In Honor of Duco K9 Loop Leash: One Leash, Zero Excuses, Built for Real Work

Tactical Training with a K9 Partner: The In Honor of Duco™ K9 Loop Leash stands as a testament to this partnership, showcasing not only its strength and reliability but also its critical role in ensuring the safety and success of both the operative and their canine companion in the field. Together, they exemplify the essence of teamwork, resilience, and dedication to duty in the pursuit of excellence.

Gear That Fails Gets People Hurt

And it gets dogs hurt first

I’ve watched “good enough” gear fail at the worst possible time. The kind of gear that looks great in a photo, feels fine in your hand, then turns into a liability the moment you add stress, movement, and a dog that’s doing real work.

That’s why we at War HOGG Tactical built the In Honor of Duco™ K9 Loop Leash.

Not as another nylon accessory. Not as a “tactical” gimmick. As a piece of kit born out of necessity, developed on the battlefield of Afghanistan and made in the USA, because when you’re a handler, you don’t get to pretend equipment problems are minor.

And yes, it’s designed for working dogs and handlers who live this life… but it also solves problems for the everyday dog owner who wants a leash that doesn’t fight them.

Duco Wasn’t a Mascot

He was a Combat Assault Dog, and family

Duco was a Dutch Shepherd who served the US Army Special Operations from 2012–2017 during Operation Enduring Freedom alongside me in Afghanistan.

In retirement, he was diagnosed with aggressive bone cancer. We fought, hard. Donations helped provide specialized veterinary care, including amputation and chemotherapy, and he made it back home to our family for more time.

But the cancer returned. Duco passed away on July 5, 2021.

If you’ve ever been a handler, you already understand what I’m about to say: when a dog gives you years of loyalty and service, you don’t let their legacy end with a social media post.

You build something that keeps doing work and keeping their name alive!

The Mission Behind “In Honor of Duco”

No handler should face a medical decision based on money

The In Honor of Duco Project exists because there’s no “Doggie VA.” These dogs serve in harsh, dangerous conditions, then often need specialized medical care after discharge, care that can break a family financially.

So I partnered with Scott’s Wish with a simple mission: ensure no SOF K9 handler has to make a medical decision about their partner in retirement based on finances.

That mission is bigger than any one product. But products can help carry that message, start conversations, and keep people paying attention to the dogs who protected America’s sons and daughters.

Why a K9 Loop Leash

Because standard leashes don’t cover real-world needs

A normal leash is fine, until it isn’t.

Handlers and serious dog people run into the same set of problems over and over:

• You need hands-free control at times (movement, range work, training, daily life).

• You need quick, positive control without fumbling for a tiny tab or a handle you can’t find with gloves or wet hands.

• You want gear that doesn’t snag, bounce, clank, or become “extra noise” when you’re moving.

• You need the ability to create a tie-down point when real life demands it.

The War HOGG loop leash was built to fill those gaps, because those gaps show up when you’re actually doing work.

The War HOGG Gear Standard

Developed in Afghanistan. Built in the USA. Designed by handlers.

I’m not interested in gear that “might” hold up. This leash was developed in Afghanistan, then built here in the United States.

War HOGG describes it the way it was intended: purpose-built for working dogs and the handlers who rely on them, with “confident control,” “rugged durability,” and “fast, snag-free handling” whether you’re on duty, on the range, or just doing the daily.

It was designed with input from real handlers, prioritizing retention and responsiveness. The loop is glove-friendly, easy to grab, and the hardware is kept low-profile to reduce bounce and noise.

In plain language: it’s built so you can focus on your dog and the job, not your leash.

Key Features That Matter

Simple, functional, and hard to screw up

Let’s talk about what makes this leash different in the ways that count:

Secure loop handle - Fast grab, high control, works with gloves and wet hands—because real life isn’t clean and dry.

Low-profile, mission-ready hardware - Hardware that stays tight, minimizes bounce/noise, and helps keep things snag-free when you’re moving.

