Extendable dog leads - please please please stop using them

[violentovulation]

I am the owner of a large senior dog. He is always on lead, and wears a harness. He is not an XL bully before anyone asks, and I am always in control of him. He used to love saying hello to other dogs on our walks, and now he's an anxious mess because people can't be bothered to train their dogs due to them being small. There is an assortment of small shouty dogs in my area, chihuahuas, jack russells, pugs, daschunds, bichon style dogs, miniature schnauzers, westies, cross breeds of them all. Most of them are walked on those bloody extendable leads. These small horrors will yell at us from across the road when we are minding our own business. Then they try to come over the road and the owner inevitably has to yank them back because the lead doesn't retract properly, and in the event that we can't avoid walking on the same side of the road, my poor dog gets a faceful of angry ranty little shit because their owners think an extendable lead means they don't need to teach a dog recall, heel, and other calming techniques. I'm tired of telling people to control their dogs.

Do they have to attack a child before you'll give a shit, honestly? Or maybe your dog has to run out into the middle of the road and get hit by a car first? If any of this doesn't apply to you and your small dog, please scroll on and thank you for being a responsible dog owner.

I've lost all patience. truly. There is a house at the bottom of my road with three small dogs, one of which is a really nasty little shit. When they are walked, it's always out in front of everyone else yelling at anything that goes by. There's another family across the road with a chihuahua, and they all yell at each other from across the road, it's so noisy and initially I thought someone was hurting one of them. When I went to go and check things out, they were honestly just screaming at one another. Nobody ever does anything, you just have to listen to it until they run out of steam.

You have ZERO control over a dog on an extendable lead. ZERO. Train your fucking dogs. It might be your little bundle of joy, but you're failing them hard when you don't train them.

I'd like to see a ban on extendable leads, but I realise it probably won't happen. AIBU for wanting a ban on them? You can buy long leads to give dogs some room to run about in large spaces while they burn off some energy, but you still have more control over those because YOU control how far a dog goes on it.

I have changed the times I walk my dog to avoid times when there are more people around. I take him to different areas etc, but this nonsense still drives me up the wall. AIBU? Sorry for all the swearing, I'm just so frustrated. We went out at 6am this morning and it was so lovely and quiet. I don't expect quiet perfection, just people controlling their dogs. Thank you for reading my wordy rant.

A dog under control can sniff in the bushes and not bother anyone, going back to the owner when called. The owner should be watching the dog. Not everyone needs a lead, short or long, for their dog to be under control. It's in a dog's nature to sniff. It's better exercise than playing with a ball for some dogs.
The problem is some owners don't watch their dog. The problem is some owners don't watch what's happening with the extendable lead.

The problem is not the lead it's the owner.

Blimey, lots of lost opportunity there! I'd be looking for land to buy. It's money for jam!!

I dog sit & often use dog fields. I resent the 20 minute drive to them (but at least it's only 20 minutes) but so many dogs are not lead trained, sometimes it's my only option. It's 50:50 on whether it's the one I'm sitting or ones we might encounter that are the problem.

you sound like a great owner that has really thought about it & uses the best combination of tools.

Flexi leads can be used safely and responsibly, I use one on our old dog and have done so since she became a solo dog after we lost our others

The issue is people not knowing how to use them, I once met a couple with 2 small dogs who let them go to the end and then locked the leads, so the dogs had 5m of lead length that they were wrapping around trees, our legs, each other and themselves! I have no idea how they kept them safe by the road

I find ours very useful, but will only use a branded flexi (don't trust the knock off versions), and I'm always aware of our surroundings, with my finger ready on the button to lock it

Exactly that @Maverickess it may suit some people and their dogs to stand in a field of grass and nothing else and blow a whistle but it would drive me and my dogs crazy with boredom. Our walk is so stimulating. We encounter all sorts of different sights and sounds, seeing Jays and foxes and even weasels. We walk through crocuses and bluebells and daffodils. It’s magical. My dogs have come on beautifully so we must be doing something right.

Totally agree with you @Mumuzuzu! It’s not the leads for me, it’s the owners. My mum lets her dog go feral and it’s really irresponsible.

I put yabu but only because its the owners that need to train the dogs not the lead causing the issues.

Enclosed fields are probably great for a dog to stretch its legs, but I doubt they help with recall training.
The whole point of recall training is to train the dog to come back when there are distractions around (a dog a bird a squirrel a chicken bone etc...)

For recall training with distractions, I used a long lead (not the same as an extendable lead), so my dog could roam around, but I could also step on the lead in case he ran away. Always to be used with a harness, never ever with a collar.

We have recently adopted a tiny poodle and a young poodle cross, they are doing very well with their training and are open and friendly with other dogs. They are walked on standard leads and let off in quiet secluded places. Almost without exception the big dogs they meet on walks are lovely with them and seem well trained. I’d say that over half of the tiny terriers and other small dogs are happy, out of control and very belligerent. I’m thinking that these little tyrants have had little training and they’re over indulgent owners either can’t or won’t sort these problems out.

It won’t stop because it’s the same people who can’t be bothered to train their dogs or give them a proper walk.

Usually with their heads buried in their phones paying no attention to their poor dogs.

Life would be a lot simpler with a dog licence that came with a Rules of the Dog Owner test like a driving licence and an obligation to pass it. Compulsory fines to have a dog on a public road or footpath without a licence after 1 year old.

Similarly, if cat owners were required to keep cats in their fenced gardens, there would be a lot fewer cats.

