any gift suggestions for a womans 54th birthday

Hi there. Well, if you're thinking about dog leashes, you're looking at some pretty nice ones here on the Mendota listing. Okay, here goes. I'm 60. And for a number of years I've been saying "don't get me more Me Stuff, just get me something that I can use with my dogs." Because, that's where our happy time is happening. Things that keep us all active and spending time together. Friends gave me a bunch of different color slip leads by this company years ago. Yes, I do coordinate the lead colors with the jeans and dog T-Shirt of the day. It's fun. Sort of silly. But I use these leads every day, not just for my pups, but doing dog walking at the shelters and in rescue work. That's why, these many years later, I now sell Mendota dog tack. I love this company's products and their quality. Maybe a fun Dog Mom T-shirt with a Lead to match? Happy shopping!

what size lead would a Beagle use?

The leads come in different lengths and all that does is determine how much farther away from you the dog can go. If you are obedience training and want to keep the dog close by your side so that he is more responsive to commands, get the 4 foot one. It all depends on how big your beagle is too. If it's a puppy, then 4 feet is plenty. If he is full-grown and is a larger beagle, you may want the 6 foot one. I have a redbone coonhound that weighs about 60 pounds and I use the 6 foot one for her.

What size would I get for a 50lb Australian shepherd?

My dog is 48 lbs. the size depends on several factors. Are you training dog? or walking? If you're training you may want 4 ft. so the dog is closer to you, not walking in front of you. If you're casually walking your dog with no problems then longer may be okay. Personally, I only use 4 ft leads. I use 2 leads. lead 1 wraps around my dog as a muzzle then 2nd around her neck for walking & training purposes. 2nd lead around neck is double protection as she's very strong, and is still training to walk without incident towards other dogs. :) these are the best leads I've ever found. Worth every penny!

Is this slip lead "slippery" enough to immediately loosen after a correction tug? I know choke chains do immediately loosen after a corrective tug.

First of all, I'm not a fan of corrective tugs, but that a conversation for another day. If you tend to tug, this isn't probably the best tool for you(r dog). The material, while not cotton, is cotton-like and thus it doesn't release quite as quickly as leather or metal would. That's not to say it's not a good leash--it-is--but if you're looking for a way to "pop" (a euphemism I despite) the collar, I guess I'd try for leather as a middle ground between rope (too sticky) and metal (too harsh and prone to damage your dog). MOST of all, LOTS of positive training for what you WANT (for example, walking close to you, paying some degree of attention to you) rather than punishing what you don't, is the key. Good luck!