Retractable Leads/People!

[areias]

Ick, I really start to hate those things. About 6 months ago, on my way to work in the morning, I saw a lady walking her JRT on a retractable lead...the JRT was fully extended, and the side walk was right on the side of the road. He saw a squirrel on the other side of the road, and before she could react...well you can imagine. (I didn't hit him-someone else did) I see people walking dogs like that ALL the time.

And today...well this was a double hitter, I was walking my semi-dog aggressive boy in the park. He is fully controllable until a strange dog gets right in his face, and then he has a tendency to snap. A woman and her kids come through and are walking their husky mix..the child who was walking it was about 10 years old and clearly not capable of holding on to the dog, plus it was on a retractable lead...so the girl isn't paying attention and the dog just snatches it out of the girls hand. It starts to run straight up to my dog and they're hollering but it wouldn't listen. So I quickly try to turn and avoid the dog, but its trying to meet my dog. So I had to stop and hold my dogs muzzle (I also had a halti on him so he might of been O.K.) And the mothers hollering that her dog is very friendly (but i noticed also very dominant...intent eye stares towards my guy)...and I holler back that mines not. So she finallly is able to get her dog away, and she starts cutting into me as to why I have a "mean" dog at a park. I try to calmy state to her that my dog is dog aggressive and also firmly held in control on a leash, and in heel. So yeah...I was pretty ticked off. Stupid people. (Please keep in mind too..this was not a dog park, merely a neighborhood park with some swings and an abandoned soccer field. I would not ever bring this dog to a dog park.)

I guess this thread wasn't completely on retractable leads, but merely of the brainlessness of some people.
And I'm not condemning retractable leads...I think they're -great- for walking in the woods or other appropriate places, especially for the ones that runaway...but right next to a busy street, or around people and other dogs?

[wolf_Q]

I agree. I have a retractable leash but the only time I ever use it is for hiking/camping/etc. when I'm pretty much away from other people, dogs, and especially cars! When I walk him around the neighborhood he's on a normal leash.

I *hate* when people's loose dogs come running up to me...Nebo likes most dogs, but if the dog is very dominant towards him he is likely to react. Dogs usually react worse when on a leash as well.

[AllAmericanPUP]

I agree. I have a retractable leash but the only time I ever use it is for hiking/camping/etc. when I'm pretty much away from other people, dogs, and especially cars! When I walk him around the neighborhood he's on a normal leash.

I *hate* when people's loose dogs come running up to me...Nebo likes most dogs, but if the dog is very dominant towards him he is likely to react. Dogs usually react worse when on a leash as well.

same here!!

I have one retractable leash that I use for Ozzy and Keesha when I take them hiking with me...it's not used on the other dogs because they pull and would probably break the leash

[wolfsoul]

I agree, the only time I use my retractable leash is when I'm out camping or hiking. They are very unsafe, not just to dogs, but to people as well --- I can't count the number of times I've been clotheslined by retractable leashes. They can give you VERY deep and painful slices. I had my legs completely sliced up when my neighbor and I were walking our dogs one day.

[Suki Wingy]

Not to mention that leash is really hard to hold on to! We use it when Niño goes to the park to run around or if we go out to the forest preserve or if he's in the front yard. I see a lot of people at shows using it to exerscize their dogs in the grassy areas, andI think it is very good for it, too. I hate it when people walk their dogs on them and their dogs runn all over in people's yards and they have no control.

[lv4dogs]

I think rectractable leads should come with training tips & rules.

I think if you can use them correctly AND have control over the dog AND use them with common sense in certain areas (not near roads, not in vet offices etc...)

A LOT of people use them & don't know how to control the lead or the dog on the other end. That really irks me.

I use one occasionally, like for hiking & the sorts but I also know how to use one. I know how to real in a dog even if the dog is pulling the opposite way. That rarely happens though because I also have control over my dogs, therefore they don't pull when I don't want them too.

Wolfsoul brought up a good point, I also got a nice gash on my leg from one of those. It was my brothers crazy dog who I had to babysit. That was the only leash they left me. Good thing I had spares at home.
The leashes do have warnings on them (or at least the package) stating that you can get cut, even get a finger or limb amputated!!

[Chica]

That makes me mad to!People should not walk their dogs if they can't controll them,One time I was walking Chica in a park when I saw another dog on a very long rope tied to a tree.Well the dog got up and started running towards me and Chica.It reached us before you knew it. I started screaming and picked up Chica in to my arms. The owner was not around during this episode.That scared me to death. I thought that dog would bite me or Chica. But I got away from it real fast!!! I was fuming MADDDD!!!!!

[.sarah]

I agree, the only time I use my retractable leash is when I'm out camping or hiking. They are very unsafe, not just to dogs, but to people as well --- I can't count the number of times I've been clotheslined by retractable leashes. They can give you VERY deep and painful slices. I had my legs completely sliced up when my neighbor and I were walking our dogs one day.

It can cause more damage than that. There was a lady in the newspaper not to long ago who, because of her retractable leash, had to have 2 fingers amputated.

I think they just get in the hands of the wrong people sometimes. Both the people and the dog need training before using one.

[sammy101]

i dont like them. Mostly because some people walk dog-aggressive dogs with them and they dont have as much control. I use regular nylon 20ft leashes for my two if we take them to the beach or something like that. My two are way to strong for them too.

[Lobodeb]

There was a lady in the newspaper not to long ago who, because of her retractable leash, had to have 2 fingers amputated.

In my experience, the cheaper retractables are the ones that can amputate. They are the ones that use a string like material. The more expensive ones actually have a nylon, leash like line. I guess anything being reeled in a high speed can cause injury, however.