Hi! I was wondering about greyhounds and long lines. Is that what you use for Boone sometimes? Do you recommend these or is there anything to be sure of before using a long line in general, or type of harness?
I have three leashes for Boone, a 5′, 10′, and a 30′. The 5′ I use most often for general walking/transportation since it’s standard leash sized, the 10′ I use for walks where I don’t have a set time limit and want to let him explore a bit without dragging me over to every single bush, and the 30′ I use for parks/open areas where I want him to exercise but I can’t let him off-leash due to lack of fences.
Personally I do recommend them, but there are some caveats with them, as with pretty much anything. Firstly, I would probably wait a few weeks with your new dog to let them settle in and see how jumpy they are - some dogs are very ‘spooky’ and will try to bolt at just about anything - a passing car, trash blowing in the wind, passersby, etc. So I would let the dog settle in a bit before giving them more freedom on a longer line, just in case. I only ever use the 10′ and 30′ with a harness, mostly so that if Boone does decide to bolt or hit the end suddenly, I don’t have to worry about him hurting his neck. The long line is good for freedom and romping, but in the end it is attached to you, and if your dog decides to start running you need to be able to make the split-second decision to either let go and try to catch him later or hold on for the ride (I chose the second and got two cracked ribs for it, but I’d rather get myself injured than have the possibility of a loose dog).
I do really like the long lines though. The 10′ is nice for walks because it can be shortened pretty quickly, but still long enough that it allows Boone some space for meandering around and marking things (boy loves him some marking). The 30′ is a bit too long to use on sidewalks/residential areas where I need to shorten the leash quickly, but it’s great for parks and other open areas to give him room to explore and romp while still being able to keep him secure and practice his recall.
The lines I use are all just generic cotton leads, easy to find and very cheap, you could do Biothane if you wanted something a little more durable/waterproof but since I’m not ever out in the woods/water with him I haven’t bothered. The harness I use is a Ruffwear Front Range, I’ve also heard good things about the Ruffwear Webmaster but both styles seem to fit greys pretty well, especially compared to most of the other commercial harnesses. Personally unless it’s so cold I need him to be wearing a coat, I always use the harness on Boone just because I feel like I have much more control if he ever does decide to get spooked or chase after a rabbit/rat, that’s just personal preference though. I would avoid any H-shaped harness (harnesses with a strap that goes across the shoulders horizontally) as I have heard anecdotally that they are uncomfortable for greys since they have a very long natural stride.
so basically: wait until you get a sense for your dog and know they’re not prone to bolting/spooking over minor things, then start with some extra space and work up from there assuming they seem comfortable.
