5 Dog Walking Accessories I Don’t Use
From boarding dogs out of our home as a hobby, to wrangling thousands of dogs as a spay and neuter surgery technician, to working as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, I’ve handled a lot of dogs in the last 20 years.
And after that many dogs, I have developed preferences — including preferences about walking equipment and supplies.
Here are five dog walking accessories I leave at home (and what I use instead!).
#1 Poop Bag Holder
Yep.
I’m all about cleaning up after your dog, but I don’t like those plastic poop bag holders that make the leash clunky and harder to grab. They’re annoying. And they can be painful if they smack you.
Instead, I tuck a few bags into my Rapid Rewards bait bag by Doggone Good.
Instead of a poop bag holder, I just tuck a few poop bags into my treat bag.
#2 Rope Leashes
I just don’t like how these feel in my hand.
Whether I’m holding it traditionally, or doing a leash lock for extra safety, they are stiff, bulky and uncomfortable.
I’ve had an 8-way leather leash from Bold Lead Designs for years and it’s my favorite for neighborhood dog walks.
It feels good in my hand no matter how I hold it, and I’m not worried about losing control of the dog.
I love my 8-way leather leash from Bold Lead Designs
As a bonus, it has buckles on either end so I can easily convert it into a hands-free leash by securing it around the belt of my waist pack.
#3 Flexi/Retractable Leash
I love, love, love giving dogs more than 6 feet of leash on walks.
But not with a retractable leash.
Although I’ve used them in the past (and still will in very specific contexts), I do not recommend retractable leashes for a traditional neighborhood walk.
The clunky handle gives me fewer options for control
The line itself can inflict horrible injuries
That much leash + traffic can spell disaster
And no matter where you use them, should the device break, the free end will either fling back towards the handler (ouch), or forward into the dog (which can spook him into running away).
To top it all off, if they get wet and aren’t allowed to dry before retracting, they stink. Yuck.
Instead, I use a 25 foot biothane long line from Palomine Lines. It’s easier to hold and I can confidently grab any section of the line. You can still get a nasty friction burn under the right circumstances, but I’m not worried about any part of the leash turning into a projectile.
Biothane is vegan and doesn’t hold dead grass or moisture like cotton or nylon.
#4 Easy Walk Harness
The Easy Walk is readily available, not terribly expensive and certainly better than a lot of other pieces of equipment, but there are even better choices.
Specifically, choices that fit better and allow a more normal stride.
Check out my top three dog harnesses here.
#5 Step-In Style Harnesses
I’ll use an Easy Walk if I have to and it doesn’t present tremendous physical or emotional danger to the dog, but I will not use a step-in style harness.
I dislike these things with a passion.
They are SO hard to put on because the dog has to stand perfectly still.
What dog is still and calm when it’s time for a walk?!? And don’t even get me started on wiggly puppies.
An H-style harness like the Blue-9 Balance harness is much easier to put on your dog!
Save yourself and your dog the headache and steer clear of any harnesses that go on like a bra.
Instead, look for an H-style harness. They require far less man-handling to put on, and aren’t so easy for your dog to slip out of — either during dressing or use.
Meet the Dog Trainer and Blog Author
Leighann founded Koinonia Dogs in 2014 and has been a Certified Professional Dog Trainer in the Austin, TX area since 2019.
She's a problem-solver by nature and loves creating cooperation through conflict-free communication so both ends of the leash enjoy life together.
