Your Mesa dog walker has experience with several kinds of leashes and would love to hear your thoughts on them also!  Consider first if you’re going to clip the leash to a collar or harness on the pooch.  If extra control is needed or your pup has “backed out” of his collar, a harness may be in order.  There are multiple types of harnesses and collars also, which we will have discussed in this article.

The typical leash: Generally this type of leash has a built-in loop that you can slide over your wrist and has a limited length to it. The pup cannot go further than usually 6 feet or so with this type of leash.  This can offer more safety or control if the pooch wants to take off when the walker is trying to keep him on a sidewalk or path.  For those chewers who might want to snack on their leash, they make these out of chain as well.  This type of leash can be helpful when training a new puppy to heel and walk next to the walker in a calm manner.  It may also be recommended for a dog that is one who pulls or needs extra control.   Some of these leashes also have a loop closer to the pup for an added measure of control should the need arise.

Some lesser-known leashes also exist.  The elastic stretch leash: This type of leash is made of a strong bungee-type material which absorbs some of the pull when the pup yanks on it.  It still allows for more control than a retractable leash and has a loop you can slip over the wrist.  The running/hiking leash: This one clips to your belt so you can be “hands-free” and still have your canine companion with you.  The training leash: This type of leash tends to be longer for training purposes such as teaching “stay” from a distance of up to 30 feet. But keep in mind city, county, and state laws and codes may dictate a 6-foot or shorter leash.

So which leash would you prefer to use for your pup?  Or maybe you need one for all occasions?  We hope you have happy walks no matter what leash you use!

The retractable leash: This is the kind that automatically rolls up inside the plastic handle when the dog gets close to you and automatically extends as the dog walks away from you.  Some of these have a small button or lever that allows you to stop the dog from taking more slack as well.  The advantage is that the pup has freedom to roam without pulling the walker and can control where he goes independently, getting lots of sniff-time.  One disadvantage of this type of leash is that you lose the ability to maintain control quickly if a dangerous situation arises such as an unfriendly dog approaching, the pooch tries to chase a cat or bird, or he wants to eat something that isn’t good for him.  Your dog walkers in Mesa also note that you usually can’t loop this type of leash around your wrist and have to rely on the strength of your grip around the plastic handle if extra control is needed.  These leashes extend 10 feet or more for maximum sniffing