# Need Help - Long line tangling all the time?



## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Hiya all

I was wondering what I might be doing wrong. 
I've been taking Hex out into the paddock with me with a long line on. 
It's good because I have control over him but he constantly gets it under his belly or under his front leg  
That makes it hard to "reel" him in. A couple of times he took off today and didn't stop when I called him so he hit the end of the line pretty hard. he doesn't want to play fetch on the line either (Obviously I only gently toss the ball a short distance when he's on the line)

I had considered maybe putting a harness on him but decided against it as
I would really like to start training him in tracking once the weather cools down. 
I don't want him to associate the long line/harness as being restrictive?

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Cheers
K


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## mehpenn (May 22, 2006)

I've used a retractable long line before. Have you considered that?


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## Bequavious (Mar 9, 2013)

How long is your long line? We use a 50ft roll of nylon rope and it mostly just lies on the ground while we play/train. It's also pretty lightweight which might be part of why Cole's comfortable playing on it. Maybe if you play some tug or catch on the line, your dog will get more comfortable and want to play fetch? Our line does get under Cole's belly sometimes, but I'd rather have it be a bit awkward to reel him in occasionally than for him to have the constant pressure of the retractable line. That's just me though. My friend always used retractable lines to train her dogs and loved them =)


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

When I use a long line with Bear I use it when he's wearing his prong so that way the line stays on top of his neck as opposed to below his neck. I use it on the dead ring so if he takes off and I have to step on it, he's not getting an excessive correction for it.
I have always used the line while we play fetch or frisbee or training recall. I guess he's used to having it on when I know we can't take him off leash. If you use a prong, I would try that otherwise the harness idea is the only other thing you could try.


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## mego (Jan 27, 2013)

I think when dogs track they can wear tracking harnesses. I put a harness on my pup when she's on a long line and she doesnt mind at all, that way when she runs it's not dangling by her front legs which bothers her when she's got it hooked on her collar. Instead of being restrictive, she kinda thinks the harness means that she gets to run around and do some playing so she actually likes it. If you're worried about restriction you can always leave the harness on in the house so that it's not really associated with just one thing


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

There are a lot on here that are big advocates of long lines, and there are _certainly_ quite a few against flexi leads. So I bought a 33' long line for my puppy (myself being a flexi fan). It's so  annoying; I hate it so much. Like you, I'm finding that it's always getting caught under the pup, or tangled around a leg. Screw it. I went back to a flexi and am quite happy with the decision.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

My guy saw his agitation harness as totally non-restrictive. He's all into pulling into it if there's a reason! If you want to keep the long line on top, I'd do a harness. Of course, with enough line, they can tangle no matter what it's attached to.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

Mooch said:


> Hiya all
> 
> I was wondering what I might be doing wrong.
> I've been taking Hex out into the paddock with me with a long line on.
> ...


I am thinking you are out with stock when this is happening??
My two cents.....I don't give them the whole line until I have good control so the more line they get is kind of like a reward (this is when using it around the sheep) the better the recall gets around the sheep the more line they get so that by the time you have given all of it they are coming back to you easily......sure you will still get the occasional time where they loose the plot and hit the end of the line but on the whole if you go nice and slow is shouldn't be a problem. I just use baling twine however I started my dog very young so he wasn't as strong.
This is just the way I did it.....right or wrong it worked well for us.....and this is around sheep/stock.....not tracking.....never done that.
Good luck.


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Thanks for all the ideas 

It's a 32" skinny biothane long line, so pretty light weight.

I wasn't so much worried about the harness restricting his movement as that he will associate the harness with the long line/recall training rather than for tracking where he's supposed to pull into it.
Uh maybe I'm overthinking the whole thing 

Flexi leash could work, I've always been a bit nervous about them since I've seen a Border Collie snap one. Mayeb a really high quality one that's rated to a heavy dog weight 

Sparra yeah it's when I take him out around the horses or even just for a quick swim, otherwise he will just blow me off if he doesn't want to go back inside after running up to the dam.


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