Loyal to leather

If it’s possible to be in love with a dog leash, than this would be nothing short of true love… For years and years, I’ve been loyal to the leather leash. Afterall, a nicely worn leather leash is about as comfortable as in your hand as big fuzzy slippers on your feet.

I’m also a big fan of using a waist leash to walk your dog, specifically if you are teaching loose leash walking skills. I’ve relied primarily on the leather Convertible Service Dog Leash offered by J&J Supplies as my go-to waist belt for training and running… until now.

A new generation of leashes

In my constant and relentless quest for tools to make managing unruly dogs easier, I found the exquisitely feature-heavy Ruffwear Front Range Harness, which was named as one of the best no-pull harnesses by The Whole Dog Journal this year.

But, even more exciting than that, I happened across the (ahem, beautifully matching) Ruffwear Slackline Leash in Green. After using the leash for about a month, there aren’t enough good things I can say about it:

• Totally adjustable – The waist portion slickly adjusts to any size waist. The length of the leash is adjustable depending on if you have a tall or a short dog.
• Totally convertible – Yes, this is a waist leash, but it’s also a handheld leash. The waist portion tightens down to a traditional 6 foot handheld leash.
• Totally ergonomic – The waist / handle portion of the leash is padded for your comfort, whether worn around the waist or held in your hand. The leash itself is SO lightweight, so it doesn’t weigh you or your dog down. One of my favorite features is the patented “Talon Clip” instead of the traditional bolt clip. Easy squeezy!
• Last but not least… Totally washable. Enough said.

The Slackline Leash is sold online via Ruffwear.com, Amazon.com and REI.com and retails for about $40. It’s an investment, for sure, but one that should last a while given the quality of materials and number of features.

Just one wish…

Innovation is a glorious thing, isn’t it? If I had one thing on the wish list, I would ask Ruffwear to make a version that’s a little longer, perhaps 8 feet. If it was just a smidge longer, it could drag on the ground for reactive dog training, making it the perfect training tool. Until then, I’d say this one might take the cake for a long time to come (mmm, cake).

Images courtesy of Ruffwear