Best Dog Leashes for 2022

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From rip-resistant nylon to marine-grade rope, reach for one of these to keep your dog close.

Sometimes, picking the right pet leash is way more than a simple choice of aesthetic and color. Depending on the breed, size, and strength of your dog (or cat!), a leash's length, width, thickness, are important considerations—and ones that can make all the difference when it comes to the safety of you and your pet, as well as the safety of those around you. The right leash can make or quite literally break a pleasant stroll with your canine companion, especially if your animal is reactive toward pedestrians or other dogs.

Need help finding the best dog leash for you? Check out our picks for the best dog leashes below, as well as expert advice on what to look for before you shop.

It’s best to reach for a leash that’s made of tough fibers, which will help reduce the risk of the leash snapping or breaking, even if your dog pulls away from you. “The most important aspect of a leash is durability,” says Melenie Rodriguez, KPA certified training partner for Let's Speak Dog. “For toughness, rope, PVC, and leather leashes are usually your best bet.”

While leather leashes may look sophisticated, natural oils, moisture, and regular use causes leather to break down and stink over time. If you can't commit to the upkeep of rewaxing and weatherproofing your leather, reach for a leash made with synthetic materials instead. They’ll hold up better in wet conditions, and they’re unlikely to snap when moist, even if your dog charges full speed ahead.

Aim for a leash length that’ll provide enough freedom for your dog to sniff around but one that's still restrictive enough to keep them away from motorists, pedestrians, and other dogs. Rodriguez says that six feet is the standard leash length, but recommends long lines—that's anything beyond eight feet—"for distance training, decompression walks, and hiking." The extra slack allows your dog to roam, while the leash serves as a safety precaution in case they stray too far.

Although extra slack is great for providing your dog a bit more room to explore, avoid retractable leashes—you can easily get rope burn if your dog decides to take off if your leash isn’t locked properly. “Retractable leashes can be used for distance training and offering freedom,” says Rodriguez, “but they can be dangerous with big or strong dogs. The leash can easily break or the handle can quickly retract or fly out of your hands, increasing the risk of injury.”

Smaller leash widths—typically one inch or less—are best for smaller dogs and puppies. Reach for leashes that are one inch wide for larger breeds and stronger dogs. If your dog is constantly tugging you, you’ll need a leash that can handle the constant pull, so thickness is an additional reinforcer for preventing snapping. Keep in mind that weaker or poor-quality leashes will fray over time, increasing the risk of your leash ripping.

To find the best dog leashes on the market, we reached out to aforementioned professional KPA certified training partner Melenie Rodriguez and consulted online leash recommendations. We also researched plenty of leashes recommended by competitor publications, such as The Strategist and The Spruce Pets. We sifted through hundreds of bestselling leashes sold at retailers like Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart, and compared user and critical reviews to bring you the leashes below, all of which have average user ratings of at least four stars.

Need more goodies to pamper your pup? Check out our picks for the best dog bowls, pet cameras, and winter dog coats.

This 1-inch-wide, 2-millimeter-thick nylon leash is a great one to reach for if you’re looking for some traffic control.

This leash features two handles—one at the end, another roughly 18 inches from the clasp—which can help you keep control of your pup on walks. This is extra useful for large breeds, and it ensures that by cutting the slack on your dog’s leash with the leash’s shorter handle, you’ll be able to safely stymie any running or lunging into the path of traffic or toward other pets or people.

Since this leash is built with safety in mind, it’s extra tough and tear-resistant. It uses neoprene padding on both handles and reflective stitching for increased visibility at night. Best of all, Max and Neo also donate one leash to a dog rescue for every purchase.

This reliable leash is extremely durable, due to its half-inch-thick nylon rope build. Because of the leash’s tough nylon construction, it’s hard to tear or rip, plus your dog will have a tough time trying to chew through it if they’re teething or just flat-out bored.

Its clasp rotates 360 degrees, preventing tangles on your outing, and its supple neoprene handle makes for an extra comfy walk. Reflective stitching seals the deal for an additional hint of safety.

This is a solid choice for most dogs, regardless of size, though take note: it’s just 5 feet in length. Those looking for the extra slack should reach for a longer length.

Sometimes the best leash is the simplest one, and this model is as barebones as it gets. Here’s a nylon strap—available in 1-inch, 3/8-inch, and 3/4-inch widths—that’s flat, durable, and easy to use. It has a swivel clasp to ensure leash tangling is a thing of the past, and it's available in plenty of colors to personalize your walk. Grab one in a 4- or 6-foot version.

Over a whopping 27,000 users give this a 4.6- out of 5-star average rating, with many saying the leash is surprisingly durable and comes at a great price. Some even say they're still using and enjoying the leash years after first purchasing it.

