The Traditional Leather Lead Co

The Traditional Leather Lead Co High quality English bridle leather dog collars, leads and harnesses traditionally styled and hand crafted, using centuries old English saddlery techniques.

The Traditional Leather Lead Company was established as a company in 2014. Every single aspect of my English bridle leather dog ware draws on a lifetime of experience in handling, training and working dogs, coupled with instructing prospective and current dog handlers in a huge variety of disciplines. On a personal level these include companion animal training (for myself and others), competition

obedience, competition agility, gun work, running dogs, shepherding and falconry. My career related dog experience ranges from me being the youngest Guide Dog Mobility Instructor to be trained in the UK at the time, to working as a Police dog handler, explosive search dog handler, drug dog handler, through to planning and running courses in security and protection dog handling, explosive, drug, cash, fi****ms, missing person, to***co and parasite detection. After 40 plus years of training and working all manner of breeds for all manner of jobs, I understand completely that the equipment you use must be up to the job. Every single item that leaves my workshop is made exclusively by hand for you, completely from scratch from start to finish, with the finest materials that I can source. Experience, function, longevity and quality are at the heart of everything that leaves my workshop. Paul.

Before, sort of during, and after photos of a synthetic saddle in need of some new girth straps.The brief was to replace...
29/06/2025

Before, sort of during, and after photos of a synthetic saddle in need of some new girth straps.

The brief was to replace the original 'biothane' girth straps with leather ones.

Biothane is a useful material. It is essentially a rubber coated webbing, so it is very strong, but the outer rubber coating always cracks over time, weakening the whole thing.

That's the same for saddlery, dog collars, leads, long lines etc.

That's no good when you need to keep your saddle on your horse!

The beauty of this saddle system is that it has girth straps that are easily replaced, so long as they are made to fit.

All six straps were made, as usual from scratch, and incorporate a polypropylene webbing 'top end', so that they can be fitted to this saddle.

Made from black English bridle leather, although the last picture makes them look like dark havana.

Goes to show that I really can't take a consistent picture of leather colours!

Paul.

28/06/2025

DRUMROLL PLEASE..........

Thanks to each and every one of you for entering my competition to win the training lead.

Mrs TTLLCo has acted as the impartial umpire, selecting one person at random who has followed the entry criteria.

I can reveal that the winner is CAROLYN NEWTON .

Well done Carolyn, send me a message through this page, and your brand new training lead will be in the post ASAP.

Thanks again everyone. Keep those pooches safe in this heat.

Paul.

A trio of my half-check collars, all the same size, but all different colours, demonstrating the three English bridle le...
26/06/2025

A trio of my half-check collars, all the same size, but all different colours, demonstrating the three English bridle leather hides I keep in stock.

The second picture shows this better with black at the top, 'dark havana' in the middle, and 'Australian Nut' at the bottom.

The third picture shows the very simple adjustment mechanism, a tiny stainless steel billet (or hook stud), permanently set into the leather and typically used to secure reins to a horse's bit.

The billets make the whole collar more streamlined as there are no buckles sticking out. They also give the collars a very strong and secure method of closure. Just push it through the right sizing hole, and you're good to go!

Available through my website.

Paul.

www.makemylead.co.uk

A very sexy, custom 'slip lead' set made to a customer's specifications from black English bridle leather. It is half an...
23/06/2025

A very sexy, custom 'slip lead' set made to a customer's specifications from black English bridle leather.

It is half an inch wide and comprises a 3ft leash section, with a collar section to accommodate an 11.5 inch neck.

The little leather loop close to the solid brass rings, is to secure the collar section when in use, making sure the dog isn't able to back out of it.

Paul.

www.makemylead.co.uk

As the working week draws to an end, and dreams of sunbathing topless in the garden remain just dreams, here's a custom ...
20/06/2025

As the working week draws to an end, and dreams of sunbathing topless in the garden remain just dreams, here's a custom set that has taken me 3.5 hours to make from scratch.

This tiny harness and 3ft lead are for a little Cocker-poo, whose Mum wanted to treat.

The 'Australian nut' coloured bridle leather is cut into 3/4 inch wide straps , the stitching is a yellow braided polyester thread, and the metalware is solid cast brass.

Have a great weekend, and in this heat , don't even think about walking your pooches, it just isn't worth it.

Have a good one folks.

Paul.

www.makemylead.co.uk

I'm done for the day as it's too hot!Here are two matching sets of my popular 'Adjustable Half-Check collars' and my 'Pu...
18/06/2025

I'm done for the day as it's too hot!

Here are two matching sets of my popular 'Adjustable Half-Check collars' and my 'Public Order' lead that have just been finished.

On the left is 'Dark Havana' and on the right you have 'Australian nut'.

A really useful combination of lead and collar, particularly with larger breeds.

Both available through my website.

I'm off to have a well-deserved beer!

Paul.

www.makemylead.co.uk

17/06/2025

Absolute carnage every time I need to cut a strap!

It's 'Tongue out Tuesday' apparently, so here's one from me. Let's see yours!It's been a little over 3 weeks since this ...
10/06/2025

It's 'Tongue out Tuesday' apparently, so here's one from me. Let's see yours!

It's been a little over 3 weeks since this complete bundle of chaos landed, and since then my social media feed has been filled with ads for puppy training courses, and pads that encourage your dog to p*e on the mat by the back door, rather than you just opening it and letting them out etc, etc, etc (big-brother knows!!!)

