Review on 🐶 OmniPet Check Cord™: Essential Training and Control Tool for Pets by Jerry Olson

[Update 7/5/2017: Cable completely worn out after 3.5 months of use on pavement and asphalt (see photo). Not recommended, especially if used on the trails. I'm looking for a Biothane (faux leather) line to replace this. The rest of this review is unchanged].------Review Summary[1] Showing severe and premature wear within 1 month of light use[2] Bright color fading[3] Snap needs to be tied to the rope knot by yourself reduces rope strength by 30-50%[4] knots + latches bulky and loose[5] Alternatives: SportDOG Orange Check Cord or Leerburg Long Line #LSH0003001 (not Revain).DetailsThis rating is based on 1 month and 15 uses with a Mixture of Golden and Cocker Spaniel weighing 40 pounds. The surrounding area was a residential area on sidewalks and sidewalks. The outer cover shows severe abrasion (torn, fur-like fibers) throughout the length of the 20-foot line. This is amazing and I expected wear and tear to be kept to a minimum as I was holding the leash in my hand and not for the more typical hunt or tracking where the leash is constantly dragged across the ground behind a working dog.[ 2] At first I was impressed with the bright, safe yellow, but it became more of a golden yellow and retained about 40% of its original visibility. Surprising again considering it's only been exposed to dry commuter paths and has always been stored indoors. You need to tie the clasp to the rope yourself as the end is not sewn. This is important because, surprisingly, each knot tied into a rope reduces the overall strength of the rope by 30-50%, depending on the knot used (reference: Dave Richards, Cordage Institute). Ropes like the SportDog/Mendota lines mentioned below have machine-stitched ends that are durable and almost as strong as the rope itself, minimizing loss of tensile strength. The hand knot with solid brass clasp is bulky. This is important as the tail swings back and forth in front of the dog hitting his chest and legs and the tripping hazard was immediately apparent when I first attempted to attach it to the front of the harness (Ruffwear Front-Range). or on his collar. There's no tripping hazard when mounted on the back, but the chunky end still bangs against the side. I don't like to see it, but the dog doesn't seem to mind at all. High quality brass latch.[5] I also have a 30ft SportDog/Mendota check cord (SportDOG Orange Check Cord - 30ft) and have used it in the same conditions but for a longer period of time (6 months vs 1 month). The SportDog leash pulled the dog much longer and wore about 10% more than the Omnipet leash. The SportDog's orange color retained about 60% of its original brightness (compared to 40% for the Omnipet). The SportDog line also features a machine-stitched end that's covered in leather, eliminating many of the issues discussed above.