Best Dog Leashes

The dual-handle design sounds like a gimmick until you're walking past a squirrel-obsessed Lab and need to reel in fast. That short traffic handle near the clip gives you instant leverage without having to wrap the leash around your fist. The fact that Max and Neo donates a leash to rescue dogs with every sale makes this an easy pick for our top spot—it's a great leash and a great cause.

There's a reason professional trainers still reach for leather: it's kind to your hands, it gets better with age, and it communicates subtle directional cues that stiff nylon can't. The Mighty Paw version delivers all of that with genuine brass hardware at a price point that makes the upgrade a no-brainer. After three months, the handle will mold to your grip like a broken-in baseball glove.

We'll be honest: most trainers—including us—aren't huge fans of retractable leashes because they reward pulling. But if your dog has solid recall and you want to give them roaming room in open fields without going off-leash, the TaoTronics is the retractable we'd pick. The tape belt won't slice your legs like cord-style models, and the lock mechanism is the smoothest we've tested.