Best Leash For A Cocker Spaniel Puppy

When we first got our Cocker Spaniel puppy, we had so many questions regarding leads, harnesses, and collars.

With so many leads to choose from, how did we know we were picking the best leash for our Cocker Spaniel?

Most leads are reasonably priced so does it matter which one you buy?

We were very surprised to find that the answer was yes, it’s very important to make sure you buy the lead that will be most suited to your dog.

After much research and now 13 years of experience, we feel that the current Best lead on the market today is the TUG Patented 360° Retractable Leash.

This particular leash is very versatile and durable and falls into the very reasonably priced bracket. You will often find TUG leash on offer at Amazon, meaning there’s often an opportunity to pick quite a bargain.

We will go into detail below as to why I think this is the best lead but if you’re in a hurry here is the link to view the leash on Amazon.

The Best Leash For A Cocker Spaniel Puppy

We have already said that we feel the bet leash available today is the TUG Patented 360° so let’s dive deeper into why we have come to this conclusion.

TUG has become a world leader in dog leads and leashes over the years and continues to make improvements on their designs and their current best seller is no exception.

One of the cool features it has is that it’s tangle-free due to the unique nozzle design. This design also allows you to control your dog at any angle without the lead getting twisted or snagged.

The shape of the handle is extremely comfortable in your hand and features an anti-slip handle (more on the anti-slip later) with easy access to the brake, pause and lock button.

The TUG has a nylon tape ribbon which can extend up to 16 feet which is pretty much the industry standard these days.

You can buy leads that extend further but depending upon where you walk your dog, this may not be a good idea. If you walk your Cocker Spaniel in vast open spaces like fields or down on the beach then you may opt for a longer leash than the PUG 360.

The leash is fully retractable so you can quickly reign in your little Cocker when needed.

When you get your Cocker Spaniel puppy and start training him, you will notice straight away that he will pull as soon as you take him out for a walk.

In my experience, the first thing any untrained dog does is runs until the leash is fully extended and believe me, a Cocker Spaniel puppy will be no different.

If your Cocker spaniel isn’t a puppy but also is not trained to walk on with a lead then be prepared for some serious pulling duels.

This is why a top-quality leash is vital, not only for the training and comfort of your dog but also the safety. Imagine how you would feel if you bought a cheap lead from a pound shop and it easily snapped when your dog was pulling on the lead when it’s fully extended.

Yes I’ve seen it happen, near a busy road. Thankfully the dog (German Shepherd) simply wanted to go and sniff another dogs butt…….why do they do that?

If you are interested in learning some of our top tips to train Cockers that pull on the lead feel free to check out our post here about How To Stop A Cocker Spaniel From Pulling On The Leash.

I also always tell people to check out this fantastic online training resource. They have some free material so be sure to go and visit this link.

Earlier I mentioned the anti-slip handle. When you are holding it in your bare hand then yes, not only is it very grippy (anti-slip) but it’s also very comfortable.

But where I live in rural Northumberland (United Kingdom) it gets bitterly cold in the winter and if you wear normal woolly Thinsulate gloves like my wife and I do, then, unfortunately, the handle becomes very slippery.

Have you ever tried driving your car wearing normal woolly gloves? If so you will know what I mean.

We both bought leather gloves, very similar to driving gloves and these grips the anti-slip handle very well.

TUG 360° Features

Available in 3 sizes, small, medium and large
Small (under 33 lbs)
Medium (under 55lbs)
Large (under 110 lbs)
Tangle Free with 360° tape movement system
16 ft when fully extended
Fully retractable
Lock at desired length when needed
Easy lock and unlock system using the thumb
Comfy handle with anti-slip grip

TUG 360 Pro’s

Reasonably Priced
Often on offer so even better price
Super comfortable handle
Feels very well made when in hand
Superb customer service

TUG 360° Cons

Anti-slip grip only good on naked skin (or with leather gloves)
If your dog is a chewer, he may chew through leash easily
If the leash starts to fray or tear, it pretty much snaps within minutes/hours

I have spoken to many TUG leash owners with Cocker Spaniels and they all went for the medium-sized leash but I personally went for the large size, just for peace of mind.

The TUG lead comes in 3 different colors, White, White & Orange and Blue. I went for the blue version. I just figured white would look worn and dirty a lot.

The TUG Retractable is often at the top of the Best Selling lists over at Chewy and Amazon and maintains a high customer rating.

Go check out some of the reviews if you don’t believe me. While you’re there, make sure you check out some of the negative reviews as well so you are getting the full picture.

Best Lead for Cocker Spaniels (Runner Up)

Ruff ‘n Rufus Retractable Dog Leash With Extras

In 3rd Place

TaoTronics Retractable Leash For Medium Dogs

Why Use A Dog Leash?

First and Foremost, using a leash is vitally important in the early stages of training a Cocker Spaniel Puppy. Even if you fully intend to have your Cocker off the lead once he is fully trained, using a leash is the safest and quickest way to get your dog to obey your commands.

How To Use A Dog Lead

While there are countless methods on how to train your dog using a leash, I’m going to quickly cover the how “NOT” to use a dog leash.

It’s pretty simple really.

DO NOT pull, yank, drag or lift your dog by the leash. Please just don’t do it. There’s a reason a dog normally misbehaves and the reason is usually poor training by the owner.

Conclusion

So there you have it, my top recommended lead and why we choose to use that particular leash. I can’t recommend this leash highly enough although if you read the reviews on Amazon, most of the negative reviews seem to concern very large powerful dogs that pull hard.

If you are reading this and have a very large powerful dog that does like to pull hard on the leash then my suggestion would be to visit forums related to your breed of dog and see what other owners are using, just to be on the safe side.

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