Introduction
As any dog owner knows, a sturdy, reliable leash is a vital part of daily life. A leash keeps your dog from running out into the street, or after a deer, or from running up to another dog that just wants to be left alone. Leashes are also essential tools for training.
If you are looking for a high-quality leash, we have reviewed some of the top leather leashes on the market to make it easy for you to get the perfect one for you and your dog.
Why a leather leash?
Leather leashes have proven themselves to be more durable over the years than other leashes. They are more comfortable for you and your dog. Leather feels soft in your hand compared to the rough edge of a nylon or chain leash. It usually has a little bit of give in it to reduce the strain on you from your dog pulling.
Leather leashes also look sophisticated. They usually come in a rich brown or black with stitching and hardware that accents the color perfectly. It’s also common for them to have braids to hold the snaps on and give the handle it’s loop. This gives it extra strength but also an eye catching design.
Because of that, leather leashes are the perfect leash to have: comfortable, strong enough to deal with outdoor wear and tear and sophisticated enough to take to town. You can’t go wrong with leather.
Which leash should I buy?
There are several things to keep in mind when shopping for a leash.
How strong is my dog?
What am I using this leash for?
What do you plan on doing with this leash? Your goals can influence your purchase.
If you have a strong dog and you need a leash that won’t snap on you, start your search with the military and law enforcement grade leashes. These leashes were designed to hold up in a variety of conditions with massive working dogs, often in high-energy and dangerous influences around them.
If you have a smaller dog that you want a high-quality leash that also looks sophisticated, search for the naturally cured and beautifully stitched and braided leather leashes. The handmade ones are especially well-done. These ones are strong but beautiful and will last you for years.
If you are looking for a training leash, consider one with a traffic handle built in. This leash is versatile and will let you work with your dog in a variety of ways. You can work them at a distance and then call them to heel with a handle right there to help you. With a dog that is excitable, it also gives you the ability to hold them near you when a questionable event arises.
A note about traffic leashes
Traffic leashes are short leashes, usually about 12 inches long. This keeps your dog directly beside you. Many traffic leashes are separate leashes that you can clip on and off at your discretion. They are most useful for walking your dog in a busy area where you don’t want to worry about a long leash or when training your dog to heel (walk right beside you). They are also helpful if you have a dog that is eager to meet everyone but you want to keep them close to you.
When buying a leash, consider if you will be using a traffic leash often. If you are, it might be worthwhile to look into a leash with a traffic handle already built into the leash. This will eliminate the need to carry a separate leash with you. If you get a leash with a traffic handle built in, note that you will still have the six feet of leash that you will need to hold.
How long do I want the leash to be?
For training, professionals recommend a six foot leash. This gives your dog room to move about, but keeps the leash short enough that you can quickly give them cues or respond to their actions.
My dog is chewing the leather leash!
A common difficulty with leather leashes is that some dogs like to chew them. It’s important to note that leather does smell and taste good for dogs. Because of that, you need to make sure that you train your dog not to chew the leash. This can be done by reprimanding them anytime you see them grab the leash with their mouth. (It’s also bad manners for them to do this as it takes control away from you.)
When you are storing your leash at your house, make sure that you store it in a place where your dogs can’t get to it. This way, you don’t have to worry about getting ready to go on a walk and then realizing that your dog has chew their leash into little pieces!
Top Leather Leashes
Here is a quick reference to the top leather leashes. They are discussed in more detail below.
- Soft Touch Collars Leather Braided Dog Leash — high-quality hand braided and naturally tanned leather for a beautiful, strong, and environmentally-friendly leash.
- Logical Leather Training Dog Leash — built specifically for training and was independently tested to withstand over 245 pounds of force.
- Leatherberg Leather Dog Training Leash — beautifully crafted with using both rivets and stitching as a failsafe so you don’t have to worry about your dog getting loose.
- Fairwin Braided Leather Dog Leash — built for military and law enforcement grade training and comes in multiple different thicknesses for every dog breed and strength.
- Timber and Tide Outdoor Company Premium Heavy Duty Leather Dog Leash — heavy-duty, thick leash designed to keep your strong dog close to you and safe.
