Fit collar and lead
Once we have successfully approached a greyhound it is tempting to rush into fitting the collar and lead but it is important to know how the gear works before you begin.
In most kennels all greyhounds are left with a collar on at all times in case of an emergency. Some trainers prefer that collars are not left on greyhounds as they may rub or the greyhound may become trapped if the collar catches onto objects in the kennel.
You need to follow your boss’s directions on whether to leave collar on or off.
The main consideration with fitting a collar is to ensure that it is tight enough to stay on but loose enough to allow the animal to breath.
Greyhounds traditionally wear a wide collar which distributes the load along a wider area of the neck than a narrow one.
- Hold the lead in both hands;
- The hand closest to the greyhound should hold the lead approximately 10 cm from the clip
- Your other hand is used to hold the rest of the lead so that it does not drag on the ground or get tangled around your feet.
- When the collar is in place you will need to check that it fits correctly. Test the tightness by slipping your finger under the collar.
Once your greyhound has been properly fitted with the collar, it is ready to be led.
Work through the activity below to learn more about this.
Open Activity 1Fitting collar and lead
Did you know?
Greyhounds should be taught to lead from the age of eight weeks. Many trainers don’t lead their puppies until they are to be broken-in for racing but this means that the pups can be difficult to control in the meantime. By teaching young pups to lead early they will more readily accept control and be easier to handle.
In this picture you can see the first two greyhounds are very keen to get to the start they can be very strong in this situation. The first handler has a better chance to keep hold of his animal with both hands on the lead.
After you have finished the activity click NEXT to go to check my progress.
