I always assemble my own leads from the very best parts I can find. A strip of multi-layer nylon 30mm wide with a 6mm thick wide D shackle with a stainless steel swivel sew in with the strongest thread and stitch type by a trusted local cobbler. A shortish stainless steel chain with a Kong Frog clip joined by a stainless steel suitably sized rivetted connector.
All in all an expensive lead but will last a very very long time and your dog would have to rip your arm off to get away.

Hey there, Wynter.

It is frustrating that it seems like no manufacturer has addressed this gap in the market. There’s not really a leash manufacturer who has really “cracked the code” the way, say, KONG, Big Barker, or Roughwear have in their respective niches (quick FYI — we’ve written about some of our favorite niche-dominating brands before, but unfortunately we did not identify a leash manufacturer among them).

You are correct — all of these leashes above have a couple of negative reviews. But honestly, that happens with every single product on the market (even those referenced earlier). Part of that is due to the fact that no manufacturer is perfect and one-off issues can always happen. That’s undoubtedly what happened in my case.

But you also have to consider user error. If you read many of the negative reviews, you’ll see what I mean. Some of the owners were caring for their leash poorly, others allowed their dogs to chew on them, and some were simply using leashes that weren’t strong enough for their doggo.

I’m sure if you read enough reviews of any supremely high-quality product, you’ll find that someone, somewhere had an issue. And this goes for leashes, luxury automobiles, or Rolexes.

All of that said, we do think that the vast majority of owners would find any of the leashes above will work well and securely keep their doggo tethered. We obviously can’t guarantee anything (that’s up to the manufacturers to do), but I can honestly say that I would trust any of the leashes above.

Personally, I found a leash that works great for us. But unfortunately, it’s no longer in production. It’s not only super strong, but it’s a multi-function leash that comes with a locking carabiner.

I know the date at the top of this page says May 2021, but it was actually published back in 2018, if I recall correctly — the date changes when we update stuff. And over this time, my pooch and I have worked on addressing her tendency to chase rolling things (as I mentioned, this is, ultimately, the best path forward). She’s not perfect yet, but she probably only chases 1 out of 100 cars that go by, which has done wonders for my anxiety about broken leashes.

At any rate, just know that we sympathize with your frustration, but I really do think any of the leashes above would be a good choice for most pups.
Best of luck with your search! By all means, let us know if you find something perfect!

These leashes you reviewed, each of them have a fault. If it has a great webbing material and stitching, the hook or carabiner seem to be weak and I see reviews of broken metal parts. Or if it has a great clasp, I see pics of where the handle came apart at the seams (due to not being sewn very well). They all have something good about them, but none of them have everything good and that is what I want.

We are about to go out of state on vacation and my dog is going with us. I am scared to death of stopping at rest stops and having a harness or leash break on me. I should not have to be so worried that there is not one available that has all good features, after all, a dog leash only needs to have good strong material, great stitching, extra stitching where the handle is sewn together and a strong metal lockable carabiner that is STRONG and cannot be accidentally opened.

So, I have ordered a new harness, the Freedom Harness I found on Amazon. It has where you can put a leash on the chest D ring and the back D ring at the same time, which for me brings peace of mind that if God forbid one of the carabiner’s were to break, there would still be one attached to the harness.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Hey, Bert. Send me an email at Ben(at)K9ofMine.com.
Thanks!