- Soft Touch Collars Braided Leather Dog Leash with Traffic Handle — high-quality leash with traffic handle built in for maximum control no matter the situation.
- Fairwin Brown Genuine Leather Dog Leash — high-quality military grade leash to keep your dog safe but give them room to explore.
- Signature K9 Braided Leather Leash — high-quality, Amish-crafted leash that uses firm braiding instead of stitching or rivets for maximum security.
Soft Touch Collars – Leather Braided Dog Leash
This leash comes in several sizes to ensure you always have the best leash for your four-legged friend. There is a four foot leash that is a half inch thick, a six foot leash that is also a half inch thick, and then a six foot leash that is three-quarters inch thick for those stronger dogs. There are six different colors for you to choose from to give you the option to match it up to whatever collar you might have. It has a padded handle to keep your hands safe from rope burn and comfortable on your daily walks. The brass snap and other hardware has a lacquered finish to keep the rust off, no matter what weather you are having.
Pros:
- The majority of dog owners who have used this leash report that they love it.
- It has been naturally tanned, avoiding harsh chemicals and dyes.
- It has a soft padded handle to prevent discomfort when walking your dog.
- Beautiful braids on either end of the leash for aesthetics.
- Braided by hand for maximum strength and durability.
- The brass hardware is lacquered to prevent rust.
- Matching collar available!
Cons:
- Multiple people have reported that the snap has broken on them.
- Multiple people have reported that the leash has snapped on them.
Logical Leather — Training Dog Leash
This leash was designed specifically for dogs in training. It’s built from genuine full-grain leather (meaning that it’s one cut from one piece of leather) to give it the durability it needs to last. It is five-eighths of an inch wide and one-eighth of an inch thick. It comes in three sizes: four feet long, five feet long, and six feet long. It also comes in 11 different colors. This gives you the option to choose the perfect size for your dog! If you are looking for a collar, Logical Leather also sells collars that will match your leash.
Pros:
- The majority of dog owners who use this leash report that they love it.
- Three size choices and eleven color choices to give you the most options.
- It was independently tested to over 245 pounds of force.
- It was built from genuine full grain leather.
- It was built specifically for training.
- It has brass hardware with nickel-plating.
- Logical Leather supports their local animal rescues with donations of leashes and collars.
- Lifetime guarantee of refunding or replacement if you don’t like it or something breaks.
- They have matching collars available!
Cons:
- Multiple people have reported the hook was weak and broke when walking their large dogs.
Leatherberg — Leather Dog Training Leash
This leash has the failsafe of both a rivet and stitching. Should the unlikely event happen that one would break, you still have the other to keep your dog safe. It’s built out of the highest-quality Latigo leather. It’s soft, both on your hands and on your dog. While your dog is out sniffing and exploring, it’s durable enough to hold them, but absorbs some of the pull so it’s not such a jerk on either you or your dog. This leash works well on any dog breed.
It comes in one size (six feet) and two colors (black and brown). This leash easily pairs with a 12 inches traffic leash to help your dog learn how to heel and to help keep them close while navigating busy areas and traffic. Leatherburg supports their local animal rescues with both financial aid and donations of collars and leashes.
Pros:
- The majority of dog owners who use this leash report that they love it.
- It has the failsafe of both a rivet and stitching should the unlikely event of one of them breaking happen.
- One year money back guarantee.
- Leatherburg supports their local animal rescues with both financial aid and leather and collar donations.
Cons:
- It only has one size and two colors.
Fairwin — Braided Leather Dog Leash
It is made of out genuine American cow leather. Fairwin makes sure that the cows they use for leather have been well-nourished and fed in a natural environment for the very best results. This makes the leash especially beautiful and soft after the professional oiling they give it. It uses pure copper alloy snaps to give it a beautiful appearance. The snaps are strong enough to carry a 500 pounds of pull force. Fairview has a two year warranty and a sixty day unconditional return.
Pros:
- The majority of dog owners who have used this leash report that they love it.
- It has four different sizes to give you the best choice for your dog.
- It has a one inch thick size, which is thicker than most other leashes for strong dogs.
- It is built for military and law enforcement grade training.
- It uses pure copper alloy clips that can carry 500 pounds of pull force.
- Fairview has a two year warranty and a sixty day unconditional return.
