I've had a lot of fun making leashes recently. But Dixie is a monster. She wants to run around constantly, go everywhere, and do everything. So I wanted to come up with a leash that would help me keep up with my ferocious little teddy bear.
I developed my "everything leash" based on our life in Lexington. Every Friday, I take Dixie to Law School Flag Football where they have beer and we occasionally bring wine. I can't have Dixie darting away to see her furends and pulling her leash that I happen to be holding in the same hand as my drink. Nobody likes a spilled drink.
She LOVES her furends and the W&L campus! The hands-free leash comes in handy when obsessively taking pictures too.
Dixie and I also go for a long walk on Sundays with two other dogs. One of the dogs is a black lab named Ace and Dixie will follow him everywhere and copy everything he does. This means I can usually let Dixie off leash and she and Ace will happily trot ahead sniffing all that can be sniffed. For longer walks or hikes, when I need to bring a backpack, I still like to have both hands free in case I trip, which happens quite often, but also want the leash to be longer so she can have a bit more freedom.
Pin It! The "Everything Leash" by Hello Darlings
The "everything leash" is my perfect solution! It can be worn around the waist, cross body, hooked to a purse or backpack, and, yeah, as a normal leash (boring). I also use it as a slip leash after Miss Dixie's bath while she's drying off and doesn't have a collar on. And as soon as the boyfriend lets me get another dog, I can use it as a double walker!
To make your own, you'll first need to decide how much rope to use.
Begin by measuring 4 to 6 feet (depending on how long you want your leash to be) plus 6 inches of rope and mark it with tape. Then measure how much rope you will need to go around your waist (in addition to the 4-6 ft & 6 ins), add two inches for comfort, and mark that with tape as well. Next, add 1 foot and mark it with tape. Finally add 6 more inches. This is where you will cut your rope. I've marked what each section of rope means on my leash below, except for the extra 6 inches on each end. That will be folded back under the clasps.
The tape marks you previously made are where the rings will go. Use industrial glue to connect the ring to the rope. I like to open the braid a bit and stick the ring in the middle of the braid. Next, use cotton rope (and more industrial glue) to secure the ring.
For the rest of the instructions, check out my original DIY Dog Leash post!
Happy DIY-ing!
