Grot Collars and Slip Leads: What They Are and How to Fit One

Short answer: a grot is a light cord slip collar (Schweikert's is 6 mm nylon cord) that tightens when the lead goes tight and loosens when it goes slack. Choose one with a stop (pull limiter), size it so it sits high on the neck without sliding down, and fit it so it releases as soon as you release the lead.

It is a training collar for use on a lead during sessions, not something to leave on the dog.

Our team includes World and National Champion trainers, and a grot is one of the most common collars on an IGP or working-dog training field (IGP, formerly known as IPO or Schutzhund, is the international utility dog trial of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, or FCI).

It is also easy to use badly. This guide explains what each type does, how to size and fit one, and what UK welfare law and codes expect of you.

Responsible use: slip collars tighten on the neck. Wales's statutory dog welfare code says choke chains are "not acceptable", and Northern Ireland consulted in 2026 on banning choke collars.

Read are prong collars legal in the UK? for the full position on training collars, and are e-collars legal in the UK? if you are comparing tools.

On this page

• Grot, slip lead, correction line or chain: what's the difference?
• Why the stop (pull limiter) matters
• Step 1: measure and choose a size
• Step 2: fit it the right way round
• Step 3: use it fairly
• What the law and codes say in the UK
• Shop the kit
• FAQs

Grot, slip lead, correction line or chain: what's the difference?

Sporthund says its moxon lead has no pull limiter and advises checking the legal situation in your country. For training we prefer collars and leads with a stop.

Why the stop (pull limiter) matters

A stop is a bead or slider that sets how small the loop can close. Schweikert's grots and grot lead all have one. On the Knut Fuchs correction line, Sporthund fits two: one to set the size on the dog, one to stop the loop closing too far.

Trainer guidance: set the stop so the collar can't close tighter than the dog's neck at the point where it sits. Then the collar communicates through brief pressure and release, but can't keep tightening if the dog pulls or you hold tension by mistake.

Step 1: measure and choose a size

1. Measure high on the neck, just behind the ears, with a soft tape. That is where the collar should sit.
2. Check it will go over the head. A slip collar has to open wide enough to pass over the widest part of the head. Measure around the head over the ears as well.
3. Pick a size that opens over the head but closes to the neck. For the Schweikert grot that means choosing 55, 60 or 65 cm. For the Knut Fuchs line, choose the standard (48 cm maximum opening) or Long (58 cm).

The head-and-neck check is trainer guidance; the size options are the manufacturer's.

Step 2: fit it the right way round

1. Make the loop. With the ring end in your right hand, form a loop so that, when the dog stands on your left, the cord coming from the ring runs over the top of the neck to your hand.
2. Slip it on over the head and slide it up behind the ears.
3. Test the release. Take up the lead and let go. The collar should loosen immediately on its own. If it stays tight, it's on upside down. Take it off and turn the loop over.
4. Set the stop so the loop can't close tighter than the neck.

This fitting method is trainer guidance. If you work the dog on your right, the loop goes the other way.

Step 3: use it fairly

• Teach first. The dog should understand the exercise with food or toy rewards before the collar is used to communicate anything.
• Loose lead is the default. The collar should hang loose most of the time. Sporthund says its correction collar lets you reward the behaviour you want straight away with release: the release is the point.
• Brief, then release. Any pressure should be short and followed by a slack lead. Never hold tension or lift the dog.
• Never leave it on an unsupervised dog, in a crate or vehicle, or as an everyday collar. Use a flat collar for ID tags.
• Check the neck for rubbing or soreness, and stop if you see any.
• Get hands-on help from an experienced trainer if you haven't used one before.

The points above are trainer guidance, except where a manufacturer is quoted.

What the law and codes say in the UK

• England, Scotland and Northern Ireland: we have found no law that specifically bans slip or chain collars. Animal welfare law applies everywhere: causing unnecessary suffering is an offence, and owners must meet their dog's need to be protected from pain and injury. Defra's code says collars "should not cause any pain or discomfort".
• Wales: the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs says prong and pinch collars, "as well as choke chains are not acceptable". It doesn't mention cord slip collars specifically, but a court can take the code into account, so owners in Wales should weigh that carefully.
• Northern Ireland: DAERA's 2026 consultation proposed banning the use of choke collars, among other aversive tools, and in October 2026 the Assembly backed a motion calling for a ban. Nothing has been legislated yet.

Our prong collar law guide links to each of these documents.

Shop the kit

K9 Store is the exclusive UK distributor of Schweikert and Sporthund. See all training collars and leads.

See also: our slip and grot leads. Related guides: how to fit a fur saver collar and how to fit a prong collar.

FAQs

What is a grot collar?

A thin cord slip collar used in sport and working-dog training. Schweikert's is 6 mm nylon cord with a pull limiter, and Schweikert describes it as extremely light and silent.

Is a grot the same as a slip lead?

A grot collar is just the collar part, and you clip a lead to it. A grot slip lead is collar and lead in one piece of cord.

Where should a grot collar sit?

High on the neck, just behind the ears, with the stop set so it can't close tighter than the neck.

How do I know it's on the right way?

Take up the lead and let go. If the collar loosens on its own, it's right. If it stays tight, turn the loop over.

Can I use a grot in an IGP trial?

The FCI-IGP rules require a single-row, loose-fitting, large-link chain collar for the whole trial, so a cord grot is a training collar, not a trial collar.

Are slip collars legal in Wales?

We have found no law that bans them, but the Welsh dog welfare code says choke chains are not acceptable, and a court can take the code into account. Weigh that before using any slip collar in Wales.

Not sure which size or type suits your dog? Email info@k9store.co.uk and one of our trainers will help.