I know it’s low-hanging fruit to criticize people for misuse of retractable leashes – but there are an awful lot of first-time dog owners out there who may have been tempted by the highly convenient devices and who don’t know their pitfalls. And because I’m traveling at the moment and just saw a near-disaster out my hotel window involving one of these products, allow me to explain. And then, for those of you who have been around a while, why don’t you tell us your favorite “Never use a retractable leash!” story in the comments?
I heard some hubbub and glanced out the window to see what was up. There was a moving van towing a trailer with a car on it, and an SUV towing a trailer with a small car on that, and a group of people all getting ready to hit the road for another fun day of (apparently) moving their household in the summer heat. A number of adults were milling around, putting their bags in the various vehicles. The fact that they had dogs held my eye: A pretty Golden Retriever and a tall and young-looking Great Dane who was wearing a harness, both attached to young women who were holding retractable leashes. As I watched, another person came out of the hotel with two metal bowls full of water and offered them to the dogs: drink up, dogs, it’s your last chance for a bit!
I was just about to leave the window when the action of one of the young women held my eye: She put the handle of the leash that was attached to the Great Dane on the fender of the trailer, and walked around the moving van to do something else. Oh no! I said helplessly from my third-floor window, and sure enough, it happened. The dog turned her head, which pulled the handle of the leash off the fender so that it fell toward the dog’s head, spooking her and making her bolt.
HOW MANY TIMES have I seen a dog running in a panic, being “chased” by a rattling plastic retractable leash handle that was bouncing along the ground and bumping the dog’s heels? (Answer: Too many to count.)
Thank dog, the Dane only ran backward a few feet before the other young woman yelled and the dog stopped, shaking with fright. Thank dog again, because this hotel is within a few hundred yards of a busy intersection and a highway.
I get that these devices are great for what we like to call “sniff walks,” where you allow the dog to stop and start and wander at will. But most trainers hate them because they also condition a dog to pull against the pressure of the spring-loaded leash to reach what they want to smell or see. When the holy grail for most dog walkers is walking with a dog who doesn’t pull and drag you around, this is counter-productive.
Also, if the dog suddenly pulls toward something, unless the owner is paying absolute attention, is ready with the button that operates the brake, and the brake actually works (the “bargain” models tend to break down), the dog can bolt into the street (we’ve heard stories of dogs getting hit and killed by a car while on one of these leashes), bolt toward a frightened person or a person with a fearful dog (starting a dog fight, making a person fall, etc.), or “clothesline” a person who might be jogging, skateboarding, or riding a bike.
The biggest problem is that there is not a good way to reel the dog back in, if he’s already out at the end of the leash. The models that have a cord inside can get wrapped around dog or people legs and can cut deeply; if you grab one, trying to control the dog, the cord can slice your hand open. The ones with a “tape” or flat line inside are safer, but there is still no good way to shorten the leash quickly if the dog is pulling away, only if he comes back toward you or if you can catch quickly up to him.
And, of course, if someone lets go of the handle, an inexperienced dog tends to panic and run blindly with the leash handle chasing it.
Some of you may defend them. I must say I find them to be very helpful for walking smallish dogs out in the areas where my dogs can safely walk off-leash (no other people, no roads nearby, they have great recall). But, in my opinion, they should never be used with a big dog (they don’t give you enough control), and never never never around other dog walkers, pedestrians, cyclists, etc. They are just an accident waiting to happen in crowded environments.
What’s your favorite cautionary tale about these leashes? What circumstances do you think they are perfect for?
I stopped using them attached to my dogs years ago. HOWEVER, I do use them with my dogs. When we play chase the toy, I am just not fast. If I attach the leash to the toy completely extended and drag it around that way while running, the retraction gives me an extra edge to challenge my dogs when my running abilities do not.
As a guide dog handler teamed with a great yellow lab from Southeastern I will never use one with my dogs. THere just dangerous ..
I either use the adjustable leash from sort to long for relieving or my hands free fix 7 foot over the shoulder leash..
I read this, and think, what are you talking about?? The problem action was leaving the leash on the bumper, not the type of leash it was! And unless you have a 4′ leash, you are always going to be “retracting” the leash as the dog explores, whether it is done manually with the other arm or mechanically. Either way, it comes down to paying attention.
