Did you know? There are increasing reports from dog owners and doctors of injuries caused from dog leads and collars. These include lacerations, friction burns, ligament injuries and even fractures, particularly of the hand and wrist. The British Society for Surgery of the Hand stated that in Cornwall there were 30 serious hand injuries caused by dog leads last year alone.

With over 12 million dogs in the UK, and a growing number of borrowers too, it’s important we are more aware of how to avoid injury and to ensure we’re holding our furry friends correctly.

How do you hold a dog correctly?

• Don’t wind or wrap leads, in particular retractable ones, around the hands, fingers or wrist
• Do use a retractable lead which offers flexibility in how far your dog can roam, but allow for a shorter slack when you need control, without wrapping it around your hand, and train your dog not to run the full length of a retractable lead to only then stop suddenly at the end.
• Avoid using retractable leads where your dog can wrap around trees, your legs or even furniture
• Don’t hook fingers under the dog’s collar
• Do use a collar or harness with a grab handle
• Keep larger dogs on a shorter lead to avoid them building up speed which can a wrenching force on your hand

If you ever have any concerns about how you hold your dog lead why not contact a local dog trainer or even your local vet.

This article is for information only, and should never replace any advice, diagnosis or treatment from your veterinary surgeon. Always contact your local vet or out of hours vet without delay if you have any concerns about your dog or their behaviour.