Choosing Proper Dog Leads

Whether you have a fantastic dog that never seems to need a leash or you are just getting a new friend, leashes are an essential item to have when you own a dog.

There are a wide variety of leashes that all have different uses and here is a simple guide to choosing the proper dog leads.

For The New Puppy

Getting a puppy for the first time is an exciting adventure and can be a lengthy decision process. This means you are going to want to make sure to do everything you can to insure you have all the right items to make your new friend comfortable.

Many people are tempted to start a young puppy off with a super long retractable lead. This is not the wisest choice because you’re going to be doing a fair amount of training and therefore you will want something shorter and better for training your little guy. Depending on the breed of dog you are best to get a light, nylon lead that is between four and six feet long.

For An Adult Dog

When it comes to the older canine there are a few different lead options you’ll want to look through when choosing the proper dog leads. If you have had your dog for some time and they are gentle on the lead while listening to any commands you may give them a retractable lead may work.

These leashes are great for the owner who likes to let their dog have more room to exercise and also knows their dog won’t take advantage of this benefit. Do pay close attention to the weight for the retractable lead because if you use one that is made for smaller dogs on a large breed they can break the lead if they run to the end.

If you are training your dog you will want to get a training lead. There are a couple of different length options you’ll have to select from here, usually six and ten foot cotton leads. You’ll want cotton as you’ll be working it through your hands a lot and you don’t want to get sores. The six foot is best for initial training and when you start teaching your canine to work away from you or perform extended staying exercises the ten foot lead is excellent.

Specialty Leads

Many owners see the chain leads with leather handles and wonder why anyone would walk their dog on a heavy awkward lead such as this. There are reasons these leashes become useful, if you’re choosing proper dog leads for your pet and they are a chewer the chain lead may be the best option.

Many people like to take their dogs for long walks and may pop into to a store to grab a soda come across a situation where they need to tether their dog for a moment, if the pet chews leads you’ll want to have a chain lead for this situation. Super short leads that are less than two foot can be very useful for the person who runs with a large dog that they want to keep close by, so have their place as a choice as well.