Retractable Leads - A Menace ?

[DakotaJ]

Just want to share two experiences .

Two times in the last two months I have had dogs being walked on retractable leashes lunge and break the leashes and run over to my dog, not to attack but to play. Still this happened at a busy park (same place both times). Once the dog was a Border Collie, the second was a small sized cross breed. We were not close to these dogs and ours was well under control. The young lady walking the BC completely panicked so we had to hold our dog still and help her catch hers. Then she had a great deal of trouble getting him away without a lead. The other was with a man who grabbed him and picked him up - after chasing him round in circles.

My lesson from that is never use retractable leads, these were small dogs and it didn't take much effort for them to snap the leads. Luckily the dogs weren't aggressive. I would not want to have had the same experience if the dogs were aggressive as once the lead is broken all possibility of control is lost.

Has anyone else has this sort of experience with dogs on retractable leads - personally I think they are a menace and should be banned

[SwaY]

Has anyone else has this sort of experience with dogs on retractable leads - personally I think they are a menace and should be banned

+1

[huga]

Yep. Often the people attached to the end of them are in fairy land. I think people often see them as a solution to dogs that pull on lead.

[LisaCC]

Yep. Often the people attached to the end of them are in fairy land. I think people often see them as a solution to dogs that pull on lead.

My uncle bought one for his Australian Bulldog (over 35kg of muscle!) and when I told him that he could easily snap the cord he said it's the only lead that "helps" with the pulling.

Oh.. yea it snapped.

Edited March 27, 2013 by LisaCC

[dragonwoman]

Just want to share two experiences .

Two times in the last two months I have had dogs being walked on retractable leashes lunge and break the leashes and run over to my dog, not to attack but to play. Still this happened at a busy park (same place both times). Once the dog was a Border Collie, the second was a small sized cross breed. We were not close to these dogs and ours was well under control. The young lady walking the BC completely panicked so we had to hold our dog still and help her catch hers. Then she had a great deal of trouble getting him away without a lead. The other was with a man who grabbed him and picked him up - after chasing him round in circles.

My lesson from that is never use retractable leads, these were small dogs and it didn't take much effort for them to snap the leads. Luckily the dogs weren't aggressive. I would not want to have had the same experience if the dogs were aggressive as once the lead is broken all possibility of control is lost.

Has anyone else has this sort of experience with dogs on retractable leads - personally I think they are a menace and should be banned

Ought to be banned!!!

[tdierikx]

I'm not a fan of retractable leads... seems that most of the people who use them really have no clue and don't pay enough attention to what their dog is actually doing.

T.

[Rebanne]

I have one and it's great. 50 kilo breaking strain. Of course you have to use common sense when using it, something that is sometimes in short supply. Don't blame a tool for it's misuse, blame the idiot using it wrongly.

[Cavstar]

I use a retractable lead but only ever down the beach. Most of the dogs down there are off lead anyway.

I'm never off in "fairyland" when I'm using it & if I see a dog approaching on lead or a small child that my dog might be tempted to jump on I lock it in place so its restricted.

I haven't had any problems with mine snapping. I only have a small cavalier though. I would definately not use one on a large breed dog as I could see it happening easily.

[SwaY]

Don't blame a tool for it's misuse, blame the idiot using it wrongly.

The tool is also often to blame - poor quality.

[Sandra777]

I have three - only use one at a time :D - great in the right place and if the right quality. Paid an awful lot of money for my best one, which has showed no sign of slipping, breaking or doing anything it shouldn't when attached to my 3 year old boy who can weight pull more than 27 times his own body weight. Never EVER used on the street or where it's likely to meet loose dogs though!

Agree that they are often used by people who have no clue about dogs.

[Crisovar]

I have several, very good quality & strongly constructed, never had one break. I wouldn't/buy or use a cheap shoddy one from the discount store or supermarket.