- It has beautiful braids.
Cons:
- This only comes in 5.6 feet long, so there are no shorter sizes for smaller dogs.
Timber and Tide Outdoor Company — Premium Heavy Duty Leather Dog Leash
The brown leather matches perfectly with the timeless antiquated-look of gold snaps and rivets used to create a stunning leash that you can be proud of for years to come. It’s created out of full-grain Latigo leather. It has one size (six feet long by seven-eighths inches) and only comes in one color. It is built to law enforcement grade thickness and can withstand your dog excitedly trying to dart off after that squirrel when you are in the park or after that motorcycle when you are walking into town.
It has heavy-duty hardware to prevent rust and snapping. You don’t have to worry about your dog breaking the rivets or bending the snap. This leash is also water-resistant. No need to worry if you get caught outside in the middle of a rainstorm. Tide and Timber also have a full one year warranty protecting their leashes.
Pros:
- The majority of dog owners who have used this leash report that they love it.
- It has beautiful brown coloring perfectly matched with antiquated-look of gold snaps and rivets.
- It is water-resistant.
- Timber and Tide has a full one year warranty.
- At seven-eighths inches wide, it is one of the thickest leashes out there, designed to keep your strong dog close to you and safe.
- It has heavy-duty hardware that will prevent your dog from breaking rivets or snaps.
- It is law enforcement grade thickness.
Cons:
- It only comes in one size, thickness, and color.
Soft Touch Collars — Braided Leather Dog Leash with Traffic Handle
This beautiful collar comes with a traffic handle built into the leash. You have one padded handle at the end, but you have a second handle a few inches away from the collar. This gives you complete control over your dog. If you need to cross traffic or come into a busy section of town, simply grab the second handle to keep your dog close.
Pros:
- The majority of dog owners who have used this leash report that they love it.
- It has a traffic handle already built into the leash to give you control no matter the situation you find yourself in.
- It has been naturally tanned, avoiding harsh chemicals and dyes.
- It has a soft padded handle to prevent discomfort when walking your dog.
- Beautiful braids on either end of the leash for aesthetics.
- Braided by hand for maximum strength and durability.
- The brass hardware is lacquered to prevent rust.
Cons:
- Only one size and two colors.
Fairwin — Brown Genuine Leather Dog Leash
This leash comes in three sizes: three-eights inches wide and 5 feet long, five-eighths inches wide and 5 feet long, and five-eighths inches wide and 5.6 feet long. This sizing gives you the ability to choose the exact thickness that you need for your dog.
Pros:
- The majority of dog owners who have used this leash report that they love it.
- It has four different lengths and widths to give you the best choice for your dog.
- It uses pure copper alloy clips that can carry 500 pounds of pull force.
- Fairview has a two year warranty and a sixty day unconditional return.
- It has beautiful braids.
Cons:
- It only comes in one color.
Signature K9 — Braided Leather Leash
This is a high-quality, Amish-crafted leash. There is no stitching or rivets that you need to worry about breaking. Instead, every joint is braided for the utmost strength and durability. It also has a three-fourths inch brass bolt snap to make attaching it to your dog’s collar or harness painless and easy. It comes in six sizes to give you the best option for your dog: four feet by half inch, four feet by three-fourths inch, five feet by half inch, five feet by three-fourths inch, six feet by half inch, and six feet by three-fourth inch.
It’s built to military and law enforcement grade, ensuring that it will hold your dogs and keep them safe. It’s created from high-quality Latigo leather for maximum strength and durability. It has beveled edges for comfort that will last you all day long.
Pros:
- The majority of dog owners who have used this leash report that they love it.
- It’s high-quality, Amish-crafted leash.
- It’s built to military and law enforcement grade.
- It comes in six sizes for maximum options.
- It comes with beveled edges to give you comfort for all-day use.
Cons:
- Multiple reviewers have reported that the leather has split on them.
Conclusion:
When buying a leash, ask yourself these questions:
- How strong is my dog and how thick of a leash do I need?
- What additional assurances do I want for myself?
- Is a traffic handle something that is a must have for me?
- What leash fits within my budget?
- Which leash do I think looks the nicest?
Once those questions are answered, you are on your way to finding the best leash for you and your dog.