Help Line 01508 531011

                                                                                                   Available 9am - 5:00pm, Mon - Fri

Advice & Frequently Asked Questions

• Which type of lead do I want?
• How do I choose the best length of lead for my dog?
• When will I receive my new lead?
• How do I care for my leads?
• Where can I buy leather conditioning cream?
• How do I contact Hessonite?
• How long has Hessonite been trading?
• Is it safe to give you my credit card details over the internet?
• Do I have to buy on-line?
• I don't live in the UK, can I still buy from Hessonite?
• Privacy policy

Which type of lead do I want?

If you are not sure which type of lead you need (slip lead or showset or loop lead) we might be able to help. Whilst the type of lead you use is ultimately your choice, you will find that a particular style is often used by other owners to show off your breed. You can find out by speaking to your breeder or visiting a show and watching your breed class. Of course, you can contact us at Hessonite for advice. Here are some popular choices made by other Hessonite customers:

Slip leads - Retrievers, Dobermann, Setters, German Shepherd, Hungarian Vizsla, Large Munsterlander.

Showsets - Nova Scotia Retriever, Akita, Cairn Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Dachshund, Greyhound, Spitz, Poodles, Pug, Saluki.

Loop lead - Cocker Spaniel, Irish Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Border Terrier, Whippet, Airedale Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, West Highland White Terrier.

If you can't find exactly what you require, bespoke pieces are our speciality. Give our friendly sales advice team a call and they will be happy to  help!

How do I choose the best length of lead for my dog?

Please read on for advise on choosing lengths for different styles of leads and colours.

Slip leads:

The best way to determine the right length, is to use a length of string or soft rope as a guide. Stand in your usual position for showing your dog and hold the string at the point where you want the handle to be. Don't worry about making a loop for the handle, we will work that out. Loop it around the dogs neck; If you drop the lead down on the shoulders when showing remember to include this in the measurement as well. When you're happy that you have the best length to suit you and your dog, cut or mark the string at the point you want the top of handle. Simply measure the overall length of the string from end to end (this will include the handle).

What is a swivel?    

Many people ask us this question - it is simply a small metal fixture - 50cm down from the top the handle to ensure the lead does not twist when your showing the dog. These are not essential, some people prefer them and others like the lead all leather. You can see from the photos in the online shop what a swivel looks like.

Showsets (Martingales) and half check collars:

We ask for two measurements when ordering a showset. The 'length of the collar' is simply the circumference of your dog's neck. Measure behind the dogs ears with a soft tape measurer, firmly - but not too tight. This is the measurement we need from you. The chain will add approximately 10cm to allow for getting the collar over the head. The 'length of the lead' is the distance between the end of the handle and the back of your dog's neck. Choose the length by tying a piece of string or soft rope to a dog collar. Stand your dog in the usual position for showing and find a comfortable length for the lead.

When ordering the lead, select the standard sizes which most closely match your measurements for lead and collar. If the exact size you want isn't "available" to order, simply send us an email with your order, or a note with PayPal at time of payment specifying your exact needs. We make everything by hand to order so this is no problem.

Ordering for a puppy?

Order a size a few centimetres up from his neck size - this will mean it will fit now and for a few more months. We offer a re-sizing service for just £6.00 when you need the collar to be made larger. This is far cheaper than ordering an entire new lead!

If any of this is confusing, don't hesitate to call or email us for more advice.

Loop Lead

We measure these from the top of the handle to the end of the loop. We will fashion the size of the loop to fit your breed - unless of course you have exact requirements and this is not a problem either.

Throat pads are available for a small extra charge - please call us to discuss.

Combination leads (leather and chain/braid)

The length of lead you order will include both the leather "handle" and the chain or braid "collar". We will work out the combination lengths for you depending on which breed you have, however if you have any exact specification please let us know as we have a large variety of different chain lengths.

When will I receive my new lead?

We advise customers to wait between 10 - 14 days for your lead to arrive. However we understand that you sometimes need it sooner. For this reason we can usually offer a next day service. However this is not always possible, so please ring to confirm and the order must be placed before noon. Postage is also a little extra to cover the Royal Mail special delivery charges.

For no extra cost we can simply hurry along your order if you need it within a week - just let us know!

How do I care for my leads?

Usage
All show leads are designed for use only in the show ring or ring-craft training, not for general walking. To extend the life, I recommend removing the show lead when your class has finished to minimise wear and tear.

