Question About Retractable Leashes

I bought this really awesome flexi when Gonzo was less than 1 year old, I only use it on trails/open areas, not in or near the street. But, when I got home from vaccation one night, he was super excited so I just took him for a run on his flexi (there are no cars anywhere in my town after 9 PM :rolleyes: ), and he was so hyped up that he ran around a tree and came racing back to me and snapped the flexi! It lasted 3 years, though, and it only cost $25-ish. I would never use one anywhere near busy roads, ever. It does come in handy when you don't want to walk off-leash but there is space for them to roam.

Snowy's old retractable leashes broke not long ago after almost 2 years. It was a cord one for dogs up to 15kg (Snowy is less than 5kg). I bought a new one which is a webbing one for dogs up to 35kg which will hopefully last longer. I like the new one as the webbing is easier to hold or pull when I have to.

I disagree strongly that retractable leashes are the worst leashes, I salute the people who invented them. Walking Snowy in the summer, when people are picnicking everywhere and leave the food lying around, or on places that you are legally bound to use a leash, or on new places you're not so sure whether they are safe or not, couldn't be better without a retractable leash. She still has a degree of freedom and yet I still have the full control.

I have three, one for each dog (since they are different weights) and I've never had one break, not even with my 150+ lb dog Bon. But then again we don't go too many places we could use them much.
I like the fact if we're somewhere they could roam a little I can let them with the flexi leash.

See what I mean about presumptuousness?

Fact of the matter is is that retractable leashes are not effective as has been proven by this thread. Just about every single person who has replied has stated that at one time or another their "flxi-lead" has broken on them

I own a 70lb retired racing American Greyhound, an 81lbs active racer and a 61lbs active racer. All of them are walked on 6ft leather leads and are always in complete control when on walks. They neither stray into people's yards, picnics, streets.. their leads don't entangle people's or other dogs legs and they DONT BREAK.

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Originally Posted by GreyhoundDaddy

See what I mean about presumptuousness?

Fact of the matter is is that retractable leashes are not effective as has been proven by this thread. Just about every single person who has replied has stated that at one time or another their "flxi-lead" has broken on them

I own a 70lb retired racing American Greyhound, an 81lbs active racer and a 61lbs active racer. All of them are walked on 6ft leather leads and are always in complete control when on walks. They neither stray into people's yards, picnics, streets.. their leads don't entangle people's or other dogs legs and they DONT BREAK.

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So what nothing is perfect. Sooner or later EVERYTHING will break shatter or bust. There is nothing wrong with retractable leashes! Have you ever even owned one??? I have had one for a few years now. Ever since we first got Snuggles. And it hasn't broken. We are looking for a new one because it is old and scratched from all the times I have dropped it :rolleyes: but still it is in one piece and perfectly usable. You have large dogs so naturally they would break it easier than my 10 pound shih tzu would. No matter what the weight limit is I don't think they are for larger dogs. Some dogs are just not as well trained as others. It just depends on your dog. And if you have to keep your dogs on six feet at all times then obviously if they had more leeway they would take advantage of it and start tangling. But they are retractable so when you get closer to the dog you have more control. Also most are built with a locking feature.

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Originally Posted by GreyhoundDaddy

See what I mean about presumptuousness?

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Actually I think its pretty presumptuous to lump all retractable leash users into the same heap.

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

Actually I think its pretty presumptuous to lump all retractable leash users into the same heap.

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Think what you may.. but, my stance is based on experience. The vast majority of people, no matter what they say on a forum, let their dogs extend their lead in order to go "say hi" to strange dogs. Thusly, lengthening the lead only serves to highten the possibility of something (an altercation or the lead wrapping around legs or breaking) occuring.

I stand by my orginal statement in that I HATE them.

I agree that they shouldn't be used around streets and in busy areas. I don't like when I have my dog on a shorter leash and someone else's dog is on one of those bothering my dog and the owner isn't even paying attention. When going on a normal walk I always use a 6 ft normal leash with the extra handle to keep him close to me.

But that said I still think they can be great. Nebo, being a siberian husky, can't be offleash. So when we go hiking I'd like for him to have a bit of room to roam and explore so I use a retractable leashes. If I see people/dogs/wildife nearby I get him closer to me and out of their way. I've never had a problem with one breaking. I prefer the tape leash and I believe the one I have is made for dogs heavier than mine so I think its safer that way.

Just because some people use them incorrectly doesn't mean that retractable leashes in general are a bad thing.

We don't use Snuggles leash in busy areas but yeah she can't be off leash so the retractable is excellent for that! :)

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Originally Posted by wolf_Q

I agree that they shouldn't be used around streets and in busy areas. I don't like when I have my dog on a shorter leash and someone else's dog is on one of those bothering my dog and the owner isn't even paying attention. When going on a normal walk I always use a 6 ft normal leash with the extra handle to keep him close to me.

But that said I still think they can be great. Nebo, being a siberian husky, can't be offleash. So when we go hiking I'd like for him to have a bit of room to roam and explore so I use a retractable leashes. If I see people/dogs/wildife nearby I get him closer to me and out of their way. I've never had a problem with one breaking. I prefer the tape leash and I believe the one I have is made for dogs heavier than mine so I think its safer that way.

Just because some people use them incorrectly doesn't mean that retractable leashes in general are a bad thing.

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Those 20-30ft training leads are great for situations like that also. We go to a lot of beaches that require leashes and I use those so the dogs can run but not get away from me.

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Originally Posted by wolf_Q

Just because some people use them incorrectly doesn't mean that retractable leashes in general are a bad thing.

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I can not agree with you more. I'm not saying everyone should use it but it is a good thing for me and as I said I still have full control of my dog when I am using a retractable lead. I keep the leash short on busy roads and no I don't let my dog roam in people's yards or let the leash tangling people legs or anything for that matter. and by the way when I said Snowy's extractable lead broke, I meant the extractable leash stopped working correctly, thus needed replacing. I didn't mean the leash broke into two and the dog ran away :D

In the past, I've used a flexi lead on hiking, but got a nasty lil' rope burn on my leg from a friend's flexi, so I wasn't quite as fond of them after that. I've never had one break, but Gull did chew through the line and I never replaced it.

I like to use a 30ft regular nylon lead now, for hiking or places like the beach where I want them to have a lil' more flexibility to run around. Course seems like the last few times I've gone, my friend was using my long lead for her JRT and Oz ended up on just a 6ft lead. Here's a lil' pic of Oz with his 6ft lead on and Idgie the JRT has my long 30ft red one attached:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...4/f8c0d3d2.jpg

It works really well in open spaces, which is really the only time I'd be giving them that much lead anyway. If Idg starts to toodle off from us, it's real easy to catch up and step on the leash to stop her. They do get awfully dirty, so they get tossed in the wash after any outing and they become a tangled mess if you don't coil'em up properly like you would an electrical cord.

Par...

I don't like them for my dogs, but my neighbors walk their three Poms
with flexi leads & they do fine. I personally like to have more control over
my dogs on walks. I even walk them one at a time.

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Originally Posted by ParNone

I like to use a 30ft regular nylon lead now, for hiking or places like the beach where I want them to have a lil' more flexibility to run around. Course seems like the last few times I've gone, my friend was using my long lead for her JRT and Oz ended up on just a 6ft lead. Here's a lil' pic of Oz with his 6ft lead on and Idgie the JRT has my long 30ft red one attached:

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Do you know where you got it? We have been looking for one!

Hi shihtzulover!

I got it at Petsmart. I think they had them all the way upto 50 ft.

Les...