Please note that the author may be entirely upfront, earnest, and honest about liking this leash and his observations of it . . . and you still disagree about retractable leashes.
I personally think they’re awful. You can see my rant at Cool Tools.
I walk Kira with a 6’ long, 1" wide leather leash with a Gentle Leader head collar:
She was a powerful dog with a strong prey drive in her prime. The idea of letting her roam around on a 20’ cord, even one strong enough not to break, is insane. For the same reasons as letting a little yappy mop use a extendable leash. The dog can get into trouble, wander into traffic, and there’s no way to control it.
Absolutely. The worst possible type of leash for dogs. Just don’t do it, people. Short leashes only for when they need to be under leash control. A retractable leash rewards dogs for pulling on the leash, lets them misbehave over a wider radius and are actually dangerous due to the possibility of tangles.
Absolutely. I cycle to work every day and on my route use a short section of shared-use on-leash path near an off-leash dog park. The dogs on these retractable leashes are a fucking menace (even worse than those illegally offleash, actually). One little shithead knew enough to run an arc to attack me, rather than the chord, which would have given the owner a chance to reel it in a little. It had learnt this over a lifetime of disobedience at the end of that stupid retactable leash.
I used to walk my dog with a 2-foot leather leash. He stayed quite close on our walks. When nobody else was around, I’d let him off the leash. He learned to stay close, and to return at a word. In his 14 years of life, he never took off on a run without looking at me first for permission, and always came back when called. We had a system that worked well, and nobody was put out by it.
Any leash is only as good as the bond between dog and human. All the blame here is being placed on a bit of plastic and metal, instead of where it belongs. With the right training, a dog can range on the long leash and return when appropriate. You’re all complaining about the wrong part of the equation.
I don’t fundamentally disagree, but there are good people, good dogs, difficult people, and difficult dogs. I think the direction this conversation is going is to discourage difficult people from using the wrong tools for difficult dogs.
Yes. Dog people should get informed and seek out the latest and most progressive info out there. 'The Fearful Dog Blog", “Dog Star Daily”, Patricia McConnell, for starters.
I take it you don’t have a dog you have to walk on leash 2 or 3 + times a day. You have only observed dog and people behavior as an outsider and not really tuned into the dynamics that go on dog/leash/person. If you had a dog and walked it on leash I think you would have a different perspective.
Maybe so, and I know a dog trainer who does use them for training (not for ordinary walking). But I have had many bad interactions with people with retractable leashes, and they really seem to encourage bad behavior. Here is a hint: if you are within 50 feet of another person or dog, your leash needs to be locked in at 6’. Given that, for most dog owners, there are very few situations where a retractable leash is useful. Maybe if you go play in an uncrowded park but you can’t let the dog off leash. But if you are on a sidewalk, street, shop, or park with other people around, pull that leash in and lock it. Seriously.
You took wrong. Not sure if you’re being purposefully obtuse or what…
As I’ve already said, I have enjoyed walking dogs with retractable leashes myself. For just one example of many, I’ve walked 2 siberian huskies daily with retractable leashes for about 2 years. I also did this in the snow, etc.
Even in that process of walking two canine running machines at once with a dreaded retractable leash attached to two standard leashes, I wasn’t killed or injured. The dogs had fun and somehow humanity survived.
[quote=“rattypilgrim, post:30, topic:54593”]
You have only observed dog and people behavior as an outsider
[/quote]That’s mighty presumptuous of you and, frankly, obtuse.
Wrong again. As I’ve already explained (and you ignored), I have personal experience with walking dogs with a retractable leash as well as observing others using them at numerous dog parks, trails, sidewalks, etc. – If these retractable leashes are as fraught with imminent danger as you claim, I think I would have seen all the “mayhem” after all these years.
I have no doubt there are extreme cases where people lose control of their dogs with retractable leashes – however, this fear mongering is ridiculous.
[quote=“newliminted, post:26, topic:54593”]
You’re all complaining about the wrong part of the equation.
[/quote]Agreed. The hyperventilating over this leash is ridiculous.
Maybe you are actually fine, but most of the people I see with retractable leashes are actually totally unaware that they are being irresponsible jerks. So the fact that you walk dogs with a retractable leash and don’t see the problem is not any kind of assurance at all for the rest of us.
Most people? So, the people that own retractable leashes are mostly a different breed of humans that are mostly assholes? You guys are being ridiculous.
Have you considered that you simply don’t notice all the responsible, nice people who happen to use retractable leashes because they don’t stand out in your mind?
I see them in usage all over the place and they aren’t any different than other people walking their dogs. Using a retractable leash doesn’t make people irresponsible.
I’ve seen plenty of people using non-retractable leashes doing irresponsible shit with their dogs. You haven’t, I suppose… or is it just those irresponsible jerks who use retractable leashes?
Hahaha…
Maybe you are actually fine
Gee, thanks. But, since I’ve used a retractable leash I’m more likely to be an irresponsible jerk, so don’t give me any slack.
[quote=“pickleschlitz, post:38, topic:54593”]
I don’t want to be anywhere near you
[/quote]You (and some others in this thread) have inspired me to purchase this retractable dog leash for friends and family who want more space from overly uptight dog walkers.
Sure, maybe there are people who I don’t notice because they keep the leash under 6’ at all times when someone else is in sight. I probably wouldn’t notice this. This would be fine, although I would question the point of the retractable leash, but maybe for some people it still make sense. But basically if I see a dog on a leash that is extended, they are being irresponsible by definition.
Sure, I see irresponsible owners with short leashes. The difference is, if someone is irresponsible or inattentive or I just don’t want to interact with their dog, but has a 6’ leash, I can generally choose to avoid them and their dog. Even if I have to pass on a sidewalk, the range of interaction is very limited and I know where it will be. With long or retractable leashes, I have to rely on the owner to both be attentive and to realize that allowing their dog to approach someone else beyond 6’ is bad.
