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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think extending dog leads should not be used for crossing roads?

53 replies

DontCallMeShitley · 23/04/2019 13:51

I agree with extending leads for dogs, in parks and open spaces, they are a great idea, dog can run off and still be relatively safe, can still be jumped on by another dog or whacked with a walking stick by a dog hater, or even stolen if out of site in bushes but generally a really good thing.

However, yesterday the same thing happened twice. Driving along residential road, suddenly a dog pelts out from a driveway, straight into the road, and across in front of the car.

Have had this happen before with a loose dog (no lead) running out of woodland in front of the car, and was shaken up by it, and thought it was another loose dog trying to commit suicide the first time it happened.

First a Jack Russell charging across the road as if his life depended on it, or not. Then the owner/guardian strolled out from the driveway on to the pavement with the end of the lead which was not visible when dog ran out. Luckily we didn't hit the dog but the owner just wandered a long the pavement, and dog was who knows where, still on the other end of the lead.

Not long after a Labrador came belting out of another drive, straight into the road, this time the lead was red and we saw it but bloody hell, it was dangerous. Again dog walker was completely oblivious, and had things plugged into her ears. Dog was rooting about on the opposite side of the road to the person with the lead.

I wonder how long it will be before these dogs are killed or cause an accident. What is the point of a lead if you let the dog run out in front of cars?

OP posts:
Original poster
DontCallMeShitley · 23/04/2019 13:52

Actually I worded that badly, should be, not extended for crossing roads.

OP posts:
Steamfan · 23/04/2019 13:55

extending dog leads are the work of the devil - they are horrendous, and dangerous. www.vets-now.com/2018/02/retractable-dog-lead-danger/
there are lots of examples out there

rosydreams · 23/04/2019 14:00

some people have no common sense, in my teens when i walked the family dog.We had a retractable lead but i always locked it short when walking on pavements and around roads.It was good because when in the park he couldn't escape.

DelilahTheSlagFromTheBible · 23/04/2019 14:04

Some gobshite had one in the park yesterday. She was on one side of the wide path, I was on the other and her dog came over to say hello to mine. Except she stayed on her side of the path causing it to be impassable to the oncoming cyclists and kids on scooters. Absolutely no awareness at all. I led my dog away in the end.

ivykaty44 · 23/04/2019 14:10

If a dog or child runs into the road you must be able to stop, drive carefully and take care with speed. Drivers can slow to 20mph which is much safer in cases of Escaping children or dogs. Life is precious and sometimes dogs or children run onto the road, all the more reason to drive slower than the speed limit and take care

TheTitOfTheIceberg · 23/04/2019 14:12

They shouldn't be used full stop, they're dangerous and virtually useless. If they're used extended they defeat the point of having the dog on a lead in the first place. They seem to lull people into a false sense of security that their dog is under their control which means they switch off from actually keeping an eye on it, leaving it free to get too close to children or other dogs, run out into the road, eat (potentially poisonous) rubbish / discarded food, have a crap that doesn't get picked up...all the dangers of being loose with the added risk of throttling themselves or others.

TheTitOfTheIceberg · 23/04/2019 14:13

If a dog or child runs into the road you must be able to stop, drive carefully and take care with speed.

Which the OP clearly was doing, since she didn't hit either dog.

Abra1de · 23/04/2019 14:14

I’ve managed to use extendable leads on four dogs without maiming anyone or their dog. Just use common sense.

CCC1 · 23/04/2019 14:18

I hate them. I live by a river with an old low-sided packhorse bridge over it. When the river is low it’s about 15ft or more above the water. Last year I was throwing balls for my dog so he could have a good swim. A lady was on the bridge with her dog watching us (paws up on the side bit). Next minute I threw a ball and her dog leapt over the side swinging above the water on its extendable lead. It was horrific. The dog was choking. She was screaming and he was too heavy to pull back up. I was yelling to loose the dog and let it drop into the river. She was screaming it’d never been off lead and she didn’t know if it could swim. Eventually she dropped it and I waded in to grab the dog. It had big bloody welts around its neck. I suspect the dog was probably fine but would have needed to go to the vets. The whole thing was traumatising.

ivykaty44 · 23/04/2019 14:21

Which the OP clearly was doing, since she didn't hit either dog.

So not a problem then

Lonecatwithkitten · 23/04/2019 14:23

The cord type extendable leads are extremely dangerous for owners fingers have been lost in the use of them. They are the work of the devil.

Roomba · 23/04/2019 14:25

Extending dog leads can be really dangerous. A couple of years ago a small dog in one of these ran down the street, miles away from its owner, and tripped my son up as he was walking. Poor lad ended up ripping a fingernail right off and he needed x rays of his arm (luckily not broken).