Leather leads
Thank you for purchasing a quality leather lead from Hessonite. Your lead is made from the highest quality pigmented leather, designed to give lasting performance and comfortable handling. To ensure your leather show lead remains supple you should treat it regularly with a good quality leather conditioner, such as 'Hessonite Leather Conditioner'. The conditioner moisturises the leather, which allows the metal ring or leather slide, depending on which type of lead you have, to slip easily and therefore reduces wear. Of course, after several uses the natural qualities of leather mean the lead will show some wear, but this should not affect the performance. A small amount of leather conditioner should be applied using a soft cloth, rubbing in gently down the full length of the lead. Allow the lead to dry before use after each application.

If you feel it necessary to clean your lead before conditioning it, I recommend cleaning with a cloth dampened with water and soap flakes such as 'lux', then wipe the lead with a rinsed cloth and allow to air dry. The lead should not be soaked or placed in a washing machine. Once dry you should treat the lead with leather conditioner as detailed above.

Braid leads
Braid leads should be wiped over with a cloth dampened with water and soap flakes such as 'lux', then wipe the lead with a rinsed cloth and allow to air dry. As the lead has a leather trim, washing in a machine is not advised.

About Hessonite Leather Conditioning Cream
Hessonite Leather Conditioning Cream maintains the suppleness of your leather leads. It nourishes and moisturises the leather. The cream contains natural and synthetic waxes, and also contains around 5% lanolin. It is a predominantly water based substance, so when fully dried will not affect the coat of your dog and is safe to use. A full safety data sheet is available on request.
If the cream comes into contact with eyes or open wounds, wash the area thoroughly with clean, sterile water. If swallowed, seek medical advice from your doctor immediately.

Where can I buy leather conditioning cream?

The cream can be bought directly from this Hessonite webiste. Just go to our online shop and place the required number of bottles in the shopping cart. Alternatively, ring the Hessonite Help line (01508 531011) to order over the phone.

How do I contact Hessonite?

UK Telephone: 01508 531 011
International telephone +44 1508 531 011
Email: info@hessonite.net
Write to: Hessonite, The Firs, The Common, Shelton, Norwich, NR15 2SJ

How long has Hessonite been trading?

Hessonite first started trading in 2003 by selling leather and braid leads at shows. Word of mouth soon had sales all over the south of England. A simple web-site then got us known internationally, with 30% of leads sold being despatched abroad. Throughout this time, our goals have remained the same - to provide our customers with the very best quality, hand-finished products at a sensible price. Our office and manufacturing facility is located in rural Norfolk, England.

Is it safe to give you my credit card details over the internet?

In common with many small companies, we focus on what we do best - providing excellent service, superb quality products and good value for money. So, we don't attempt to replicate the services provided by the big banks. This is why, when it comes to security and internet trading, we simply partner up with one of the worlds biggest internet banks. At the point of sale, when we ask for your credit card details, you can rest safe in the knowledge that you have been moved to a very secure facility provided by our bank. Even we don't see your details online, it's all done direct with the Bank's Trading Service.

For complete peace of mind the Hessonite website has been verified as safe by the Norton Security SafeWeb service.

Do I have to buy on-line?

No - you don't have to buy online. Hessonite offers a variety of payment methods. You can call us, for advice or purchase, on 01508 531 011 . We can take card payment over the phone if you wish. You can write to us at Hessonite, The Firs, The Common, Shelton, Norfolk, NR15 2SJ enclosing a cheque (remember to include the cost of postage - call for details). Alternatively, send your query or place an order by email - via info@hessonite.net.  You can also buy Hessonite leads at dog shows. See the latest updates on the home page for the list of shows we will attend.

I don't live in the UK, can I still buy from Hessonite?

Yes - approximately 30% of our leads are shipped to non-UK countries, all over the world. Of course, international postage costs are slightly higher than UK postage costs, but we don't seek to make any profit from postage, so we will just pass on the additional postage cost direct to the customer. Go to our Online-shop for more details.

Privacy Statement

Hessonite promises to ensure the privacy of customer information.

We comply with the requirements of the UK Data Protection Act relating to handling of personal information. All information collected by us is used solely by Hessonite and will not be passed on, distributed, sold, rented or traded – unless required to do so by law.

Your name and address details are recorded safely by Hessonite. We maintain a record of your order details (name, address, product type, colour and length, quantity). We do this to help you with future enquiries. We may also contact you in the future regarding special offers. This information is never shared with others, unless required to do so by law.

Payment details, such as credit card numbers, which you supply to PayPal during an online transaction, are not passed onto Hessonite. For online transactions we never see your payment card details. When customers provide card details over the telephone, Hessonite uses the information solely for the purpose of processing that transaction. We do not store your payment details. Each time a customer places a telephone order, payment details need to be supplied on each occasion. For security, we recommend you do not provide us with your payment card details in any written format (email, fax, letter).

We reserve the right to amend this policy. We recommend you read the policy before any purchase.