What's the best leash?

We get this question a lot. People want to know what kind of leash they should get, and how long a leash they should have.

Part of this answer is fairly simple, part is more complicated. The simple part is the kind of leash you should get to work in Obedience and/or Rally. The answer is leather. Whether it's flat, braided, wide or narrow, leather is your best answer. A quality leather leash will last you forever and only get more supple with time. I had a leather leash that I bought in 1981 and used until 2001, when it disappeared during an agility training class. It's probably still being used somewhere (and I still miss it!).

Those cute lupine nylon leashes with patterns and stitching can work for small dogs that don't pull much, but they tend to burn your hands and wear/tear over time. And chain leashes? No. Absolutely not. Too heavy, too easy to hurt yourself or the dog. Flexi/retractible leashes are also a big no-no when training. It's just impossible to properly manipulate the lead when you have that big plastic handle, and if a cord gets wrapped around your finger you're likely to be minus a digit. Neither flexis nor chain leads are allowed at CCSC. We do allow nylon leads, but far prefer leather.

Slip leads (with the leash and collar attached) are acceptable for agility but not for obedience.

If you have a larger/strong dog, you probably want a nice wide, flat leather lead with braided or riveted ends and a good sturdy snap. You can also go with a braided lead, which may give you more places to grip. Be sure to get a leash that's smoothly finished on all sides. Leashes that are "raw" leather on one side will chafe your hands. For smaller dogs and dogs who don't pull, you can go with narrower widths.

As for length, that totally depends. It used to be that a six-foot leash was required in AKC Obedience. That is no longer true. A six-foot leash is required for the Honor portion of AKC Rally Excellent, but is not required for Rally Novice. For your classes at CCSC, you'll need a leash of sufficient length to drape down and form a gentle "J" shape with the clip hanging straight down from the dog's collar when the dog is sitting by your left side in heel position. Unless you are a tall person with a tiny dog, this means a six-foot leash is overkill. In many cases, a 4-footer will work perfectly. For the smaller dogs a 5-foot leash may be better, but you need to judge that for yourself, or have an instructor help you.

And I have to end this post by putting in a plug for Rick Gallione of Master's Pride, who I think is the finest leatherworker in the U.S. I get all of my leashes and collars from him. For the quality you get they are quite reasonably priced and he will work with you extensively by phone to make sure he's making what you want. Here's Zipper wearing his custom-made Master's Pride collar. What you can't see is the back side, which has decorative hand stitching.




Happy leash hunting!