Slip Leads & Slip Collars for Dogs

A slip lead, a slip collar and a training lead get talked about as though they are the same thing. They are not, and choosing the wrong one is the usual reason a piece of kit ends up in a drawer. This is the short version, and it is the question behind most of the searches that bring people here.

Slip lead, slip collar or training lead

A slip lead is one continuous piece of rope: the lead and the collar in a single loop. It goes over the head, sits behind the ears, tightens when the dog pulls into it and loosens the moment the dog stops. Nothing to clip on, nothing to fasten. That is why slip leads for dogs are the standard at kennels, at shows and in the field, and why a gundog slip lead is the one that lives in a coat pocket. It is on and off in a second.

A slip collar is the same loop and the same action, without the lead attached. It stays on the dog and you clip your own lead to the ring. If you already have a lead you like, or you want the collar to stay on while the lead comes off, a slip collar for dogs is the better buy. Slip collar, slip dog collar and training slip collar all describe the same thing.

A training lead is the broader term rather than a separate object. It covers any lead used to teach something: a slip lead, a figure of 8, a long line, a fixed-length clip lead. When people search for a dog training slip lead they usually mean a slip lead used deliberately on a dog that is still learning, not a different design.

Which one is right for your dog

If your dog walks reasonably well and you want less kit on the walk, a rope slip lead is the simple answer. If your dog pulls hard and consistently, a loop around the neck on its own will not solve it, and a figure of 8 will do more, because the second loop sits around the muzzle so the head turns instead of the neck taking the load. If you want something that stays on the dog all walk, buy the slip collar and use your own lead.

On puppies I would be careful. A puppy slip lead is fine for short, supervised handling on a young dog that is not yet throwing itself into the end of the lead. A puppy that pulls hard is better on a flat collar or a harness while it learns. A slip is a way of communicating, not a brake.

6mm or 10mm rope

Everything here is made in two weights of rope. A 6mm slip lead or slip collar is the lighter one and suits terriers, spaniels, whippets and most puppies, and it packs down small. The 10mm is for bigger or stronger dogs. It spreads the pressure over more surface, sits more comfortably on a thick neck and is easier to hold when it matters.

How these are made

Nothing here is sitting on a shelf. I make each one to order at my bench in Oxford. The rope is cut to your length, the whipping is done by hand and the fittings go on last. You choose the rope colour and the binding colour. Fittings vary by product, so rather than promise one metal across the range, each product page lists what that piece can be built with, across solid brass, nickel-plated and zinc die cast in black and gun-metal. Lead time is 2 to 6 working days, because it is made after you order it.

Everything I make is guaranteed for twelve months. After that, if something goes wrong, send it back and I will repair it at cost.

Fit is covered too: if the loop is wrong for your dog once it is on, tell me and I will put it right at no cost to you under the Perfect Fit Guarantee. These are cut to your length in the colours you choose, which makes them made to your specification and outside the 14-day cancellation right, so ask me before ordering if you are torn between 6mm and 10mm. Returns and the Perfect Fit Guarantee →

If you are still weighing up slip collar against slip lead against figure of 8, the guide is an honest comparison rather than a sales pitch. Read it first: figure of 8 vs slip collar vs slip lead →

There is also a practical piece on how to fit and use a slip lead properly →, and if the figure of 8 is where you are heading, the full range of figure of 8 dog leads is here →.

If a slip is not the answer at all, there will be a clip, hands-free or traffic lead that is. The full lead range → And if you would rather keep the collar and the lead as two separate things, the whole collar range is here →

Common questions

What is the difference between a slip lead and a slip collar?

A slip lead is the lead and the collar in one continuous loop, so there is nothing to clip on. A slip collar is the same loop without the lead, so it stays on the dog and you clip your own lead to the ring. The action on the neck is identical.

Is a slip lead the same as a training lead?

Not quite. Training lead is the general term for any lead used to teach something, which includes slip leads, figure of 8 leads, long lines and fixed-length clip leads. A training slip lead simply means a slip lead being used deliberately on a dog that is learning.

Should I use a slip lead on a puppy?

A puppy slip lead is fine for short, supervised handling on a young dog that is not pulling. If the puppy throws itself into the end of the lead, a flat collar or a harness is the better choice while it learns.

Should I choose 6mm or 10mm rope?

6mm suits terriers, spaniels, whippets and most puppies, and it is the lighter option in the hand. 10mm suits bigger or stronger dogs, spreads the pressure more widely and is easier to hold.

Are these made to order?

Yes. Each one is cut, whipped and fitted at my bench in Oxford after you order, in the rope and binding colours you choose. Lead time is 2 to 6 working days.