Fall in Love with Leather Leashes
From the passerby’s perspective, being a dog owner seems like it’s all fun and games. You get unconditional love from your fur baby and are reminded of that every time you walk through the door! You have a built-in best friend, one that will play fetch, protect you from strangers, and cuddle you during your weekly Netflix binge.
Being a dog owner certainly includes all of those things, but as a dog parent, you have a lot of responsibilities. We understand that! One of the biggest decisions as a dog mom or dad is the choice of which dog leash to buy for your pup. Will you have a few and it'll depend on the activity for the day which you choose to use? Will you have one that is reliable enough for everyday use and will last a long time? Perhaps your main focus is the fashion aspect – you can't have your dog looking like every other canine on the block. Therefore you're strongly considering venturing into the bowtie leash world.
Before we recommend anything, we must run through the most popular types of dog leashes out there.
Let's Learn About the Different Kinds of Dog Leashes
- Cotton Dog Leashes
Cotton leashes are popular when training a new dog. With the lightweight nature of cotton, the dog is not dependent on the heavy drag that certain leashes or leads have, leaving the results of the training up to the brains of the pup.
While cotton leashes are comfortable on your hands, the cons are significant and most likely outweigh the pros. Cotton leashes tend to experience dry rot, meaning the leash is not long-lasting. In addition to that, you can’t rely on a cotton leash to outlast the elements – once wet, cotton leashes take a long time to dry.
- Nylon Dog Leashes
Nylon leashes are probably what most people think of when they think of a typical dog leash. They are certainly easier to keep clean and dry than cotton leashes! Nylon leashes work best for small, gentle, and trained dogs. They are most useful for a dog still in the puppy stage of life, as nylon leashes don’t fray quickly. This is good when a curious puppy wants to gnaw on anything it sees!
However, nylon leashes come with their own set of drawbacks. For starters, nylon is tough on human hands. If your dog sees a squirrel and bolts, the nylon moves through your fingers quickly and burns badly. In addition, nylon leashes can be too flimsy to give good corrections to your dog, which isn’t optimal as dogs should be learning their whole lives.
- Chain Dog Leashes
There isn’t much that’s great to say about chain leashes. They’re loud, they catch on stuff easily, and because of these things, the dog tends to be more aware they’re even wearing a leash. Chain leashes look durable, but if you have a decently strong dog, they can snap before you know it. Perhaps the most obvious con about chain leashes is they are not fashionable! You can’t even begin to compare a chain leash to a bowtie leash.
- Retractable Dog Leashes
Retractable leashes work similarly to a measuring tape, with a nylon cord that extends out of a handle. Usually, retractable leashes come in lengths between four and thirty feet, and they contain a locking mechanism that allows you to stop the leash at the length you want it. These are great to control the freedom your dog has.
That said, retractable leashes are dangerous. When the leash stops, whether because the owner locks it or the dog has run out of cord, it can cause whiplash or collapse the dog’s trachea. Besides that, retractable leashes teach dogs to pull, which is the exact opposite of what you want!
- Slip Leads
Slip leads are two-for-ones, combining a leash and collar into one. The leash loops onto itself and goes over the dog’s head. This makes things easy to keep track of.
Cons of slip leads are undoubtedly present. If you or your dog pulls on the leash, the collar tightens, which can close your dog's airway if it's too tight. If you or your dog allows for too much space, the collar area can significantly loosen, increasing the chance for a runaway pup.
- Leather Leashes
Leather dog leashes are often a top choice for leash training. Because they are a bit heavier, they give excellent correction. Since they are leather, they soften and change shape over time for a perfect fit. The majority of the time, leather leashes last the lifetime of the dog that wears them, making them worth every cent.
Without Further Ado, We Recommend Leather Leashes
Our recommendation, without a doubt, is to go with a leather leash for reasons very similar to why we think you should purchase a leather collar! Those reasons are durability, comfort, grip/control, life span, and fashion.
- Durability
If you’re looking for a reliable leash, you should be looking at if an option is durable or not. While leather leashes are not unaffected by chewing, they are much stronger than, say, nylon. Leather dog leashes don’t fray, and they can handle water and dirt much better than leashes made using other materials.
- Comfort
Because you're such a good dog parent, you are most likely thinking about what is best for your pup. We love that! However, you should be thinking about you, too. When you take your dog for a walk, the leash you're holding must be comfortable in your hand. Leather leashes are much more comfortable than other dog leashes, as they soften over time without losing their durability, forming to your finger shape.
- Grip/Control
Leather leashes have a fantastic grip. This proves true when they become wet, as they do not get slippery. Also, a leash made with leather is much less likely to slip through your hands than leashes made with other materials when your curious furry friend pulls or lunges.
