Much of what we know about dog structure comes from the world of horses in England, and many of the terms we use “in” dogs also come from that country. What we call a “leash” or “lead” is often called a “slip” by a Brit, and that leads us to the “Non-Slip” retriever.

A “non-slip” retriever is a dog (namely, a retriever) who is trained to stay with the hunter while game is flushed by other dogs or beaters (people who startle birds out of bushes by “beating” it with a stick). Their sole job is to mark the fall of the bird and retrieve it upon command. Because they are steady to the shot, they don’t require a “slip lead” (or leash).  Put another way, the dogs are trained to retrieve without wearing a leash – period.

Different sources share their own ideas of breeds that are considered “non-slip retrievers,” and by and large, they seem to include Labrador Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Curly-Coated Retrievers, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, Barbet, and Poodles. Another source added Irish Water Spaniels, Boykin Spaniels, American Water Spaniels, and English Springer Spaniels to the mix.

Some European handlers will have a Pointer or Setter locate and pin game birds, then have their non-slip retriever locate and retrieve the bird after the shot. Meanwhile, the Pointer goes on to locate other birds.

Image of a Curly Coated Retriever/Deposit Stock photo