Idiots are every where and so are cheap & nasty pet accessories. Don't stop with banning the retractable leads, Ban elastic collars on small dogs, long lines (great for taking out the unsuspecting persons legs in the dog park or beach) cheap snap collars, we wont have anything left except the idiots.

[Tassie]

Another one here who dislikes them. Hav seen a situation where a dog wearing a fine retractable was on one side of a walkway out of a building (used by lots of older people) while the owner was behind the building on the other side of the walkway, completely oblivious - major trip hazard - accident waiting to happen - right next to disabled parking spots.

And where on lead dogs are interacting, they are also a potential hazard for tangling dogs' legs.

Rebanne - I hear what you're saying - but you are definitely not the average dog owner :laugh: .

Personally I don't like them as the handles are so bulky - I don't feel I have the same feedback between me and the dog(s).

In Tasmania, if you're walking on the streets, the maximum lead length is 2 metres anyway, so nothing to be gained. For long line use, I'd rather just use a long line.

[hankdog]

I have one that I use for practicing stays when out, he's reactive so can't practice off leash. It was expensive and said 50kg breaking strain so I've just trusted it. I think they have their uses but not for pretending to be on leash. I like the idea of a set leash length but like most rules will only be as good as its policing

Edited March 27, 2013 by hankdog

[Salukifan]

A menace? Depends on who's on the end of them.

Poor quality retractables are certainly not great. They snap.

Otherwise, provided those using them exercise some common sense, I think they can be great for giving dogs a bit more freedom if free running isn't an option. Certainly not for use in populated places and for those with poor observation skills or reaction times. In an offleash park or under the control of children - never IMO.

However, as a very thoughtful trainer pointed out, they only work if the dog is prepared to PULL on the lead. For those who have spent time training their dogs NOT to pull they are counter productive.

i have some but they get used once in a blue moon. They have tape, not cord, inside

Edited March 27, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[persephone]

I still have my original old green retractable FLEXI_LEASH ..used for around 25 years .... with labs ..... ratbag Koolies, and a PIG or two :)

and still going strong .

There are so many cheap and shoddy ones to be sourced now.

The users of these mostly have no idea of how to train their dog to use one the best way .... and owners let dogs roam and pull.

Not the retractable lead at fault at all.... just another example of dog owners not understanding their dog and how to use training tools

Edited March 27, 2013 by persephone

[Katdogs]

I vote DOLers be allowed to use them, but nobody else.

I won't because I get tangled in normal leads let alone a long long thin one

[Staffyluv]

I have one here that I used to use with Ollie (stafford) but wouldn't consider using it on Ziggy.

Ollie wasn't a puller and was happy to have extra lead and be wound in when it was needed.

Zig would be a nightmare (although I am confident that the lead would hold and not break as it was expensive and has a 50kg limit).

There are crap ones out there but it is the same as anything - they will be OK and work for some and not others.

[RallyValley]

I have one, I can count on one hand the times I have used it. It's a top quality tape one purchased specifically for when I travel and need to toilet a dog.

[shirra]

Retractable leads have their uses with sensible owners.

I use one every day with my 8 kilo girl. It's only used in a park where all dogs are to be leashed, and we are strolling among the trees, not on the paths that other dog walkers use.

My girl doesn't do well in off-leash parks so this is a great solution that gives her freedom to check trees for weemails and have a good sniff around. It gets shortened to the point where I am holding the tape park of the lead and she is in heel position as soon as we leave the park.

[pebbles]

I've still got the one I bought for my Gordon Setter over 20 years ago. It was an expensive one, been used on all size dogs, no sign of fraying, breaking etc and the spring is as strong as when I bought it. Retracts as short as an ordinary lead. I've bought a couple of cheapies but after one use threw them away, reckon they would break easily so laid out for another good one. I (and my dogs) love them, gives them the freedom to wander from side to side on the bush tracks while I stroll down the middle lol. Buy a good quality one, learn how and where to use it, no problem! Let's not ban another useful tool.