Long line or retractable lead?

[tobee]

Hi. Was just reading miserablemoo thread about her jumping dog. Mine is dd is very similar. So, I was thinking about getting a long line. But should I get retractable lead? How long is long? How can I learn how to use either? How do I avoid dd getting tangled up?

[mollie123]

no to a retractable lead unless your dog is very small
I have a broken wrist memory from trying to control a dog on the end of a retractablelead

[Cheerfulmarybrown]

Long line but it has to be attached to a harness not collar. Put knots in the line at intervals to make it easier to hold

[tabulahrasa]

Depends...I can't use a long line I've been shown how to do it by a behaviourist and everything and the last time I tried before giving up - I injured my knee badly enough that I couldn't even walk the dog for 3 weeks.

So I use a flexi, which I get on with much better, the dog (who's not a small one btw) knows not to get to the end of it so I never have a dog pulling at the end of it.

You need a harness with either though.

If your dog is mostly fine offlead...is go for the longline first anyway, that way you can leave it trailing on the ground and only stand on it when it's needed, meaning that it's not in the way all the time and your dog can run without you having to stop it before it gets to the end.

[CMOTDibbler]

Longline on a harness, then they can trail it around and be off lead, but you have much more chance of stopping them doing what you don't want them to.

Wear gloves when using it if they are more than a small dog so you don't grab at it and get rope burns

[tobee]

Thank you very much for the advice. He's already on a harness. He jumps up at joggers and weird looking men. Sometimes.

[anxious123]

I used to walk my old staffy boxer cross on my horses lunge line.... I got laughed at until the twigged that mine was the only one that couldn't embarrass me by jumping at a males groin!

[austenozzy]

I've got a horse's lead rope as a lead. Twice the length of an ordinary dog lead, a quarter the price, big chunky clip, and near indestructible!

My dog isn't that jumpy any more, but it's quite good for lead-only places such as NT gardens or certain parts of parks etc. She can have a good mooch and not have to stick right by my leg.