The clear winner is the regular leash. It’s safer to use, better for training your dog, and easier to clean. 

Welcome to the showdown of The Retractable Leash VS. The Regular Leash

As a dog walker, I use many different types of leashes throughout any given day. I definitely have my favourite *ahem not the retractable leash ahem* but I use it nonetheless.

I personally like having more control over the dogs I walk by using a regular leash the majority of the time.

But, for small dogs who are used to being on a retractable leash and whose owners do not care about proper leash etiquette, I use their retractable leash.

I don’t even provide owners with an option of a retractable leash walk. They provide their own leash if that’s what they prefer.

Let’s get started with an in-depth look at both the retractable leash and the regular leash.

Table of Contents

• Regular Leash
• Retractable Leash
• Safety Comparison
• Training Comparison
• Flexibility Comaparison
• Cleanliness Comparison
• Winner

Regular Leash

A regular leash is typically 6 feet long, and has a looped handle on one end and a metal clip on the other to attach to your dog’s collar or harness.

They come in an assortment of colours, weights, and lengths to suit your dog’s needs.

Used for training your dog to walk on a loose leash by your side.

Unlike a retractable leash, it does not change length.

Retractable Leash

A retractable leash is a leash that is wound on a spool and stored inside a plastic handle.

The leash handle has a button that stops the line from extending, locking it at the desired length of the handler.

You can’t reel your dog back in, but you can prevent them from going further by using the lock mechanism.

They typically extend between 10 and 26 feet and are made of nylon with varying thicknesses.

Safety Comparison

A regular leash is not likely to get tangled up around you or your dog’s legs. It’s less likely to cause a fall, leash burn, or even worse.

The shorter length allows you to pull your dog away from potentially dangerous situations.

Wear and tear is much easier to find on a regular leash so you can replace it before your leash breaks.

With a retractable leash, wear and tear is hard to spot, which could lead to breakage and a loose pooch.

Letting your dog roam on a long length of leash could result in them getting injured by any number of things: other dogs, vehicles, people, and bikes, just to name a few.

Or children or adults can be injured by your roaming pooch if they approach them wrong and your dog does not like it, resulting in a snip or scratch.

As well, the leash could easily get wrapped around you or your dog’s legs, causing rope burns for either one of you. Or you could fall flat on your face.

The retractability of the leash is a safety concern. If you drop your leash, it may end up launching toward your dog, causing them to get hurt or run away to avoid it.

The locking mechanism can fail allowing your dog to run out on the street or into another dog/person/bike, etc.

Winner: Regular Leash

Training Comparison

Regular Leashes are great for training your dog to walk beside you and to discourage pulling.

Retractable leashes are pretty useless when trying to train out pulling.

A retractable leash basically encourages your dog to pull since that’s how they get more freedom (longer leash length).

Winner: Regular Leash

Flexibility Comparison

A regular leash will stay a 6-foot leash. It does not allow for a lot of independent exploration. Sniffing around by your pooch is kept to a small perimeter.

Retractable leashes are great for letting your dog explore the world around them while still being relatively controllable on a leash.

Retractable leashes are good for off-leash parks, large greenspaces, and backyards.

The locking button allows you to control the desired length of the leash so you can use it as a regular leash as required, such as in crowded streets.

Winner: Retractable Leash

Cleanliness Comparison

A regular leash allows you to wash a stinky leash.

A retractable leash does not.

Winner: Regular Leash 

Overall Winner

Without a doubt, the regular leash wins!

It’s no secret that I prefer the good ol’ regular leash for walking dogs. It allows for more control over your dog, making it much safer. Minimal risk of injury is also a bonus in my books.

Perhaps the number one reason that I prefer a regular leash over a retractable leash is that there is much less chance that your dog will end up in traffic.

Story Time: I walk a little Yorkie on a retractable leash a few days a week and he’s probably all of 7 pounds soaking wet. When we are walking, I am very aware all the time of cars, other dogs, people, bikes, you name it.

Whenever a potential danger is near, I retract his leash and he walks beside me until we have passed.

That being said, when we get to a park or grassy area, it is nice to let him roam around on an extended amount of leash.

It’s also important to note that he’s not going to pull my shoulder out if he pulls on the leash. I would never walk a medium to large dog on a retractable leash, there is just too much pulling and danger for lunging. This could lead to injury for both me and the pooch.

To sum up, I think retractable leashes do have their place to some extent, but overall, if I want to give my dog freedom while still being on a leash, I would choose a long line over a retractable leash.

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