January 19, 2015

Boca's Big Day with her Lavien Leather Leash


In my fifteen years of dog ownership I've never had a leather leash, so I was happy to try out the Lavien six foot leash. We'd been using it for walks for several weeks, but Boca had a big day on Saturday and I thought we would make our rounds in style. The leash has a sturdy gold-tone clasp (I'd actually prefer silver as pictured in the link, but the gold is nice), strong stitching, and a hefty weight to it. One thing I really like about the leather is that it's comfortable to grip at any point, so even though six feet can feel a bit long in some settings, it's easy to shorten when needed.

 

We had such amazing weather this weekend - a lot of the snow has melted and Boca was happy to feel the grass on her paws again! We had a nice walk around the complex with Ruby before heading out for our errands: Boca had a vet appointment to have her eye checked - her right eye, the same one with a Florida spot, had been watery and squinty for a few days. I also planned to take her to try on some more durable dog boots - despite these sunny January days, we've still got months of snow, ice and salt ahead. 


Boca was so good at the vet's office - the staff love her and one of the techs also has a foster failure Potcake! We waited our turn and the vet thinks that Boca may have some allergies causing her eyes to be irritated. She examined Boca's eye, prescribed some ointment that I already had left over from Ruby's eye injury and Benadryl, and sent us on our way with no charge! She called it a "sanity visit" - I love my vet! In the picture above you can see the nice, padded handle on the Lavien leash. 


I thought Boca deserved a reward for being so well behaved, and since we were nearby a huge dog park, I decided we would go. Dog parks make me nervous in general and Ruby gets too overwhelmed so we go very rarely, but Boca has a much more laid back personality, and I also thought it was a good opportunity to see just how reliable that recall of hers is. 


We walked a little ways before I unclipped her leash, and I immediately called her back a few times to make sure she would come - did she ever! Each time, Boca turned and ran to me with a huge smile, and you can bet I had treats on hand to reward her (I know this a little bit of dog park no-no, but this place is enormous and we had plenty of space). I have our obedience class and our relationship of love and trust to thank for installing an awesome recall. Boca doesn't have the proclivity for tricks that Ruby does, but she knows the most important cue of all. I really enjoyed having some one-on-one time with my wonderful Potcake.

Disclaimer: I was provided a Lavien leather leash in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.  

13 comments:

  1. I hope Boca's eye is doing better! Luna and I definitely need to work on recall. Once the weather gets nicer, I'm going to find a few good spots to practice regularly. Love that leash. The padded handle looks amazing. Hope you are enjoying it!

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  2. I love to think of those tropical paws touching grass again!

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  3. That leash looks awesome! That's great your vet is so wonderful!! I hope Boca's eye feels better soon!

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  4. It just occurred to me that I have never had a leather leash either. I think it must feel quite special to hold.

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  5. Its funny, mom never did either. Lookin good
    Lily & Edward

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  6. That leash looks nice! I'm such a sucker for leather leashes. I use mine everywhere, even the beach. Paco Collars makes my favorite, and I need to get Olivia and Lincoln some.
    Your vet sounds great! I like our vet well enough, and he's very gentle with timid Pike, but it costs an arm and a leg just to walk through the door.

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  7. I love a good leather leash. Good weight and easy to clean.

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  8. What a nice leash! I wish Bain's recall was as great as Boca's, although he is getting better. Outside and inside are just fine, until he sees another dog or gets stuck on a strong scent.

    Hoping Boca's eye feels better =)

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    1. Boca lived with so many dogs (up to 100!) at the shelter in the Bahamas and they spent most of their time outdoors all together, so I think the novelty of other! dogs! isn't a thing for her. She knows where her next meal is coming from if she sticks with me :)

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  9. That dog park looks huge!!

    Do you know how big it is?

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    1. It was 120 acres and they recently reduced it to 80 which upset a lot of people. It is still plenty big!

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  10. I love Boca's harness and collar! And of course, would love to know more about it. How I wish there were a dog park near me for my hound dog to run free for awhile!

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    1. Hi Ruth - I apologize for the late reply, sometimes comments get missed in my inbox. Boca's harness is a Freedom Harness, they can be ordered from Amazon or direct from the inventor at http://freedomnopullharness.com/Dog-Freedom-No-Pull-Harness_c34.htm. The collar is from Etsy seller Woof Couture at https://www.etsy.com/shop/WoofCoutureInt.

      You've inspired me to do a post in the future about the Ginger Sisters' leash and collar ensembles!

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