Having watched some of these targeted videos out of morbid curiosity, most of the advice given is absolute sh*te and focuses on pure sales, rather than actually helping people and their dogs.

I stopped training other people and their dogs at least a decade ago for various reasons, and I have no intention of getting back into it, so I have no skin in the game any more.

If you are looking for a trainer, do your homework. Don't rely on a well produced, sparkly advert that you've seen online.

Choose a trainer that can demonstrate what you are hoping to achieve with your dog, with one of theirs. Ask that trainer to put your money where their mouth is!

Training any animal is a progressive thing. It takes time, commitment, consistency, confidence, and an ability to 'speak' that animal's language, and not to expect that animal to understand yours, because they really won't!

It has been well studied and documented that dogs communicate roughly 98% with non-verbal cues, so for any training to be effective you need to learn doggy sign language.

This post isn't one to bash different training methods or styles etc, as those discussions are so boring, repetitive and counter-productive, plus I couldn't care less.

Just do your homework and find a trainer that works for you. Don't be pulled in by any hype and most of all, just enjoy it with your dog!

Anyway, show us all your 'tongue out Tuesday' pics!

Paul.

Friday comes around so quickly, and my new apprentice Trigger finishes his third week in the workshop. He's had a busy t...
06/06/2025

Friday comes around so quickly, and my new apprentice Trigger finishes his third week in the workshop.

He's had a busy time meeting lots of people, lots of horses, and a few select dogs.

His off-lead recall is spot on, he's walking nicely on a lead, and he's started to use his nose to good effect.

During the working day, he's really enjoyed nicking bits of leather and clearing off with them down the garden.

He's learned to ask to go out for a wee and poo, and most importantly has learned that it's fine to be by himself for a while, especially overnight.

So far, he has made some annoying holes in my leather, but I haven't introduced the stitching element yet!

Out of work, he's spent a few hours sat with me on a deckchair, on a grass verge next to a major 'B' road, watching the traffic pass by, and learning to sit to the whistle at the same time.

He's also spent hours falling asleep to various gunshot and firework sounds (played endlessly on repeat), preparing him for unexpected bangs, shrieks and whistles further on down the line.

It's been nearly 10 years since I've had a puppy, and I forget what hard work it actually is, but put the hard work in early on, and it will all be worth it.

From Trigger and I, have an awesome weekend. Turn every situation into a training opportunity. It really is worth it in the end.

Paul.

Well, this phone call was definitely a first!!!_________________________Ring ring, ring ring......."Hello,""Is that Paul...
05/06/2025

Well, this phone call was definitely a first!!!
_________________________

Ring ring, ring ring.......

"Hello,"

"Is that Paul?"

"It is. How can I help?"

"Why have you been ringing my wife?"

"I've no idea. Who's your wife?"

"You know who she is. You've called each other nine times, and she's got you saved as 'Leather Lover Paul' "

"Oh, now that's unfortunate! Do you have a dog?"

"That's f@£k all to do with you. WHO THE F@£K ARE YOU?"

"I'm a guy who makes leather things for dogs. Perhaps I've spoken to your Wife about something she's ordered, or something she wants to order for a dog that you own?"

"___________"

"Are you still there?"

"Errr, yeah. I'm really sorry. She did say something about a new collar for the dog"

"OK, well I hope I've helped to clear things up. Just Google this phone number and you'll find out everything about me."

"Yeah, I'm really sorry"

"OK, it's not me that you need to apologise to though. Enjoy the rest of your day".

Traditional hand crafted English Bridle Leather dog collars leads leashes half check harness supplier of working dog Police dog equipment security dog search dog pet dog UK bespoke leather work large dog collar german shepherd malinois rotweiller dobermann doberman leather craftsman saddlery repair....

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Royal Leamington Spa

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Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

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Having spent 30 plus years training and working dogs in a huge variety of disciplines, from gun work and falconry, to shepherding, Police work, drug, explosive substance, bedbug and missing person detection, I realise how difficult it is to find quality, aesthetically pleasing, hard wearing, long lasting and functional working and pet dog equipment, so I began to make my own. Using the same finest English bridle leather hides, which are cured and supplied to the saddlers of the British Monarchy, all of my dog leads and collars are hand cut, hand styled, hand dyed and hand stitched by me, using traditional English saddlery techniques. By hand stitching with a saddler's clam, an awl and 2 needles, I pay attention to each individual stitch made, using a technique which ultimately results in a far superior and stronger stitch than those made by any machine. The emphasis on the leads and collars I make is a simple rustic elegance and functionality. As a working dog handler and instructor, I have come to realise that an individual's choice of lead is very personal. Over time a bridle leather lead will take on it's own personality and will develop it's own unique 'feel' about it. As the owner of a 20 year old English bridle leather dog lead, which is still in daily use with a variety of dogs, I understand the importance of using quality materials. I do not use cheaper alternatives in the manufacture of any dog ware. I prefer to use solid brass clips, studs and rings, but can add chromed fittings where requested. Traditionally, leather with brass fittings is stitched with a 'gold' thread (dark yellow) and those with silver coloured fittings are stitched with white thread, in order to compliment the colour of the metal ware. I carry a small amount of stock, but most of my equipment is passionately made to order, with an attention to detail, ensuring a perfect fit, usually within just a few days of ordering. Although I have a 'standard' range, should you want something a little more personal, drop me a line. Thanks for looking, Paul