Maybe it's the daft owners who use them stupidly that are dangerous. I'm not a fan though as you can tell!

KaterinaPetrova · 23/04/2019 14:25

Last year there was a huge kick off when a local business owner was slammed on social media for hitting a JRT who ran in front of her car on the road. She was slammed because the dog was "on a lead".
No. It was on a retractable lead and allowed to bolt across a road unhindered. The owners were kicking off slating her everywhere online because she was refusing to pay for the dog's veterinary treatment.

I hate to think what it did to her business.

Animals are quick and are easily hit when they are tiny and bolt into traffic. Those stupid leads should be locked when on pavements.

Drogosnextwife · 23/04/2019 14:25

Nothing wrong with extending leads for dogs with owners who know how to use them, that, unfortunately isn't very common.

CurcubitaPepo · 23/04/2019 14:29

I agree with previous posters that dog owners Think they are in control, when frequently they are not. I hate them. A few years ago dh was almost pulled from his bike on a cycle path by a retractable dog lead.

boilersontheblink · 23/04/2019 14:30

@CCC1 Christ that's terrifying, I'd have been in bits having seen that. Thank god the dog was okay. Dogs are natural swimmers anyway.

I can't use an extendable lead with my pup as he pulls a lot and I'm afraid it'll break.Grin (cocker spaniel)

Original poster
DontCallMeShitley · 23/04/2019 14:30

ivykaty44
If a dog or child runs into the road you must be able to stop, drive carefully and take care with speed. Drivers can slow to 20mph which is much safer in cases of Escaping children or dogs. Life is precious and sometimes dogs or children run onto the road, all the more reason to drive slower than the speed limit and take care

Which shows that a driver that sees the dog run out and can stop is not as stupid as the person on the other end of the lead. As life is precious it would be pertinent not to put your dog on a lead and then let it loose on the road on purpose without looking.

OP posts:
mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 23/04/2019 14:31

They are fine if you learn how to use them properly. I've been using an extendable lead for my last dog and my present dog, so about 10 years at least now. Perfectly safe - like someone upthread, the lead is locked shortish when my dog and I are on the pavements/crossing roads and let out when we are in the forest/fields. I am alert to what's going on at all times (as any dog walker should be) and am ready to tell the dog to stop walking and reel her dog in if need be (i.e. small child, cyclist, unknown dog, vehicle approaching). They are only dangerous if people haven't learned how to adjust them speedily and haven't kept an eye on what is around them (sadly, lots of these sorts of people).

ivykaty44 · 23/04/2019 14:37

Which shows that a driver that sees the dog run out and can stop

The driver took a test to drive on the Highway, whereas the dog owner no idea about rule 56

TheVanguardSix · 23/04/2019 14:47

I hate extending dog leads in parks and out. They work well NOWHERE.

Nothing says, “I’m too lazy to train my dog” like a long lead.

Put a dog on a normal lead or train it to walk off lead properly. Long leads give owners a false sense of security. And they don’t care that their dog returns to them with the contents of the park tangled up in their ridiculous leads. It’s so funny when your dog’s lead gets tangled around everyone’s legs. Hmm
Some dog owners are great with their dogs on a long lead. But most are not.

adaline · 23/04/2019 14:49

I wish extendable leads were banned - they are so dangerous. People seem to totally oblivious of the fact their dog is wandering off - just because it's on a lead doesn't mean it's under your control!

We use a traditional rope lead that clips onto the collar.

Buddytheelf85 · 23/04/2019 15:03

I think they’re fine provided you use them properly (as PP have said, retracted and locked when on pavements and near roads or other hazards). However, we’ve never found them particularly useful for our dog except for in the very early days of recall training and when letting him go in water for the first time. I either want to have him under complete control (short lead) or let him run around (off lead). If he’s allowed to run around on lead then it can end up being quite dangerous - getting tangled up with other dogs, trees, people etc.

TheSerenDipitY · 23/04/2019 15:23

Last year there was a huge kick off when a local business owner was slammed on social media for hitting a JRT who ran in front of her car on the road. She was slammed because the dog was "on a lead"

In New Zealand, they would have had to pay her car repairs and their own dogs vet bills, their uncontrolled animal caused an accident their responsibility

AlexaAmbidextra · 23/04/2019 15:29

I hate extending leads. They are a godsend to lazy dog owners who can’t be arsed to train their dogs to come when called. There is very little control over a dog on an extending lead,

fivedogstofeed · 23/04/2019 15:50

I had a very near miss and had to do an emergency stop when a dog on an extending lead ran in front of my car. The owner was oblivious.
I think they're a really bad idea, and especially around town. So many people use them with a collar instead of a harness - doubly dangerous for the dog.