My vote for the best dog leash to keep in the RV for camping is the Bags on Board retractable leash. A roll of bags tuck into a dispenser below the handle so you never have to worry about being caught without a bag when your dog surprises you.
There are three sizes, but I’ve only used the large one for dogs up to 110 lbs. That is plenty for my 65 lb dog who is easy to walk on a leash anyway, but is very frightened with fireworks and has tried to bolt on more than one occasion. The leash worked just fine even when using the brake to keep her from really taking off.
Store a leash in the RV that carries the bags for you
Retractable
Retractable leashes are perfect to allow a well-behaved dog ample freedom to explore on nature walks and at the beach. The Bags on Board leash is corded, except at that the last few feet where the latch is. Some believe that the corded is more dangerous than the belt leashes as they can cut or burn if wrapped around hands, fingers, or legs, and the dog moves suddenly. In these situations however, either type can cause serious injury so don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by believing the belt type is ‘safe’. If you don’t know your dog yet, or you know they are hard to handle on a leash, then a retractable isn’t a good choice and may provide enough room to hang yourself.
The length is 16’, but is easy to lock it down to a shorter length. For campgrounds, and parks, whether city, state, or national, I let the leash out 6’ or less and put the lock on to easily satisfy rules. Often in these situations however, I leave it on retractable because I’ve come to like the leash without slack, so I use the brake if she gets 4-5 feet away. I respect the fact that there are many who do not care for dogs for one reason or another so I’d rather keep her closer than 6’ when around others.
What’s interesting about the brake is that its use has actually trained my dog to slow down or come closer just by pressing the button. There is a slight click, and perhaps a slight tug too, that she’s picked up as a cue that she needs to rein herself in before it’s done for her. I’ve found myself relying on that as a technique to keep her close when we’re in store, like Petco, or at a crowded event. All I have to do is press the button and the click gets her to step closer to me.
Then it Stopped Working
Well wouldn’t you know it, after the 1-year warranty period expired, the leash started to get hung up while retracting. After jiggling with it a bit it would work, but it got worse and worse until it no longer worked and was stuck. So I tried others leashes, but was so spoiled by the Bags on Board leash, that I finally called the company to talk with them.
They were incredibly nice on the phone and offered to send a replacement to me, and asked me to send the broken one back so that they could examine it. I received the new one within days and happily sent the broken one in return. Customer service is easy when all is well, but it becomes outstanding when they rise above and beyond to stand by their product to make their customer happy. Well done.
So, I went out and bought two more Bags on Board retractable dog leashes. Now I have one at home, and one in the car. I keep the third leash permanently in our small RV so I don’t have to worry about packing it, or the bags, for trips. This arrangement has worked perfectly this past year.
Feels Sturdy in the Hand
The handle is smooth and feels well made. It appears large, but it’s easy and comfortable to keep my thumb on the brake even with my small hand. It’s apparent that this dog leash is designed to comfortably accommodate hands of all sizes.
Large Red Retractable Dog Leash
The bags are easy to place in the dispenser simply by unscrewing the end cap and sliding the new roll in. The replacement bags are wrapped around a plastic tube, or spool, similar to a toilet paper roll and the tube from the empty roll needs to be discarded first. At the bottom of the dispenser is a raised point that fits into the roll end as you drop the bag roll in. The cap is cleverly attached to the dispenser in a way that doesn’t interfere with turning the cap, but prevents the cap from getting lost. When the new roll is in, just screw the cap back on and the matching raised point on the inside of the cap fits into the other end of the bag roll. This design allows you to turn the roll to get a new bag out without any moving parts to break.
Open Dispenser to Replace Bag Roll
The bags themselves are ample size to put your hand into it and then pick up the dog poop. There’s room leftover to slide the top of the bag back down and around the waste and still room to tie it off. This is really easier and even cleaner than using a pooper scooper.
Be Safe
The cord is pretty thick and has a nylon belt of around 2 feet attached to the end. This prevents the leash from being fully retracted and also means that if it gets wrapped around your pets neck, it should mostly be the belt and not the cord. The manufacturer explains some good safety tips that you should read and not just take for granted. Like I’ve mentioned, my dog is awesome on a leash so I don’t really think about some things that can happen. Like if your dog bolts and the leash comes off and starts retracting back fast, then hit the brake or even drop it if necessary. Don’t keep it around your face because if it comes snapping back, the latch can hit you hard.
Also, like with any rope or strap, be constantly aware of not letting it wrap loosely around your fingers, hands, arms, legs, or anything that you can’t afford to lose if all of a sudden the rope got pulled taunt. This point is huge and was really driven home for me during a rescue of sorts out on a lake in a boat. I was wrapping the rope around a pole on the boat when all of a sudden the slack went out of the rope. It happened so quickly and with such force that I had no time to react. Even though the rope was not wrapped around my fingers, they were between the rope and it’s other end where the slack was suddenly taken up. My fingers almost were caught up in that rope, and I’m convinced that I could have lost one or two if they had been. I don’t think that the rope was pulled tight suddenly, but still when the slack was taken up, the force where it snaps tight is hard to believe.
A Responsible Dog Owner
One of the reasons to use an RV to travel is the ability to bring the animals along. What fun is a vacation if they’re not with you? It’s easy to do the right thing and pick up after your dog if you’re always prepared with Bags On Board.
Our fury friends can leave a lot of danger behind by way of Roundworms, E. Coli, and Giardia, just to name a few. It’s vital that pet waste be properly disposed so we don’t risk the health of innocent kids, or people walking barefoot on the beach, with potentially devastating diseases.
It goes without saying too, that the more responsible all pets owners are, the more places our pets are welcome. Why not always carry poop bags? Get a Bags On Board retractable dog leash and keep it on board your RV for your convenience.
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