Multi-role capability - Hands-free walking/running, quick control for travel, and a tie-down point when needed.

Built for duty, but not limited to duty - Civilian dog owners can use it daily; military and law enforcement can use it for training and operations.

And I’ll add this: Soldier Systems Daily nailed the “feel” of it, commenters noted it looks like gear designed by someone who works dogs, not something cobbled together by non-dog people with leftover nylon.

That’s the goal.

The “Improvised Lanyard” Advantage

Two hands on the gun when you need it, dog still attached

This is one of the biggest reasons the loop leash exists.

In my Safariland Cadre Dispatch article write-up on one-handed shooting with a canine, I talk specifically about the loop leash providing an improvised lanyard system, allowing the handler to go two-handed on the firearm if needed while still functioning as a standard leash for patrol, obedience work, and everyday use.

That matters for K9 officers and handlers because real environments don’t always give you ideal conditions. Sometimes you need control of the dog and full capability with your hands.

This leash helps bridge that gap in a simple, practical way.

Civilian Use Cases

Because “daily” still needs control

If you’re not in uniform, this leash still earns its spot.

Hands-free walking and running is the obvious win. The loop leash is built for exactly that, no gymnastics, no special harness system required to get value out of it.

It’s also strong for training days: fast correction, quick control when your dog is excited, and an easy way to manage your dog during travel, loading/unloading, vet visits, crowded environments, without feeling like your leash is working against you.

The point is simple: you don’t have to “need” a working-dog leash to appreciate a leash that behaves like one.

Working Dog Use Cases

Patrol, range days, obedience, perform on demand

If you’re a K9 handler, you already understand why gear selection matters.

War HOGG built this leash for “on duty” and “on the range” use, and it shows in the design priorities: retention, responsiveness, low-profile handling, and reduced bounce/noise.

Inside Safariland also ties the leash directly to training integration, getting dogs exposed to dry fire environments, managing positioning, and building the team bond while maintaining control and safety.

That’s what “perform on demand” actually looks like: preparation, consistency, and gear that doesn’t create new problems.

Specs and Details

Built simple, sized right, and ready to ship

Here are the hard details for the kit nerds (I’m one of you):

• 1 inch wide

• Approximately 58 inches long

• Color: Wolf Gray 

War HOGG also notes they’re a small business and ship as quickly as possible, and they use recycled shipping materials when they can.

And a real-world note: some leash tags may not always have the “In Honor of Duco” label depending on stock.

How You Can Help

Honor Duco. Protect the dogs still serving.

If Duco’s story hits you in the chest the way it should, don’t just feel it, do something with it.

The Duco Project exists to protect and extend the lives of these dogs after service through the partnership with Scott’s Wish, and the site lays out how to donate (including mail-in options) and emphasizes that the goal is returning dollars to the dogs, not overhead.

You don’t have to be a handler to help. You just have to care about the dogs who kept Americans alive.

Final Word

Train hard. Stay safe. Honor the dogs.

The In Honor of Duco™ K9 Loop Leash is simple gear with a serious purpose: confident control, hands-free capability when you need it, and durability built from real-world handler input, not marketing meetings.

Duco’s legacy deserves more than words. It deserves action, and it deserves tools that work - Rick and Duco 🐾🐾

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Rick Hogg is the owner and primary instructor of War HOGG Tactical, Inc., a North Carolina–based training company that travels nationwide delivering firearms and tactical instruction. A 29-year U.S. Army Special Operations combat veteran, SOF K9 handler, and former Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course (SFAUC) instructor, Rick applies decades of operational and instructional experience to a building-block training methodology focused on mastering the fundamentals of marksmanship and producing repeatable performance under stress.

War HOGG Tactical provides combat-proven firearms training, tactical training, and K9 training for law enforcement agencies, military units, and law-abiding citizens. Courses emphasize practical application, measurable improvement, and skills that hold up when it matters most.