How to Make a Heavy Duty Dog Leads/Leashes

Dog leashes & leads cost way too much. I refuse to pay up $20 for a leash, even if it is a leather leash. Whether you are a proud parent of a heavy weight, power breed, or lap dog, it will take less than $8 to construct and customize your very own dog lead. All the materials you need can be purchased at Home Depot, or any other local hardware store. I have a pit bull that weighs around 65 lbs. I use to hate buying those $13 nylon leashes at Petco & Petsmart, because of how easy it was for my pit bull to destroy it after he chewed the leash for only about a minute. This article will show you how to make your own dog leash/leads. I am just laying down the basic construction; you can apply your own creativity to make it specially designed for the needs of you and your dog. Here's how to Make Heavy Duty Dog Leashes/Leads....

Things You'll Need

• Bull Snap
• Rope
• 2 Rope Clamps
• Hammer

Instructions

1. 

   Home Depot, Lowes, Ace, or any other local hardware store should have all the supplies you need to construct your heavy duty lead. You can buy any type of rope you prefer, just remember to buy rope clamps that match the diameter of the rope. Feel the different types of rope and question the strength and durability. I wouldn't use rope made of natural fibers because of uncomfortable grip, and my dog tends to think it is a chew toy rather than a dog lead. I like using Poly Braided rope that is 5/8" inch thick. Keep in mind, the thicker, the heavier the dog lead will be, depending on the type of material the rope is. Marine rope would be good to use or Kevlar rope, but poly braided rope is probably the best choice because of its satisfactory strength and low price. Next item on the shopping list would be a Bull Snap. Bull snaps are around $1-$2. One alternative would be to purchase a heavy duty ring that can fit the diameter of the rope, rather than a bull snap, to make a choke lead. Last item would be 2 5/8"inch rope clamps. If you don't already have a hammer you can buy that too.
   Now that you got your materials it is time to get busy.

2. 

   Push the rope through the swivel of the Bull Snap and clamp the end of the rope to the remainder of the rope. Use a hammer to securely clamp the rope clamps shut. I hammer mine in real good because I wouldn't want to risk having my pit bull on the loose because the clamps were not on tight. Notice the images I posted, this is how it should look.

3. 

   Now make the handle. Decide how big you want the handle to be. I suggest the handle should be big enough for your hand to fit through it easily (Now would be the time to cut the rope shorter if you purchased a long rope).
   Clamp the very end of the rope in with the rest of the rope according to how big you want the handle to be. Then Hammer it the clamp down tight and secure (refer to the image).

   There you have it. A cheap and simple way to make a heavy duty dog Lead.

Tips & Warnings

• There aren't many different colors of Poly Braided rope, so if you want to get fancy, search the internet for sources to purchase different colored Poly Braided rope. (Let me know if you find any cheap sites)

• You can buy rubber that shrinks when heated to place over the clamps, if you don't like how the clamps look.

• Experiment and use your creativity to make your own unique dog lead.