Key Points
Dogs provide social interaction and motivation for physical activity.
The strong bond with dogs provides many dog owners with feelings of happiness.
Leash training is the foundation for a lifetime of enjoyable dog walking.
A dog leash is essential equipment for safe walks.
This personal review looks at the Mendota Dog Walker martingale leash and collar combo.
Dogs are huge motivators for human physical activity. A British research team of Dr. Carri Westgarth et al reports, "Dog owners are more physically active than people without dogs."
The stronger the dog-owner relationship, the more walking dogs and owners do together. The reverse is also true. The more you walk with your dog, the stronger the bond becomes with your four-legged friend.
Dogs provide complex social interaction and often become a type of "significant other" for their owners. This strong bond is a powerful motivator for behavior that is good for human health, including walking together.
Walking on Sunshine
Walking your dog can quite literally make you feel happy. Leash training is the foundation for a lifetime of safe, enjoyable walks with your dog. That said, the humble dog leash is essential equipment for all dog owners.
I adopt, care for, and foster numerous dogs from a wide variety of backgrounds. Recent shell-shocked shelter pups, street-tough dogs rescued from the cruelty corridor, and very strong, athletic semi-feral farm dogs all deserve a second chance.
Each one has a common need for a reliable, no-nonsense, and user-friendly leash. For the absolute best leash that meets the diverse needs of all dogs and their owners, the Mendota Dog Walker martingale-style leash is a top choice.
User Friendly
The Mendota Dog Walker combination martingale collar and leash is simple to get on and off dogs, even if they're afraid. This leash is reliable so a dog can't slip out of their collar.
The martingale collar humanely and organically rewards each dog for walking on a loose leash.
Especially when working with a scared or defensive rescue animal, I need a leash that has a wide opening that goes easily around the dog's neck. A leash that slips over a dog's head without requiring buckling or even touching their face is extremely helpful when meeting a new dog.
Ease of use is important to me for daily training and walking with my already-educated dogs. I need a leash that is simple to get on and off multiple times during adventures and training sessions.
The Mendota Dog Walker leash is pliable and soft. It fits easily in a pocket or comfortably over my shoulders, making it accessible at a moment's notice.
Reliable
A martingale ensures no dog can take flight by slipping out of their collar. With a traditional dog collar, dogs can escape the collar by pulling their head backyard out of it. This is even easier for puppies and narrow-headed dogs.
The Mendota Dog Walker is adjustable by sliding the leather stop up or down the leash to choose which size head opening works best. The martingale-style collar tightens when the dog pulls back, making escape impossible.
The martingale collar features two loops that form a single loop on your dog's neck, making it safer for the dog than a slip lead. The martingale-style leash tightens against the dog's neck by using two lengths of extra rope. This way the collar tightens with a center lift against itself.
The properly-fitted Dog Walker doesn't choke dogs. Due to their design, martingale collars have a maximum tightness that makes them a safe and humane way to control dogs.
If a dog reacts suddenly, the martingale-style collar prevents them from accidentally slipping out of their collar, preventing the heartache of a fearful dog running loose. The reliability of a no-slip collar is great for walking any dog in a new environment or to face the unexpected excitement of a passing cat or squirrel.
Rewards Loose Leash Walking
If a dog suddenly pulls on the Mendota Dog Walker, the martingale collar tightens. As soon as the dog continues walking with a loose leash, the martingale immediately releases pressure, reinforcing calm behavior. The collar stays loose while the dog is walking calmly but tightens if the dog pulls.
Unlike some other collars, the Mendota Dog Walker has a fixed stopping point and can't close too tightly. Adjust the martingale collar to the size of your dog's neck to prevent it from continuing to tighten the harder your dog pulls, as happens with dangerous choke chains.
The martingale's larger loop closes with just enough pressure to encourage your dog to stop pulling without posing a choking risk.
The Mendota Dog Walker has helped me teach numerous dogs to walk calmly on a loose leash. It is also the best everyday tool for allowing dogs to "go on sniffari" by using their noses on our adventures together.
Walking together becomes mutually reinforcing because it is enjoyable for both of you. Your serene stroll doesn't become a tough tug-of-war.
The martingale design rewards loose leash walking by automatically releasing pressure when the dog is not pulling.
Sizing
The Mendota's comfortably wide neckband comes in two sizes to fit a variety of dogs. The large leash is 1/2" wide and fits neck sizes from 18 to 28" for dogs over 50 pounds. The small collar is 3/8" wide and fits neck sizes from 12 to 18" for dogs under 50 pounds. Both sizes are available in four or six-foot lengths.
The wider collar is the best option for most dogs. The wider width more evenly distributes tension around the collar area and provides a more comfortable feel for the dog. For much smaller dogs, the narrower width works well.
Custom options are available with different hardware choices, leather colors, lengths, and collar sizes that the folks at Mendota are happy to discuss. I select custom Dog Walkers based on the neck size of each of my dogs, and the Mendota company is very helpful with the customization and ordering process.
Excellent Quality and Longevity
The Mendota Dog Walker leash is made with durable long-lasting multi-filament rope. Even brand new, the leash has a great touch in your hands that is soft and pliable, making it feel broken in right away.
The leashes come in a selection of vibrant solid and variegated colors. The Mendota leashes are machine washable and easily line-dried.
Handmade in the USA, the Mendota company offers customers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.
A couple of my Mendota Dog Walker leashes (pictured) are almost 20 years old. Even with heavy daily use in the extreme Texas weather, these leashes maintain their vibrant purple and blue colors, are still soft, and the metallic hardware and oil-tanned leather are still in perfect condition with no fraying in the polypropylene rope.
Generational Wealth
The all-in-one leash and collar make the Mendota Dog Walker simple to use in a variety of training applications, from everyday walks with steady senior citizens to first-time encounters with a new rescue. These quality leashes are passed down to each successive generation of dogs.
The New York Times reported in January 2023 that some dog walkers earn over $100,000 a year. For a lifetime of priceless, mutually enjoyable walks with all types of pups, the Mendota Dog Walker martingale leash and collar combo is a sure bet.
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