Why Line Handling Matters in Mantrailing
When most people start mantrailing, all the focus is on the dog. What harness to use, how to reward them, how to read their body language. But the line often gets forgotten. The long lead isn’t there to stop your dog from running off. It’s how you stay connected to them, and how you handle it makes a huge difference to how the trail goes.
I found out pretty quickly that handling the line is a skill of its own. It’s not about dragging your dog back or steering them. The aim is to let them follow the scent while you keep everything safe and flowing. Get it right and the dog has the freedom to work while you avoid tangles, trips and rope burns.
How to Handle the Line
I like to keep both hands busy. One feeds the line out as the dog moves, the other gathers it back in when I need to. The line should move smoothly, not bunch up or drag on the ground. I don’t let big loops form around my feet, and I never wrap it around my fingers. If the dog suddenly turns, you want that line to slip freely, not tighten or pull you off balance.
Good line handling is really about feel. If you keep it too slack, the dog can vanish into a bush before you know it. Too tight and you’re stopping them from working the scent properly. The sweet spot is having just enough contact so you can sense their movement without holding them back.
Picking the Right Lead
Most mantrailing leads are somewhere between five and ten metres. Shorter ones are easier in busy areas, but if you always keep it short, your dog doesn’t get the freedom they need. Longer lines give them more space but take a bit more skill to manage. For me, around eight metres is a good balance.
The material of the line makes a massive difference too. I started out with biothane because it was popular, but I didn’t get on with it. It felt floppy, and in the rain it was like holding a bar of soap. I’d lose my grip just when I needed it most.
Switching to rubberised webbing was a game changer. It’s grippy even in the wet, light to carry, and not so thin that it cuts into your hands. It’s the one I’ve stuck with because it works best for the kind of weather we get here.
The rubberised webbing was perfect I even started making my own! check them out HERE
Little Habits That Help
A few small tricks make line handling easier. I keep the spare line coiled neatly in my hand so it can slip out smoothly. I’ve put a marker near the end of my line so I know how much I’ve got left without having to look. And if my dog suddenly shoots forward, I stop them with my foot on the line instead of grabbing it – much safer and no burns.
Final Thoughts
At the start, line handling feels like an afterthought, but once you’ve trailed a few times you realise how important it is. The way you manage that lead can either help your dog or get in their way. For anyone new to mantrailing, I’d say practise your line skills as much as you practise reading your dog.
The line is the bridge between you and your dog. Handle it well and it becomes second nature, letting you both enjoy the trail without the stress of tangles, slips or missed cues.