I have both but I see no reason why anyone should have to put up with badly trained or nuisance animals and there is a total absence of decent guidance and regulation for councils and law enforcement to work to. Combined with a huge societal sense of entitlement it's all a bit of a disaster area.

So many people who don't understand that the lock mechanism can fail.

We have lots of dog fields but most are half an hour's drive or more so I certainly wouldn't be using them every day, because of time and cost. But my dog loved sniffing the long grass round the perimeter off lead every week or two, as well as having a sprint. Now she's older the sniffing is more important than the running.

This.

My small dog is terrified of bigger dogs. On almost every walk she is approached by one off lead that I have to ask the owner to call back, or that I have to grab by the collar and walk back to the owner.

My dog’s recall is good enough 99% of the time, but once she’s in a fear response trying to get away from another dog she’s as good as deaf.

So she has a short fixed lead for road walking and an extendable lead for off road walking. If we see another dog or person she’s called back to heel and the less fixed at that length until we’ve walked past.

She has a long line too but it’s not as easy to get her back quickly and on a short line with a long line as they get tangled and are harder to handle.

Flexi leads are the only way to keep my trained but nervous dog safe from untrained “they’re friendly” dogs that have no manners and poor training.

I'm not sure how the cat component of that would work - I have a cat and a fenced garden, she has no problems climbing over the fence! Cats are almost impossible to constrain, unless you have a tiny garden and really high fencing that bends inwards at the top, or just keep them indoors.

Indeed! I love all animals but there are a lot problems I see that would be helped by making it much harder to get a pet on a whim. Most of the problems being talked about here are nothing to do with certain tools or practises, it's all about idiot owners. And in my view they may be owners but they are not dog lovers or they would be looking after them a whole lot better. Why on earth would you be walking along looking at your phone while with your dog, why would you not have it under control on the road, why would you not train it to be a pleasure to be around?
Unfortunately there are too many being influenced by sm it seems and getting a pet with no thought for the animal or the future!

I’ve never liked these leads- always seems to me to blur the line for the dog between being on the lead and not and the different expectations for each. They may have a place but not for me.

I think you'll be entirely unsurprised to hear that she did not! I said "Your dog has just bitten me!" and she simply stood there with her mouth open. Obviously, on the way home I thought of all the things I should have said, including "Your dog might be small, but it's dangerous - if it attacked a small child, you'd be in court and your dog probably put down."

And then there are the owners with dogs on extendable leads (see also: owners on their phones) who walk ahead of the dog and do not see the dog has done a poo - thereby leaving the poo for all others to 'enjoy'.

I tried one once and when I walked forward + clicked to retract the mechanism yanked the poor thing backwards to me! Mind you she was only a little 8lb miniature poodle puppy at the time. I don't like them personally.

The thing is, for me a leashed dog walk involves the use of both hands. More specifically a leased walk where she is allowed to sniff meter or two ahead but isn't appropriate to be off completely. (i.e bridal path with a horse in the distance or an exit to a road too near, or in a park where there are picnics...)

I use both hands to manage the lead's length, taking and releasing coils as needed on a biothane long-ish 2-3m lead. No third hand for a mobile phone or coffee here!

If I need to use my phone I stop and stand still (with the lead coiled short and my dog by my legs obvs). I send my message or whatever and the continue walking.

I DETEST extendable leads for many of the reasons you’ve listed in your OP.
I have 3 large dogs all of whom are walked on a lead on the way to places where they can then be off. Their recall has been practiced and better practiced over and over until it’s solid but I would still always lead them if seeing another dog, human, horse, cyclist etc approaching as it’s common decency.
A lead should be a means of keeping your dog secure and isn’t a replacement for poor recall or, the dog can’t be off lead so I give it freedom this way.

It is usually small dogs on these leads and they lurch about and are just allowed free rein on them. I’ve had my children nearly tripped up or walked into by these dogs as people even refuse to reel them in on small, narrow paths. I don’t see how they’re safe as they just encourage the dog to run full pelt to the end, it jolts back on their neck and doesn’t teach them any lead walking etiquette.

Long lines and enclosed off lead areas are great friends for people who struggle.

I totally agree with every word. I would like to see extending leads banned. They are highly dangerous.

Don’t get me started on the man who wandered up my street last week with his dog on one. He was on the other side of the street, the dog was fully extended, across the road onto our side of the path. He stood and watched it sniff for ages between the bins out for collection, then just allowed it to wee on our bins, rather than reeling it back and moving it on.

Small dogs cause trouble to bigger dogs, bigger dogs cause trouble to small ones! Ultimately, big dogs are more likely to do damage to small dogs than vice versa.

In my case, the problem is with gentle bigger dogs that go straight for my small female dog bottom. All natural but she absolutely hates it, so tries to get away, except that the bigger dog isn't intimidated and will continue with their quest which freaks mine out.

So often I get 'they're gentle'. I can see that they are, but if they are pestering mine to the point that mine has no other resources but to show her teeth in fright, then you should get the message and get your dog back. This happens ALL THE TIME and certainly much more often than I see small dogs going for bigger ones!

No one has ever fallen over my dog's lead. If you're in a place where this is a risk then you lock it in a short position. This is part of responsible dog ownership, just like picking up after them.

Extendable leads are for the bone lazy who just can't be asked to train their dogs or look after them (off lead).

Extendable leads are for the bone lazy who just can't be asked to train their dogs or look after them (off lead)
Yes, how dare them having their dogs on leads in parks they could happily run around, but don't because signs state dogs need to be on leads!