Throw away your leash!

Throw away your leash and pick up a long line!

The world is becoming more and more restrictive for dogs. Dogs are captive animals, spending all or most of their time inside a home, a yard, or attached to a leash. While our homes and yards might be enriching for us and provide everything we could ever want to feel safe, happy, and comfortable. The same isn’t true for a dog. Dog’s are creatures of the outdoors. They require freedom of movement and the choice to explore and sniff in nature. Running around a yard day in and day out quickly becomes monotonous and boring. Walking the same neighborhood on a short leash going only where the human wants to go and only at the speed that is comfortable for the human, quickly becomes frustrating leading to a variety of behavior issues.

Enter the long line.

Long lines allow you and your dog to more fully enjoy your outings together. You can move at a speed that’s comfortable for you while also giving your dog more freedom of movement and more opportunity to sniff and explore while still being safe, under control, and following leash laws (some places sadly do restrict leash length, so check if you’re not sure) . Depending on the environment you are in you can choose how much line to give your dog. With a long line your dog can finally move at speed that’s comfortable for them and explore scent in places that you would prefer not to go. Switching to a long line can have a dramatic effect on behavior including some forms of reactivity and reduce leash pulling as well.

Learning to handle a long line and navigate obstacles with one takes some time but it’s absolutely worth it for both you and your dog. Check out the following resources to learn more about long lines.

https://youtu.be/y2XmmW5vv-0 - How to use a long line.

https://hightailhikes.com/collections/shop-long-lines-1 - Great quality biothane long lines. Biothane is waterproof and nicer on your hands than cotton or nylon.

https://hightailhikes.com/blogs/news/why-you-should-switch-to-a-longer-leash - More great reasons why you should switch to a longer leash.