Leashes exist for a reason, people. You clip the leash to your dog’s collar or harness to keep your dog in control. From what? Everything. Maybe there is a dog that is acting aggressive that you want to keep your dog away from. Maybe your dog is the aggressive one you want to keep away from others. Maybe a prey species is taunting your dog’s predatory instincts. If you didn’t have a leash, you’d be in a little bit of trouble wouldn’t you. That’s why leashes are extremely important to have your dog attached to a leash. I think it’s also important to mention that I’m talking about actual leashes. Those retractable leashes give you no control at all and are fine for use in your backyard but definitely not on a walk with other dogs whom you don’t know.

Leashes exist to give control of your dog on walks. You wouldn’t want your dog to attack someone else’s dog or someone’s dog to attack your dog. In that instance, there will be injured dogs to worry about and maybe some vet bills to impose on the aggressive dog’s owner. If your dog was on a leash and not wandering about, ignoring your commands, a fight would not have happened. So, please, leash your dog. No one wants to have a dog fight on their hands or expensive vet bills.

Imagine if a rabbit or squirrel dashes across your path and catches your unleashed dog’s attention. Your dog is gone and chasing after the prey. Your dog is ignoring your screams to come back or to stop. Anything could happen at that point. Your dog could chase the squirrel into a road and get hit by a car, into a river or lake where they cannot swim, or into a deep woods. Your dog could disappear and you might not be able to get them back. Simply having them attached to a leash stops that chase right before it begins.

As for the retractable leashes, the extending leash gives virtually no control. The dog can keep taking leash until it runs out. That length of leash could instigate a fight with another dog. But, you say, what if I know my dog won’t do something like that? Okay, you know your dog well enough that it won’t do anything like that so you feel comfortable with the retractable leash? Well, I’ll tell you that you know your dog until that situation presents itself. But, what if someone is walking their reactive dog on a retractable leash? You don’t know their dog enough to be able to trust it on that kind of leash. So, as a general rule, go with a regular nylon leash. It might just save your dog’s life.

It might also be a law or rule where you are walking your dog to keep it leashed at all times. This law is to keep everyone safe. Every person and every dog. If abided by, many dog fights will be prevented. Many dogs won’t go missing when they chase after a squirrel or a rabbit. It will be so much safer for you and your dog. Also, keep a leash handy for those people who don’t keep their dogs on a leash or if you find a wandering dog who might have escaped the yard. Also, please remember to pick up after your dog. Take extra waste bags for those people who don’t even bother to take them. Picking up after your dog keeps the area where you are walking clean and nicer looking. Don’t be lazy and pick up after your (hopefully) leashed dog.