Are You Holding Your Dog's Leash Correctly?
Most of us do not see any need to seek resources on the proper way to hold a dog leash. But, do you know that holding a dog leash incorrectly can cause harm to you and to your pet too? On certain occasions, holding it the improper way can even be fatal for both of you. We all know how much dogs love going on walks, so why not keep them safe when walking them?
Thumb to Grip Method
For the thumb trick, position your thumb at the loop handle of the leash. Collect some of the leash’s slack before looping the slack over your thumb twice. Next, make layers of the leash by closing up your fist. This is to make an anchor and remember to exit the leash with your hand resting on the little finger. Adjust the rest of the available length up to your level of comfort by using your other hand. There is no need to always keep your dog close to you, but ensure that there is enough slack to let your dog walk comfortably without tripping over the leash by accident. Also, ensure that the collar or leash exits on both sides of your little finger.
Finger Grip Method
This method is pretty similar to the thumb method. To start, place your thumb through the loop of the leash before taking some slack to form a loop over your first finger and not your thumb. Make sure you use your fingers of the same palm when doing this. Following that, make slab loops according to your comfort level and collect all the layers of the leash by placing your thumb right on top and letting it exit on the side of your pinky. This will be your anchor. If your dog needs more slack, open up the anchor using your thumb in an upward motion. It is not hard to let go of all the slack at once since the loops are found over your finger. This allows you to give your dog more slack as and when they need it.
Accordion Grip Method
For this method, you need to cover the loop of the leash over your thumb or you can wrap it around your knuckles. Sometimes, you can choose to not wrap it around anything. Always make sure that the leash is layered backward and forward several times over your hand and grip it inside your fist. The rest of the leash needs to exit from your little finger. This is your anchor. Hold the extra slack with another hand if your dog is walking on the opposite side of the body from the hand holding the anchor. Use this accordion method if you like to change the direction of the leash to both sides of your body while walking your dog.
Trial and Error
For starters, you can experiment with the methods above to find the one technique that best fits your level of comfort while also maintaining the safety of your dog. Finding a proper method that is simple for you while also protecting your dog can let them go for walks with ease.
