5 Dog Leashes You Need to Own

The first time you bring your dog home you’re probably thinking about all the things they’ll need: a bed, a crate, water bowls etc. The thing I didn’t think I’d need such a variety of is: dog leashes. I’ve had my dog for a little over 6 months now and I’ve gained a collection of different kinds of leashes and I’m here to tell you why I use them all.

0. Easy Walk Harness

Just to make sure you have all the information… I walk Riley on an Easy Walk Harness. We tried two other harnesses before our trainer recommended this one and it works really well for us! 10/10 would recommend.

1. Retractable Lead

Basic. Standard. Necessary. I started with a smaller 10ft extendable leash but it didn’t give her (or me) enough time to walk and keep pace. We quickly switched to a 20+ foot dog leash. My only complaint with this one is the entire leash is nylon so when she gets excited she starts to bite it. But we’ll get to that in a second.

2. 4ft Nylon Leash

Basic. Standard. Necessary. I didn’t get this leash until I was about 4 leashes deep but really you only NEED a simple leash and an extendable leash and, in theory, you’ll be set. This leash is great for outings to PetSmart or to the farmers market. The extendable lead isn’t great for outings as it is bulky and more difficult to carry.

3. 6ft Nylon Leash

Not necessary but nice to have. A slightly longer leash allows for the same control of the 4ft leash while still giving your dog some walk around room. Ours is a D-Backs leash to it also doubles as some obnoxious fan spirit. 

4. The Running Leash

I’m not a runner, but who knows maybe I will be one day and I’ll need to be prepared. When I bought this leash I was in a buying frenzy and just needed everything in PetSmart. I purchased this leash/fanny pack combo in hopes that I would run with Riley but after one failed attempt I gave up completely. Now-a-days I do see the benefit of a hands-free leash when I need to answer emails! I also do love this leash thought when I need to attach her to things. An instance may be sitting outside my favorite Tempe coffee shop and needing to use my hands; so I hook her to my chair.

5. The Super Extendable Leash

Finally is my dad’s favorite leash. He was the one who originally got her the longer extendable lead because he thought she needed more room to run around. Learning the mistake with the biting of the last leash, we got a small rubber bungee attachment for this leash so when she whips around to bite this leash she doesn’t ruin it. The high visibility is also a nice touch.

TL:DR

Overall, do you need all these leashes? No. Do I have a leash problem? Maybe. If I were to recommend two out of all of these I would make sure you pickup a good extendable lead and a short 4ft one when you need to keep ‘em close.

Want more dog content? Let me know by sending me a DM on Instagram. Check out my blog post for the best things to do with your dog in the summer.