoys me.

Show equipment needs to not overshadow the dog - you want the judge looking at the dog, not the collar and leash! So it should always be a color that blends in nicely. I think the bright, glitzy, heavily beaded leads overshadow the dog and are a bit, erm... I don't know. Showboaty. Like the dog needs beads and fancy colors to be noticed. One of my leashes does have subtle beadwork, but honestly I'm too embarrassed to use it except on silly puppies in non-licensed UKC classes. I try very hard to be respectful to the judges, which to me also means not presenting my dogs on leashes that fight for the judges' attention.

In AKC, the judge sees very little of your dog. I believe the suggested time limit is 2 minutes, and usually you don't even get that. Don't waste precious seconds on the judge glancing at your flashy lead. And in UKC, most judges I've shown to do not like "showboating" in any form... so again, out come the plain leather show leads. ;)
I personally don't like a lot of "bling" either, but I don't like all the beading because I find it to hard to lump them up in my hand. We've been taught in our handling class to always have any extra lead neatly tucked into your hand, not sure if beads serve any other purpose than being an eye catch.
 

Dekka

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#31
I like the plain. But then again I come from the world of english horse riding and always thought the western need to bling up their horses was not tasteful lol (and these beaded leashes have nothing on western show gear that I swear is so incredibly distracting from the horse! So I get what Leah is saying totally)

That said I think it depends on the breed. JRTs are a very no fuss breed. Beads etc would look a bit silly IMO. Whippets on the other hand seem to be shown in blingier stuff. I show both on the same combo so meh. I have a gold coloured snake chain with a thin black nylon show lead (no snap) I also have a gold coloured one piece (mendota I think) nylon show lead that doesn't tighten around the neck for puppies.
 

SizzleDog

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#32
You really think having a colored lead is disrespectful to the judges? Sorry I want to have a little fun in the conformation world with a lead that I think is pretty! It's not like I'm putting flashing lasers all over my dog. He doesn't *need* a fancy lead to be noticed (he has quite a bit of flash all on his own), but *I* like it, so I use it.
What about the handlers that come out in brightly colored suits, or silly hats, etc.? I'd say those are a lot more distracting than a thin 3' lead!

FWIW, I've had numerous judges tell me they liked my lead, and that it was tastefully done.. UKC & AKC.. so.. yeah.
No, not disrepectful - just a not as tasteful, even if the lead is well made. FWIW, I feel the same way about the sequined baseball caps and neon silk vests with bedazzlements that some people feed the need to wear. It's just my opinion (and we're all welcome to have one) - and my opinion is based on what I have learned from my mentors. As I said above, you have to take into account what breed I show. There are plenty of judges who are "nice" in other breeds, but when they're judging Dobermans the kid-gloves come off. It is a whole different ballgame when you show a breed as notoriously competitive as Dobermans.

(I hope a judge never comments on my lead - I want their undivided attention on the dog. I don't want them to notice the lead at all.)

I like the plain. But then again I come from the world of english horse riding and always thought the western need to bling up their horses was not tasteful lol (and these beaded leashes have nothing on western show gear that I swear is so incredibly distracting from the horse! So I get what Leah is saying totally)

That said I think it depends on the breed. JRTs are a very no fuss breed. Beads etc would look a bit silly IMO. Whippets on the other hand seem to be shown in blingier stuff. I show both on the same combo so meh. I have a gold coloured snake chain with a thin black nylon show lead (no snap) I also have a gold coloured one piece (mendota I think) nylon show lead that doesn't tighten around the neck for puppies.
I 200% agree Dekka. :) JRTs are a no-fuss breed and beads would look silly on them, and since this thread is for a Malinois, I'd say that Mals are a no-fuss breed as well. A mal with a glitzy lead would look a bit silly, I'd imagine!
 

Red Chrome

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#33
I sometimes show Judge and when I do, I want him to be taken seriously. My mentors for showing, own Samoyeds 1 of which has been to the Eukanuba invitational 2x, recommend plain and simple so as not to distract from the dog.

GSDs are VERY competitive. I show Judge for the ring experience for myself so that I am more comfortable when I get my next dog which will be shown to a CH. I do think that some breeds can pull off the glitzy leads while others look silly. I think a GSD or a Mal with a glitzy lead would look silly. Some of the GSDs I know are shown in Fursaver collars and simple leads.
 
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#34
I too, agree with SizzleDog. I was always taught not to distract from the dog. I use a silver choke chain (snake or fine link) and I usually use a leather lead the same color as the dog. With ACD's it's either brown or black leather.

I personally prefer a snap lead, but now that I've seen the way Sizzle uses her non-snap leads I may switch. I just didn't like having to wrestle the leads off of the collars after I showed. Not every dog wears the same size collar and I hated when the lead got cinched so tight on the collar ring it was hard to get off.

That said, I do have one lead that has bling. Just one silver bead with some amber colored jewels in it. A friend bought it for me as a birthday gift and I do love it. She knows I hate flashy stuff like that but thought it was subtle enough, and I do like it. I think it was tastefully made and I use it, but again, I honestly prefer a plain lead so as not to distract from the dog.
 

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