Every season has its good points, but there's something particularly lovely about spring that seems to lift everyone's spirits. With the days getting longer, the weather turning milder, and a little colour coming back into the world, it's a welcome change for all of us.
If you're a dog owner, this is the perfect time to enjoy making your walks longer. You might even fancy finding some new routes to explore together, which is always fun for both you and your pooch.
As you'll likely be getting out for walks more often this springtime, it's worth considering the right dog walking gear. Here, we'll look at some essential kit every owner could use for safe and enjoyable adventures together this spring.
Our Favourite Eco-Friendly Dog Walking Gear for Spring
Having the right dog walking gear helps keep your pooch comfortable, protected, and ready for anything the springtime might bring.
Eco-Friendly Hands-Free Dog Leads
Thinking about specific gear, especially if you're planning longer walks or exploring new places this spring, an eco-friendly hands-free lead can be incredibly useful.
- Khaki Hands-Free Dog Lead, Made From Ocean Waste:
Take the Wildbarc hands-free lead, for instance, it's great whether you're walking up hills, tackling tricky paths, or just strolling around town. The belt part is comfy and easy to adjust to fit you properly.
This khaki hands-free dog lead comes with two handy D-rings, one clips securely onto the lead itself and the other is perfect for attaching things like a treat bag or poo bag holder – keeping your hands free while you're out and about.
What's really good is that it's made from strong, non-stretchy material called Econyl, which actually uses recycled fishing nets and other plastic waste, so it's eco-friendly too.
When you buy it, you get the adjustable belt and a double-ended lead together. The lead is 25mm wide and about 6.5 feet long. The belt adjusts quite a lot, fitting waists from around 890mm up to 1500mm.
- Woolly Wolf Adjustable & Hands-Free Dog Lead:
The Woolly Wolf adjustable and hands-free lead is also really useful, especially as spring often means changeable weather or different walking routes. You can wear it hands-free around your waist or cross-body, which is great when you need your hands free for things like opening gates or holding your coffee!
What's also practical about this lead is how adjustable it is. You can change the length quite easily depending on where you are or what you're doing. You can make it shorter, about 5.5 feet, perhaps for pavement walking, or extend it right out to nearly 10 feet when you want to give your pet a little more freedom to explore in an open space.
Woolly Wolf also focuses on being environmentally friendly, making the lead itself from recycled plastic bottles. On top of that, thinking about safety as the days get longer and you might be out later in the spring evenings, it includes bright 3M reflectors to help make you both more visible when it starts getting dark.
You can get it in three different designs: Terracotta Ripple, Colour Block, and Green Ripple.
- Handmade Black Leather Dog Lead:
If you appreciate classic style and quality craftsmanship for your springtime walks, then a beautiful leather lead like this one from Kintails might be just the ticket. It's a standard-type lead designed to be comfortable in your hand and comfortable for your pet too.
What makes it special is that each lead is carefully designed and handmade by Genesta in her Kintails studio right here in London, showing real attention to detail. It's made using vegetable-tanned leather, which is known for being very durable.
And for extra convenience on your walks, it features a handy metal D-ring near the handle. This is perfect for clipping on essential accessories or using it to hook the lead across your body when your dog is safely off exploring, keeping your hands free.
Compostable Dog Poo Bags, Unscented
Enjoying the brighter weather on springtime walks is wonderful. Of course, part of every walk involves the necessary task of poo pick-up. It’s part of being a responsible dog owner but are your bags always up to the job?
If you're fed up with those supposedly “compostable” bags that feel incredibly thin, stick together before you can even open one, or worse, split right when you're scooping, then listen up!
These unscented dog poo bags could be just what you need. They're designed to be sturdier – about 10-20% thicker than many standard bags. Plus, they are genuinely 100% compostable because they're made from non-genetically modified cornstarch.
Choosing these means you're helping to avoid adding more microplastics into the environment, and the Adios Plastic company also donates 1% of sales to to help clean up our oceans, which is brilliant.
Available in packs of 60 bags or 120 bags.
Eco-Friendly Dog Poo Bag Holders
- Cork Poo Bag Holder:
Of course, having quality poo bags is one thing, but you also need a handy way to carry them on your springtime walks. That's where a poo bag holder comes in, and this one from Ecolif3 is rather smart.
It's actually made from eco-friendly cork, which is awesome because cork is a 100% compostable material. Ecolif3 makes these holders right here in the UK, putting care into the quality since they're handmade locally.
Even better, it comes with a starting roll of biodegradable bags included, so you're ready to go straight away. It's got a handy hook clip so you can easily attach it to your lead, belt loop, or bag – meaning no more rummaging in pockets.
- Sea To Summit Poop Bag Holder:
Our Sea to Summit Poop Bag Holder is designed to make that clean-up job easy, and it looks pretty neat too. Bonus points – it's made using recycled plastic bottles!
You can easily attach it wherever suits you best using the simple plastic clip – hook it onto your belt, bag, or directly onto the lead.
The little Velcro strips on the back are a really neat idea. If you put it on your lead, these strips stop it from swinging about annoyingly while you walk. The top closes with a drawstring, keeping your roll of bags securely inside, even if you decide to pick up the pace for a run!
Eco-Friendly Dog Harnesses
- Sea To Summit Dog Harness, Recycled Materials:
If your springtime adventures involve getting out and exploring, maybe even near the coast, the Sea To Summit Dog Harness could be a great choice. Made by Woolly Wolf for your adventures together, this strong, eco-friendly harness allows for a really comfortable fit because it has five different points where you can adjust it.
Thinking about sustainability, the harness itself is made from a soft but very durable tubular webbing, sourced from recycled materials, making it a durable option that’s also kinder to the planet – perfect for different outdoor excursions.
Woolly Wolf, as we mentioned previously, is known for their focus on recycled dog gear, and if you like a coordinated look, you can even get the full matching Sea To Summit Dog collection to complete the set.
- Hardwearing Alpha 360 Harness:
Another great harness option, especially if you fancy adding a splash of colour to your springtime walks, is the Alpha 360 Harness in Deep Teal. It boasts a rather stylish blue and yellow design, making it look smart when you're out on your adventures together.
Getting a good, secure fit is made easy with the adjustable clips, and putting the harness on is nice and simple thanks to an easy-to-use front opening, which includes a helpful aluminium clip on the right shoulder.
For added safety during those longer spring evenings when it might start getting dark, it features 3M reflectors to help make your pooch more visible.
- Polar Night Harness:
If you're looking for another reliable harness option for your springtime adventures, perhaps one inspired by the atmosphere of Nordic nights, the Polar Night Harness is worth considering.
It's designed to be durable, ready for springtime adventures from hiking and exploring woodland trails to walks along the beach.
Portmeirion Dog Treat Pouch
Finally, let's talk about something essential for rewarding good behaviour, especially if you're doing some training on your lovely springtime walks – natural healthy treats!
Keeping them handy and dry can make all the difference, and the Portmeirion Treat Pouch is designed just for that and is super useful to complete your spring dog walking gear. This colourful little pouch is perfect for keeping your hands free while walking or training, ensuring your dog's favourite snacks stay dry and all in one place, whatever the spring weather throws at you.
It's expertly handcrafted in Wales using waterproof raincoat fabric, just like a proper coat, and has a waterproof ripstop lining inside, making it easy to wipe clean if it gets mucky.
Getting treats out is simple too, designed for easy one-handed access so you don't have to fumble around. It comes with a strap that you can adjust or take off completely, depending on how you want to carry it. There’s even a handy black mesh pocket specifically for holding poo bags, plus a separate front pocket which is great for keeping higher-value treats separate from everyday ones.
