What's the Best Kind of Dog Leash?

Taking your dog out on walks is great for it (and you!), but certain kinds of leashes can help keep you both safer. Learn why an expert recommends braided leather leashes (and when they recommend harnesses) in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey
brain Stuff, Lauren Bogelbaum. Here. When you adopt a puppy
or an older dog, there's a lot to look forward to.
Fun days of playing with her and taking walks, feeding her,
teaching her tricks and taking walks, cuddling on the couch
with her, and yes, taking more walks. Dogs require a

(00:23):
lot of walks. The obvious reason is that they have
to go out to do their business, meaning urinate and defecate.
The frequency depends on the breed, but if you live
in an apartment or a house without a fenced yard
where they can roam freely to take care of the
call of nature. As the adult in the room, you
are responsible for taking them out to a designated area
where they can go and you can clean up after them.

(00:43):
But there's more to it than that dogs need lots
of exercise. They need to burn off energy and socialize
with other dogs. Hello dog park. Walks are an important
part of your dog's daily routine, and that means your
pubs leash is a crucial canine accessory. But there are
a dizzy and number of options, So we talked to
an expert about her favorite leash and why she recommends it.

(01:06):
Susie Agga is a nationally recognized dog trainer, an expert
in dog behavior modification, and the founder of Atlanta Dog Trainer.
She has decades of dog training experience and has clear
preferences about leashes for starters. She never recommends a retractable leash.
She explained, they're very popular leashes, but everyone hates them.
It's irritating for the dogs on the leash, they've got

(01:28):
constant tension on them, and it's irritating for humans in
the community. Most pet owners don't reel in their dogs,
they just let them wrap up whoever's walking by. Retractable
leashes are dangerous to dogs and humans. How many times
have you been strolling along in the park, minding your
own business when suddenly there's a Doberman pincher staring at
you a good twenty to thirty feet or sixty nine

(01:48):
meters away from its owner. Also, retractable leads can hurt
you the dog walker should you attempt to grab it
in case of an emergency, it could give you a
rope burn. And these leashes are infinite for snapping due
to strain or mechanical failure. And whipping back with high
force toward the walker's body and face. Aga also doesn't
recommend the slip lead, which is basically a slip knot

(02:11):
allowing you to slip your dog's head through the loop
and pull to tighten. Think of those leashes you get
at the vet, but they can be very dangerous, she said.
I don't like them because it puts a lot of
pressure on the dog's trachea. It can cause a lot
of damage. Agga's leash recommendation is a basic six foot
or approximately two meter braided leather leash with brass fittings.

(02:33):
The clips onto the dog's collar or harness, whichever the
dog wears when walking. Aga says six feet is plenty
long for every breed of dog to get away to
use the bathroom. The only time she doesn't recommend the
brass fittings is for small dogs because the brass can
be too heavy for those smaller dogs. Try stainless steel
or aluminum fittings instead. Agga explained, a leather leashes last

(02:56):
a really long time. I've got one leash that's fifteen
years old. Most leashes available in the market are made
of reinforced nylon or cloth. Webbing. Some even have carbon
fiber woven into them. Others are made of nylon rope.
AGAs says those are fine, but to be prepared to
keep buying them. She said Nilon leashes, even the ones
that are sturdy webbing, are fine, but they don't last

(03:18):
as long as leather. Dogs can choose through them and
then the owners end up tying them in knots. There's
a lot of stuff in the dog world designed to
make you buy more. As a trainer, I want something
that's going to last a long time. Aga says. All
dogs should wear collars so that they always have tags
on the leash clips onto the collar. Some dog breeds, though,
benefit from wearing a harness when they go for walks,

(03:41):
especially large breeds like huskies or Bernese mountain dogs and
much smaller ones such as toy breeds or puppies. Harnesses
are good for dogs who pull a lot too, Agga explained.
Harnesses are designed so there's less pulling. Front clip harnesses
seem to work best for that, and you don't want
to put a lot of pressure on the trachea of
a small bree ned, so a lot of toy breeds

(04:01):
will use harnesses rather than a color because of how
small they are. Today's episode was written by Patty res
Musen and produced by Tyler Clain. Brain Stuff is production
of I Heart Radios How Stuff Works. For more in
this and lots of other topics, visit our home planet,
how stuff Works dot com and for more podcasts. For
my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

(04:24):
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.