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I will just tell you what happened 10 minutes ago, and I am definitely not a fan for those who do not know how or when to use them appropriately. Anyways, I just came in from my dogs afternoon walk, my dog is on a six foot standard leash. As we started towards the entrance of the building at the end walk, a jack russell shot out of the building unattended, still attached to the cord of an extendable leash from inside the building. Then the heavy metal automatic doors closed on the thin cord of the extendable leash. No owner in sight, they were still in the building. I was 10 feet from the building, there are two sets of doors 10 feet apart, so there was 20 feet there and the dog had no trouble reaching us, with the owner inside oblivious. The jack russell charged my dog without hesitation barking and growling, of course my terrier wasn’t going to back down from a challenge. Worried that my dog would be injured by a bite as a dog fight was starting, or the cord would be cut by the heavy electric doors closing on it, or even the cord on the leash wrap around one of us as little dogs tend to circle, I reach down and managed to pick my dog up without injury. But still no owner they were still inside talking, I grabbed the cord and yanked it. Finally, they came out and never even acknowledge what had happened. The owner wasn’t in control of either dog or the leash and spent the next few minutes trying to organize their extendable leash. They never even acknowledged me or the issue they had started by having the break off the leash, while having a casual chat in the building’s lobby. I could have been hurt, my dog could have been hurt, and their dog could have been hurt.
A wonderful dog trainer in this area who lets us take foster dogs to her classes for free told me a story about one of her paying clients. The woman had her 2 dogs on flexi leashes and was walking them in town….she stopped and waited for the crossing light to go green…..she thought both leashes were locked. One was not and her dog ran into traffic and was run over. She had her dog dead on the end of the leash. I have never used a flexi so I don’t know if they would work with my dogs. Barbara the dog trainer never uses them herself or lets them be used in her classes. Horrible story I know.
Flexi leads have a time and a place.
Common flexi sense says to size up the lead, only buy flexis and to only buy tape ones. Replace every few years for safety.
Flexi leads are great for verbally trained dogs that listen. I used to use a long line when my dog wasn’t listening to me because he was a teen but it broke and the style I like(biothane with two clips that can make a handle) is basically impossible to find unless I import from the UK. A 6 foot lead is impractical for my dog for most situations because he takes 3 steps and he’s pulling. He tries hard not to pull but he’s a border collie that walks faster than me.
So I picked up a flexi a few days ago and it’s going great. I use lots of verbal cues and know how and when to lock it. I live in a town with lots of grass and not a lot of main roads, he responds to verbal commands within 10 seconds and he’s learning to ignore other dogs better on a flexi than a 6 foot lead because I can release him after seeing the dog and telling him let’s go and he can make his own decision and so far he has walked past 5 whole dogs without pulling me towards them whereas on a 6 foot lead, it’s harder to distance himself from them when I ask so it’s more tempting even if he does make the right choice initially. Which is a feat for a formerly excitement reactive dog that would lunge towards dogs in excitement pretty much constantly as a pup.
Are they for every dog? No. One of the dogs he walked by with an unlocked lead was my neighbours dog also on a flexi who tried to charge. One “let’s go” and he went on his way. We also got surprised when the neighbours cat emerged from a bush and ran away, a leave it and a leash shortening and he called off the cat mid chase and ignored it. They’re not for untrained dogs and I wouldn’t use a flexi on a dog under 2 because their training isn’t as solid until they’re 2 and have gone through puppyhood and teenage rebellion.
Are they evil? No… just misused to be honest. I like my flexi, especially as my dog knows how to behave on lead, listens to verbal commands and knows when to stop. Also all the recalling tires him out and strengthens his recall. Win win, dog gets to sniff grass learns how to better control his impulses(we’re both at the point where one leave it or let’s go is enough to get him to completely ignore most things if not everything) and gets to learn how to recall better.
Hi, this is good to read. Thanks for sharing such a helpful article and informative post here, Useful for all pet lovers. You should be very careful to take proper precautions and safety before buying the right and best leash & harness. Anyways great work and love the style of your site…