Best starter leash for Rottweiler puppy

A 3-month-old Rottweiler with young children in the house — that's exactly the kind of setup where getting the leash right from the start really matters. Rottweilers grow fast and get strong quickly, so habits you build now will either help you or work against you by the time they're six months old. Leash choice matters more than most people think — length, material, and attachment type all shape how walking and training go. Can you tell me a bit more: how big is your pup right now, what are you mainly using the leash for at this stage, and are there any specific concerns — like one of the kids wanting to hold it sometimes?

That's the right thing to be thinking about now, honestly — a Rottweiler who's learned to pull at 12kg is going to be a real problem at 40kg. At this age the priority is a leash that gives you confident control without being harsh on him, and that an adult can quickly take back from a child if needed. What's the surface like on your walks — pavement mostly, or do you do any off-lead grass areas too?

Good call keeping him on-lead for now. For your situation I'd go with the Ruffwear Knot-a-Leash — it's a 1.5m rope leash with a padded handle and a secondary loop handle lower down near the clip. That lower handle is the key feature for you: if he starts to surge forward or you need to bring him in close fast — say, another dog approaches or a child stumbles — you grab the lower loop and you've got him. The rope construction has just enough give to absorb a sudden lunge without pulling you off balance, and the main handle is comfortable enough that your 9-year-old can hold it on a calm stretch without it cutting into their hand. It's not a long training line — it's a structured daily-walk leash that also supports loose-lead work, which is exactly where you are right now. It clips to a flat collar or a front-clip harness, and I'd suggest pairing it with a front-clip harness as he gets heavier, which redirects pulling naturally without any discomfort.

At 3 months, a flat collar is fine for now as long as he's not pulling hard yet. But I'd get a front-clip harness fitted soon — within the next few weeks — because Rottweilers build neck muscle quickly and a collar stops being a safe primary attachment point once they're pulling with real weight behind it. A front-clip harness steers rather than stops, which makes loose-lead training much more effective and keeps the pressure off his throat. The Ruffwear leash works well with both, so you're not locked into one setup.

Good luck with him — the fact that you're thinking about this at 3 months puts you well ahead. Get the habits in early, keep the walks short and rewarding for now, and that double handle will earn its keep more than once. He'll be a pleasure to walk if you build this right.