Thanks to That Mutt’s writer Julia for her review of Mighty Paw’s long training leash.

Mighty Paw offers two long training leashes—15 feet and 30 feet. The leashes are useful for when you’re working on skills like recall or (my favourite) off-leash hiking.

The leashes have a traditional swivel clasp to attach to your dog’s collar and a padded handle for you to hang onto. The handle end also has a buckle so you can clip the leash around a tree or post for tie-out.

Mighty Paw Long Training Leash Review

This post is sponsored by Mighty Paw. Use code MP20Mutt to get 20% off all products in its Amazon store. Click here.

My thoughts on the Mighty Paw training leash:

I’ve written before about how Baxter dragged a long leash as part of our training for off-leash hiking, so when I had the opportunity to review these leashes I was quite excited. Before I had the Mighty Paw leash, my long leash was a cheap one I picked up at the dollar store. These Mighty Paw products are definitely far superior.

The clips are sturdy. The fabric is tightly woven and durable. I love the padded handle a lot.

However, I’m usually not holding the handle when we’re hiking. I like for B to just drag the leash behind him. On my cheapie leash, I’ve tied some knots, so that I can step on it and stop Baxter or slow him down if I need to. I could also do that with the Mighty Paw leash, but I’d have to do it farther up the leash to avoid the handle—and I’d feel a bit bad about tying knots in such a nice leash.

See That Mutt’s post: Off-leash hiking with your dog.

The 15-foot leash is close to the length I’m used to, so I was very comfortable with it. Thirty feet feels very long. So far I’ve tried it on trails that are fairly well groomed. I feel like it might get caught or tangled on more rugged hikes.

However, for training recall or stay, the two lengths would be very helpful for gradually increasing your distance.

The buckled handle holds up to Baxter

The addition of a buckle at the handle end makes the leash more versatile in that I can use it for tie-out if I want to. I’m always skeptical about the strength of buckles and clasps on my leashes. However, Baxter inadvertently put these to the test.

We were at my parents’ house, and I had clipped the end of the 30-foot leash around a light post on their front lawn (living on our farm, Baxter has no sense of boundaries and in a neighbourhood with small lots he thinks every property is his). The neighbour’s cat decided to cross my parents’ front lawn and Baxter took off after it. He quickly reached the end of the leash.

The leash held even though Baxter was running pretty much at top speed.

I’ve been using the 30-foot leash on our morning hikes where I keep Baxter on-leash due to the wildlife that’s out early in the morning on our property. The extra long leash gives him plenty of freedom, and the handle gives me security that if he gets distracted by a visitor or an interesting scent he won’t go too far,

I was very impressed with these leashes and can see them being very helpful in numerous situations.

What is the cost?

Mighty Paw’s 15-foot training leash costs $15.99, and the 30-foot leash is $17.99.

Use code MP20Mutt for 20% off. Click here.

What’s unique about the Mighty Paw training leashes?

Mighty Paw focuses on encouraging activity and adventure, and these leashes definitely do that. They’re great for hiking or other activities with your dog. The padded handle makes these more than just a basic training tool. They’re comfortable and enjoyable to use. The buckle extends the use of the leashes, so they work for tie-out as well as walks or training.

Pros of the Mighty Paw long training leash:

• I’m a big proponent of dogs being off leash. These leashes give your dog that feeling, but in a safe and controlled way.
• Long leashes are really useful training devices, whether you’re working on recall or off-leash hiking.
• I had not encountered padded handles until I started using Mighty Paw products. Now I love them so much.
• The leashes are made of high-quality material. The nylon is water-, UV- and mildew-resistant. I feel like it will last for a long time, even after repeated dragging over hiking trails. The swivel-free clasp prevents tangling. The buckles are sturdy.

Cons:

• Thirty feet is a long leash. Leash dragging can be awkward in terms of tripping and tangling. Having more leash means more potential for tangling.
• If you’re dragging the leash, the buckle will get filled with dirt, grass or leaves.
• While the buckle end is suitable for tie-out, you will have to have a fairly skinny post. A telephone pole or thicker tree will be too big for the handle to fit around.

I would recommend the training leash for …

A long training leash is a really useful tool. I would definitely recommend this for anyone with a puppy or new dog.

Order the leash on Amazon HERE.

Until you know how your dog will act when he’s completely off-leash, these long lines will give you security and help to create boundaries for your dog. For training recall, long leashes can be a useful step when you’re graduating to an open environment with more distractions. Having both the 15- and the 30-foot leash will allow you to gradually increase your distance.

See That Mutt’s post: How to teach your dog to come when called.

I also recommend the long leashes if you have a sniffy, distracted dog like Baxter. The leashes give him a lot of freedom and make our field walks very pleasant because he can sniff and walk at his own pace. At the same time, I don’t have to stop every three steps for him to sniff a new smell or worry about him following his nose too far away from me.

Order a Mighty Paw long leash on Amazon HERE.

Would you like to try a new Mighty Paw product every month?

Everyone at the $7 reward level or higher on That Mutt’s Patreon page receives a new product from Mighty Paw every month.

Claim one of the remaining 10 spots HERE. In June, you’ll have the option of a leather treat pouch or a double-dog leash. Sign up here.

Julia Thomson is a blogger at Home on 129 Acres where she writes about her adventures of country living and DIY renovating. She and her husband live on a 129-acre farm in Ontario, Canada.