12 Comments:

• There are two types of retractable leashes. One has a wide strap for the last two feet at the end, but inside the plastic case is a thin cord. The other type has the wide strap for the entire length of the leash. Unless you have some toy breed, you should -- no, forget that, you should always buy the type with the wide flat strap and never the kind with the cord. Those other ones are an accident waiting to happen. Even if you don't end up losing a finger like this dog owner, someday you're going to end up giving your mother in law a rope burn from the leash. It's going to happen, and she's never going to forget about it, and she's not going to blame your dog, she'll blame you 'cause you were holding the leash.

  By  Anonymous, at 4:07 PM, January 13, 2006  

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• Retractable leashes should not be used for two reasons:
  
  1. The potential for injury for both you and your dog, as mentioned here, as well as other dogs, pedestrians, bicycle riders, and so on. Any mechanical device can fail. They are simply not safe.
  
  2. From a training standpoint, it teaches dogs that it's OK for them to go wherever they please within the radius of the leash. And even that is arbitrary; sometimes it's long and sometimes it's short.
  
  The dog's focus is not on you as the leader - he's not taking his cues from you but from constantly testing the resistance in the leash. And since there's always tension in the leash, and thus a little pressure on their neck from the collar, they learn that by pulling a little they can get what they want - either simply going forward or lunging after a squirrel or whatever excites their interest. It's a self-reinforcing behavior.
  
  Train your dog to walk at your side on a loose leash. You decide when he can have a little freedom to eliminate or investigate. You decide when it's time to start walking again.
  
  It's unfortunate that people have been hurt by their own misuse of these products when they were trying to save their dogs from being hurt. But any good trainer will tell you that a 4 or 6 foot leash and a dog that follows your lead and knows not to pull, bolt or lunge is much better than a retractable leash.
  
  Don't humanize your dog. He dog doesn't need or even want the "freedom" that a retractable leash offers. He will enjoy the exercise, the outdoors, the occasional sniffing for other dogs - but most of all, he craves the leader of the pack to *be* the leader and set the rules and boundaries, even if the pack is just you and him. Retractable leashes set inconsistent boundaries.
  
  Are you accomodating the dog or is the dog accomodating you?

  By  Chris Dillon, at 8:05 PM, January 13, 2006  

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• I had a retractable leash for my 40lb dog. We were walking on the sidewalk one day and we got to a school he had loved to run in. This time he ran and when I went to stop with the lock button, the leash broke off of the end and thankfully he was small still and came to me because it was on a busy street.

  By  Anonymous, at 3:03 PM, January 26, 2006  

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• This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

  By  rmd, at 2:02 PM, January 29, 2006  

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• Very well said Chris. I whole heartedly agree!

  By  rmd, at 2:02 PM, January 29, 2006  

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• I think that's why most cities have the leash law with a max of 6ft. any longer gives the dog room to gain momentum and cause problems.

  By  Anonymous, at 9:56 PM, January 30, 2006  

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• The first thing I thought was what Chris said. Retractable leashes seem to be utilized by people whose dogs haven't been trained to heel. That woman who lost the finger should sue herself first for not having a well-trained, obedient dog and behaving like a responsible pet owner.

  By  Anonymous, at 8:43 PM, October 08, 2006  

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• Like a poor workman blames their tools...
  
  I use a retractible with my Rottweiler she's very well behaved and doesn't test it's limits by pulling. In fact she constantly returns to seek my approval as pack leader.
  
  In fact the only reason I use a leash at all is to not unduly alarm those people who don't like dogs or are scared of the breed.
  
  You can't beat training - a leash is just a tool and not all dogs are suited to retractables. If you can't control your dog on a standard leash what chance do you have a retractable will work miracles?
  
  Sounds to me like she'd have lost her finger in an electrical socket if the least didn't take it!

  By  warlord0, at 1:10 PM, October 30, 2006  

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• Has anyone seen the Slidewalker, it addresses the problems of retractable leashes.

  By  Anonymous, at 6:28 AM, January 11, 2007  

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• I have the Large Size and use it with my Pit bull with no problem. People need to learn proper leash technique and how to control their dog. Also please buy the next size up heavier leash then your dog needs according to his weight. If you dog weighs 17 lbs don't buy an 18 lb leash get the 30 lb etc. Go bigger to avoid a break or accident. The next size larger leash is only a few dollars more.

  By  Anonymous, at 9:47 AM, August 21, 2007  

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• I have seen many people use these when visiting the pet store. Many often do not keep close watch on their dogs and the leash allows pets to wander far from the owner which can easily lead to danger such as wandering up to a strange dog or in the way of cars in the parking lot.

  By  needle felted dog art, at 7:14 PM, September 21, 2007  

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• we use a Retractable Dog Leash for our doxie mix, when she took off after a cat the thin part of the leash got my 20 month old son in the neck and cut his neck and then behind his ear.

  By  Anonymous, at 4:43 PM, May 31, 2008  

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