- Life Span
A leather leashes’ life span is virtually unmatched by any other type of dog leash. They don’t fray, they don’t rot, and they don’t mold. Your dog’s life span is probably between 10 to 14 years, and we can almost guarantee a leather leash will last that long, too.
- Fashion
Now that we’ve discussed all the safety and reliability factors of leather leashes, let's talk fashion! First of all, leashes made from leather simply look sleeker. Whether there is a glossy finish that projects shine from miles away, or there is just the warm, soft black or brown you think of when you think "leather," the sleekness is undeniable.
Second, you can add designs to leather leashes! Think about it…a nylon leash wouldn’t allow for a very clear image, whether the leash features a word, polka-dot design, etc. A chain leash doesn’t even have the option! Leather offers itself up as a perfect canvas for any sort of design you can think of.
Finally, the leather is moldable. Want to add a leather flower to the handle of your leash? Not a problem. Care to make your leather leash into a bowtie leash? Easy as pie! With leather, many things are possible. Your pup will undoubtedly stand out from the crowd!
Which Leather Leash is Right for You?
Here at LuxeMutt, we make all of our leashes from a super soft, high-grade leather that has been reinforced for added durability. Each leash features nickel-plated clasps and precision perimeter top-stitching. Since our leashes are handmade, size and color may vary from product to product. This means each product is unique in its own way! Our leather leash collections include our minimalist leashes, bowtie leashes, and even a special made-to-order leash. There truly is something for every dog (and owner) out there.
- Minimalist Leash
Our minimalist leashes are for the dog moms and dads out there that aren’t into showing off perhaps as much as someone with a bowtie leash is, but definitely wants to appear polished with a pop of color! The minimalist leashes are just that – minimalistic. They’re simple and sleek and come in an assortment of colors. The leashes are all four feet in length and even have two width options – ½ inch or ¾ inch, whatever suits your fancy!
One of our favorite minimalist leashes is our Pink Supreme Butterscotch leather dog leash. This creamy, dreamy, peachy pink is everything you could ask for in a pop of color! The leash is perfect for Valentine’s Day festivities, a walk on the beach (who knows – maybe you’ll find a piece of coral that matches!), or simply daily use.
Perhaps our favorite feature on the Pink Supreme Butterscotch leather leash is the white stitching. The majority of our minimalist leashes contain black perimeter stitching, so we decided to change things up a bit and loved it even more than we thought we would! The white thread gives the leash a sort of airy and light finish, keeping with the theme of minimalistic and simplistic.
The leash boasts sealed and finished natural butterscotch edging and backing, along with all the usual LuxeMutt fixings. While the price tag is a bit higher than a nylon or chain leash, remember — longevity, comfort, and fashion, just to name a few!
- Bowtie Leash
At LuxeMutt, we take immense pride in our well-known bowtie leashes. These are for the dog owners that want to turn heads and leave other pups in the neighborhood envious. Our bowtie leashes are fun, flirty, and fashionable, which is exactly what will create that envy! Similar to the minimalist leashes, the bowtie leashes are four feet in length and come with two width options.
While we love all of the leashes in this collection, a favorite of ours has to be the Basic Black Martini Bowtie leather dog leash. Have you ever seen something so cute?! Imagine your precious pup strutting into a doggy birthday party in his or her little black bowtie! The other furry guests wouldn’t know what hit them.
The black color of this particular bowtie leash is just gorgeous. It is so rich, and with white stitching, it truly pops. The black can be paired with any of our colored collars, though we don't blame you if you want to stick to the classy black on black look.
Our other bowtie leashes include colors such as renegade red, seafoam green, and California tangerine. Since basic black can go for pretty much any occasion, maybe consider one of the colored leashes for a theme party or a holiday photo!
- Made-to-Order Leather Leash
If you're bougie and you know it, own it! We love a bougie dog and their owner, which is why we created the made-to-order leash that we did. It is so fabulous, not just anyone can handle it. This leash is for the person who truly wants to stand out from the crowd and give his or her pup the royal treatment, even more so than what a bowtie leash allows for.
Meet the Renegade Red Rosalicious leash. This dog leash is a hidden gem – LITERALLY! The gems you see on the rose? Those are genuine red Swarovski Crystals. This leash is so fabulous that it was featured in Season 3 of “Bethenny Ever After” on Bravo, where Bethenny Frankel and her dog, Cookie, can be seen strutting with it and its matching collar around town. Whether you have a fabulous occasion that this look would be perfect for or you just want your fur baby to look fashion-forward all the time, we cannot recommend the Renegade Red Rosalicious leash enough.
The decisions you face as a dog parent can be tricky, but LuxeMutt is here to help. We value reliability and safety in products, and we like to add a little fashionable flair here and there, whether in a show-stopping dog collar or a bright bowtie leash.