Walking on the Wild Side - A Five Part Series about Leashing the Beast - PART I
To kick off the "Take Paws" blog we're going to be investigating a variety of leashes/collars -- especially, the ones that might tie in with a New Year's resolution about "getting my dog to STOP pulling on walks."
The Humane Society has a decent blog post that gives you an overview about the types of leashes that are available for you and your dog (and what the differences are). They're identified as the basic leash, the retractable, the long line, the bungee, and the slip lead (also known as a "choke collar"). However, as opposed to dedicating each post to one of the aforementioned leashes, we'll take a walk on the wild side (after all, it is 2015) and take a look at our favorite type of leashes in Part I, the bungee leash.
In Part II we'll take a look at harnesses that help you control a dog that likes to pull (while keeping your furry friend comfortable). In Part III we'll give you the scoop on "control collars" and collars in general. In Part IV we're gonna get crazy and talk about Gentle Leaders and other dog tech. In Part V, we're going to take a look at the type of leash that is the most likely to give you trouble; you and your dog may be surprised.
But, to start off on the right foot -- or paw -- for that matter, let's look at the best of the bunch. The bungee leash!
The bungee leash is great because it has a little bit of give to it and will automatically pull your dog back if it pulls too hard on you. The bungee leash is one of those awesome products that puts the truth in advertising. For example: on BungeePupee.com they say "a leash that acts like a shock absorber." Exactly.
Bungee leashes are durable -- really durable. It comes with the territory. The ROK Straps Company which manufactures cargo straps and other sturdy hiking implements has applied its elastic stretch technology to the creation of dog leashes. Check out their leash on The Dog Outdoors website.
While there are lots of companies that make great stretch leashes, this article wouldn't be complete without reference to RuffWear. Among some of the dogs we walk, we've seen dogs sporting RuffWear gear which has held up well in the rough weather we've been having. Perhaps more importantly, it seems to wear comfortably on the dogs.
So, if you're planning to go for a walk or a jog with your dog, a bungee leash is a great option because of its give and take -- pun intended.
Stay tuned for our next post on harnesses.