This chewproof leash is made of a strong stainless steel wire rope that’s vinyl-coated with PVC, so it’s still soft to the touch. While the vinyl coating isn’t chewproof per se, that strong steel wire rope is — it’ll withstand the a dog's teeth and hold up well against the elements without rusting or wearing down. The fact that it’s waterproof also makes this model easy to clean with a simple rinse from a hose.

Be wary, though, that these sorts of leashes can easily cause rope burn if you're holding the rope itself when your dog darts or lunges away. Grab one in 4-, 5-, and 6-foot lengths.

If you’re working with your dog on recall training, you may need a leash that’s way beyond the typical 6-foot length to give your pet a ton of extra slack. This leash is available in lengths as short as 15 feet to as long as a whopping 100 feet. If you’re looking for a long leash to bring to a nature trail where your dog is able to freely roam with a sense of security, check out this option. As an added bonus, this leash also comes with a free clicker in case you’re kickstarting your dog’s training regimen. Note, however, that its flimsy handle may lack some support.

Reviewers love this leash, earning it a 4.6- out of 5-star average rating. Several users claim this leash is incredibly durable and easy to use, but some warn that burns are possible if holding onto anything but its handle.

Don’t want to hold onto your dog’s leash? With this one, you won’t have to. Ruffwear’s Roamer Bungee dog leash can be wrapped around your waist, freeing up your hands while your dog can freely roam between 7 to 11 feet (and you can still use it as a traditional in-hand leash, if you so choose).

Its wavelength webbing absorbs shock with the springiness of a bungee cord, allowing for the leash to retract and extend, depending on your dog’s roaming range. It also comes with a padded handle for easy holding, an additional handle near the clasp for better control, and an accessory loop for clip-on items like poop bags.

If you’re a cyclist or runner and enjoy your dog’s company, this may be a great option. Over 400 users give this a 4.7- out of 5-star average rating, saying it’s incredibly durable and easy to change on the fly.

Leave it to American workwear brand Carhartt to construct the most rugged-looking leash on this list. Made with durable nylon webbing with a duck canvas weave, this one has a reflective triple-needle stitch for added visibility in low-light environments. A touch of elasticity gives it a bit of shock absorption, which relieves some tension between you and your pet in case of pulling.

A metal trigger claw clasp provides a unique-looking alternative to the typical stainless steel hook clasp, making it an easier clip-on for folks who struggle with clasp leashing. An extra D-ring allows for additional attachments to be added to the leash, like a head harness.

Take note that although this leash has a rugged look, many users claim their dogs chewed through the nylon.

If style is a priority for you, sometimes brightly-colored nylon just won't cut it. Leather adds sophistication to a dog leash, and the material will age over time and show its wear and tear. If you’re up for the challenge of regularly maintaining that leather for weatherproofing and suppleness, this is a solid option. This leash is made with imported Italian leather and offers strong, durable tensile strength.

It’s currently at a 4.6- out of 5-star average rating based on over 500 reviews, and many users say it’s hefty and durable. Some reviewers say it’s not the best for dogs who pull, and like most leather items, it’s not a great fit against water and moisture.

Here’s a leash that can do it all. It offers six carrying styles, allowing the leash to be wrapped around the waist, worn over the shoulder, converted into a double dog leash, a hitch, a 6-foot leash, and a 3-foot training leash. It achieves this with a handy carabiner, which can slide up and down the leash line and clip on to stay in place.

This leash also has reflective accents, which provide some low-light safety, and it’s made of strong nylon webbing for durability. And if the six-in-one carry styling isn’t enough for you, you can also grab it in one of six colors.

You probably don’t need a hand-spliced marine-grade rope to use as your dog’s leash, but hey: It’s pretty cool, right?

This adjustable rope leash by Found My Animal is an extremely durable lead for your canine companion, reinforced for extra stability and fray protection, and equipped with multiple O-rings for a customizable leash fit.

The hardware included is solid brass, making for an extra sturdy alternative to the typical stainless steel clasp, and a lockable carabiner ensures a very steady grip on your pup.

Kevin Cortez is a Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics, Bicycling, and Runner’s World. A culture and product journalist for over ten years, he’s an expert in men’s style, technology, gaming, coffee, e-bikes, hiking, gear, and all things outdoors. He was most recently the style editor for a leading product-recommendation site and previously covered music and podcasting at Mass Appeal, Genius, and The A.V. Club. His work can also be seen in WSJ, Leafly, Input, and Vulture. He enjoys reading graphic novels, birding, and taking long, meandering walks in his spare time.

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