Everyone who lives in Hawai’i knows that Hawaiian residents are notorious for off-leashing their dogs. There are certain truths every dog owner needs to admit, whether you want to or not.
Firstly, not all dogs have the obedience capacity to roam off leash. No matter what people want to believe, animals are animals at the end of the day and you cannot *ever* predict what is going to trigger an animal and set them off. Oh hi, pitt bull that attacked an 8 year old boy in 2024 and everyone in Hawai’i was shook, even though it’s no secret that pitties have a clamp-like bite they do not release. Not to mention that they’re a generally large breed with a body made of pure muscle. Oh hi, Hawaiian hunting dogs that freely roam Hawai’i’s hiking trails. Oh hi, all six times both my dog and I got charged and/or attacked by other people’s dogs roaming off leash. I could have a lot of money right now if I pressed charges.
Secondly, not everywhere is going to allow off-leash dogs. Point blank period.
Thirdly, a good chunk of us live in urban Honolulu, or suburban neighborhoods where our dogs can and do get hit by cars if they are permitted to roam off leash.
Finally, dogs do attack other dogs and mate with other dogs when free to do so. As I mentioned, we have been charged by or Nalu has been attacked by other dogs that are off leash in public. And it is scary AF. Not only will an off-leash dog attack your dog, but they will attack YOU if you try to pick up your dog to protect it. People think off-leashing your dog is a joke. Well it’s not gonna be a joke when you get sued and when your dog is put down because YOU, THE OWNER, WERE IRRESPONSIBLE. It’s not the dog’s fault– it is your negligence/ stubbornness that causes problems. Keep insisting that “nothing will ever happen”…
On a more light-hearted note, maybe you’re about to vacation in Hawai’i, and you want to bring your dog. Or you have a service dog that must go with you everywhere. Maybe you’re about to get stationed here or move here for whatever reason. When it comes to picking or bringing the ideal leash situation to Hawai’i, the following points have been taken into consideration:
~ .It could potentially rain here almost every single day year round.
~ We love the beach and the ocean; and if your doggo loves the water, too, you’ll want a leash and collar system that is hybrid for land/water/mud/rain. Leather is out. Nylon is out.
~ Many of us are apartment dwellers; or maybe you have friends or clients who live in apartments. Some apartments have rules that in communal areas, the dog must be on a 4-foot leash, and no longer.
~ Maybe your dog is an aggressive chewer, like mine, and you can bet s/he is going to chew through most leashes you buy.
~ It also gets pretty hot here and lemme tell you– the water/sun/ saltwater/ sand combo will dry out that nylon leash/collar and turn it into dust eventually.
~ Maybe your dog has some leash reactivity and you know you need a durable, strong leash.
As Nalzballz was growing up, I tried a lot of leash options. And here’s what ultimately won out for Hawai’i/ tropical/ beach-lover/ apartment-dweller/ aggressive chewer / big-dog-energy baby boy who pulls on his leash lifestyle.
#1: Made To Roam Premium Explorer Leash This is our ultimate winner. We started off with a 6-foot version that lasted us 2 years before he chewed through the rope to a point that made me nervous. I ended up tying a big knot two feet in so I could reign him in closer. When I re-purchased, we went with the 4 foot.
Make sure you choose the “premium explorer” option, because they do sell another that doesn’t have the autolocking aviation-style carabiner, and looks like a plain, straight-edged carabiner. That double-lock feature is key, because I have had regular leashes pop open on us, which releases the dog to free range. This happened once on a walk while playing with a neighbor’s dog, and again at the beach (nothing is worse than your lightning-speed griff puppy sprinting down the beach, LOL).
#2: Roam Gear 6ft leash with handle If you want to give the dog a little more space to roam but maintain control when needed, I like this leash I found from Amazon. I can’t guarantee that it’s made with the same durability as the Made To Roam climbing rope, but chances are high it will get the job done. I like that it has a handle, unlike Made to Roam’s style.
#3 a long line Every dog owner needs to do some long line training at some point, to train your dog to be obedient no matter how short or long the leash; and at the dog park. These also help if you bring your dog to social gatherings and you need to tie them up around a tree. Another option to tie up your dog in public, around a tree or fence, is to bring a second standard leash just for the tie-up, loop that around the tree/fence, then hook their usual walking leash to the tie-up.
We started out with a cord-style long line that floated in the water because Nalu really likes to run at the beach and I wanted to give him some freedom without being off-leashed. 3 years later, that cord is worn from sun and saltwater. So if I had a do-over, I would choose the long line linked above, and just stop him from chewing on it. We also used the long line a lot at the beach because I wanted to go in the water and stay in the water, and Nalu didn’t always want to stay in. He would then proceed to abandon ship, jump off his boogie board, and swim himself to shore, LOL. Which means I need a long line unless I wanted to go back in after him.
#3.5: A rubbery-style of leash, in a 4-6 foot variety, is also a good waterproof leash for walking if your dog is a dog who doesn’t chew on their leash. I used to walk dogs professionally; and this is a very ideal waterproof material. Since Nalu chewed on ours, we now use it exclusively as his bath leash. (yepp you read that correctly– I leash Nalu up to give him baths and it has transformed him into a bath angel. Our bath takes 10 easy minutes).
#4: the slip leash. This is another one many dog owners don’t realize comes in handy when your dog goes naked at home most of the time; and you just want to quickly slip on a leash, have a potty break, and go back inside. Or if they are naked at home and a visitor rings the doorbell. We have been using this one his whole life; but honest feedback– he chewed up the leather bits. It still works though. To put this on, loop it around their neck, making sure that with a tight enough tension, two or three fingers still fit between their neck and the leash.
A word of caution– if your dog tries to pull on the slip collar leash, it can/will lightweight strangle them and in our case, cause a coughing fit. If your dog has a flat face, or any measure of leash reactivity, use this all-in-one leash-harness over the collar-style.
So that’s it!
puppy & paradise 