Martingale leashes

Question
We have been thinking of buying a Martingale leash for our 13 lb 10 year old Maltese. We have a retractable leash that is not working out very well, because while in the car he gets his legs twisted in it. The retractable is great for walks with him, but taking him to the vet or the groomers can be a real adventure. Will the smallest Martingale leash be too big for him or will he fit comfortably? I don't want to purchase it if it doesn't fit properly. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Gary, I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about. I've never heard of a martingale >leash< before. I am familiar with martingale >collars<, which are a type of collar that has a limited slip feature, and works well for training some dogs. I am not familiar with a martingale leash, though.

For the car, you can buy him a special harness that hooks to the seat belt and will keep him safe in the event of a crash, or put him in a crate, or let him remain loose in the back seat without having a leash on.

For trips to the vet or groomer's, why don't you just get a 6ft leather or nylon leash to use?