Retractable Leashes

Candycane · 03-08-2005, 11:24 PM

One of my biggest pet peeves is when dog owners (especially big dogs) do not train their dogs properly.

Today, we walked by a women with her full-size lab, about 90 lbs., and she had NO control. The dog was pulling so hard that she almost fell over. Meanwhile, Taz walked by and hardly noticed that there was a dog passing. Anyway...one of my other related pet peeves is people who use retractable leashes and do not have control of their dogs...or use it as an excuse to not train their dog to heel properly.

ANYWAY, we used to have a huge field that we would let Taz off leash to run. Now the field is houses and there is a cute path that runs between the back of our street and the new houses. Unfortunately, dogs have to be on-leash. Taz is very good off-leash and never misses a recall...but rules are rules. So, now I am considering a retractable leash. He already knows how to do an "okay" (aka free roam) on leash but the longest leash I have is his training leash and it's only 6 feet so he doesn't get much room to roam.

I think that a retractable leash will let him stretch his legs a bit and sniff around.

Who has retractable leashes? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Is there a brand that I should look for?

najiwench · 03-08-2005, 11:29 PM

i have one, for taking lucy for walks, we are in the process of teaching her to walk with us properly, and i love being able to give her some space, and work on commands without going fully off leash. plus, for times when she lags behind to poo or pee, and we don't notice, we don't yank her off balance

as for brands, i can't give any advice....we go for what is cheaper lol

Candycane · 03-08-2005, 11:40 PM

Thanks, Jami.

suzoo · 03-08-2005, 11:40 PM

I use Flexi brand.. the best in my opinion. They go by the weight on the dog.. you can get longer ones as well. Montana's is Flexi2 and Koko's is Flexi mini.. though Koko is rarely on leash except for the summer when she'll actually walk..
The advantage is more freedom but I've seen owners that have no control and their dog is walking 10 feet ahead of them on a busy street.. all it would take is a squirrel running across the street and the dog would run into traffic.. I only let them go way ahead if we're on a path or field.. You just have to use common sense is all.

Candycane · 03-08-2005, 11:43 PM

That's exactly what I'm talking about, Sue. There was another girl walking today with a little pekinese on a retractable. The dog came darting towards us and got right in Taz's face.

suzoo · 03-09-2005, 12:00 AM

I really like them but the owners need to learn how to use them.. That's the reason they get a bad rap.. They are great if used properly..

AmandaDi · 03-09-2005, 12:14 AM

I have a Flexi as well but I only use it when I put my service dog out to potty in the rain so she cant take off running through the whole yard. She is a water dog of course so the first time we didnt put her on the leash she found the nicest wet spot to roll in and then come inside. Haha, so no more of that!

I cant stand people that use them in public and leave them all the way out so the dog is way off yonder!

najiwench · 03-09-2005, 12:31 AM

i totally agree. we use ours on the shortest setting for the majority of the walk, to keep lucy used to staying right with us..then once we get closer to home, there is a nice big field, and we let it out so she can go out there and have her fun. it really is helping with her, since she is smart enough to figure out which situations she has to stay close and which she can run out...especially with her car chasing habit..she'll be nice and loose, but still on short leash, and try to go after the car...whoops! not a good idea for her! lol..quickly reminds her what is ok and what isn't!

Formula86 · 03-09-2005, 03:07 AM

i used to use them a lot when i had to take the dogs out to potty at the apt. now i have a yard.

but it IS nice to have them because you don't feel the pulling and all that when they sniff around. just make sure to do what i do - if you see a person coming or something, just get the dogs close by and press the "lock" button on the handle so they can't go up to people (or cars or other dogs, etc).

i like them though. make sure you get the ones that go by weight. also, i would totally get the one that is all flat leash and that doesn't have 6 feet of cord. with the cord ones, there is always 6 feet of cord out and you can't retract the whole thing. kind of sucks when you need them to be really close to you.

najiwench · 03-09-2005, 03:10 AM

LOL the lock..lucy has learned the sound of the click when it locks and unlocks..so she knows just when she can run around and when she has to stay close!