Which Leash is Best for Your Pup?

Choosing the Right Leash for Your Pup

Choosing the best leash for your pup can be trickier than you might think. There are a variety of styles, materials, and lengths, all of which can affect the walking experience for you and your pet.

Here’s your guide for choosing the best leash for your dog...

Retractable Leash

Retractable leashes are great for casual walks with your pet. I love using the retractable leashes when taking my pet out for potty breaks, as it's less restricting than standard leashes and lets my pet wander to find the perfect spot.

However, when taking your pet on walks or to dog-friendly events, retractable leashes offer less control of your dog. This is where the four- and six-foot leashes come in handy.

Please keep in mind that retractable leashes are ONLY recommended for small dogs as their thin nylon cord can do severe damage to bare skin if a heavier dog is on the end of it.

Four-Foot Leash

The only difference between a four-foot leash and a six-foot leash is their length. Otherwise, the materials used to make each leash is the same.

Four-foot leashes are ideal if you want greater control over your pet. If you’re going on walks in a high-pedestrian traffic area (like around downtown, or at pet-friendly events), then four-foot leashes allow you to keep your pet at your side.

This is also helpful if your dog is aggressive or if it’s not good around people. This is because, like I said earlier, the four-foot leashes give your dog less slack and allows you to keep them at your side, even in the most crowded places.

Six-Foot Leash

Six-foot leashes are going to be best for long walks with your pooch. These leashes give your dog a little more slack, so they can wander around without being restricted to heeling at your side.

Six-foot leashes are also good if you take your dog on any athletic exercises, like on runs with you or along for bike rides. This is for the same reason: six-foot leashes give your dog a little more room to run before, beside, or behind you.

This size of leash is also good if your dog is already well-trained on a leash. The smaller leashes will keep them at your side, allowing them to learn the proper way to walk on a leash. It also reduces the surface area they can bite, especially if they’re puppies who like to chew on their leashes. For older or more trained dogs, six-foot leashes are good because they’re already used to walking on a leash.

Leash Materials

The materials you choose to get for your dog’s leash all depend in what kind of activities your dog is involved in.

Nylon leashes are good for casual walks around the neighborhood or park. These leases come in variety of colors, and can even be embroidered, so your dog will be able to flaunt their favorite color and personality.

Waterproof leashes are great for dogs who love to play in the water or in mud. Because they’re made of Biothane, they are resistant to odors and water. This also makes them super easy to clean, so if your pup gets into something, you can easily clean their leash.

Leather leashes are extremely durable. They’re going to withstand the test of time, no matter how active your dog is.

If you like to walk your dog at night, reflective leashes provide an extra level of safety to your route. Reflective collars warn oncoming traffic that you’re walking your pup, whether they’re close by your side or off exploring.

To see all these options and more, visit dogids.com.