Extendable dog leads

[CandidaAlbicans2]

Due to their popularity I suspect most people will say I'm being unreasonable to dislike extendable dog leads but here are my issues:

When they're used near roads, unless the user has them short the dog can easily go into the road. It's as though owners think they have control because their dog's on the lead but in reality... I'm extra cautious driving past a dog on a flexi lead for this reason.

Similarly, when used long on pavements the dog can go around a corner way ahead of its owner and straight into a pedestrian or another dog (I've been in the receiving end of inattentive owners with their dogs on long flexi leads a few times!)

They easily get wrapped around people and other dogs and are difficult to use safely. The thin cord can cause nasty injuries

Using a long line for teaching recall, or allowing a dog with poor recall some freedom, is better IMHO.

The constant tension on the lead isn't ideal from a dog training view point apparently (which I can understand)

What do you reckon?

I don’t like them either. It encourages a dog to pull, because it knows that if it tugs on the lead, the lead will get longer. I’ve also had a nasty ‘rope-burn’ on my hand from them . They’re also really difficult to unwrap if they get tangled with other leads.

I would like to see them banned on safety grounds. One of our dogs received a wound to his leg when a small dog circled him wrapping the lead cord right around his legs. The cords also commonly inflict hand injuries to owners or anyone that needs to get hold of/restrain the dog.

There have also been a few stories on here about small dogs being run over whilst on an extending lead...

I think my biggest issue is when you see large powerful dogs on them and the owners defend the use by saying "they're only dangerous if used incorrectly" or "they can be locked". I do not believe that extending leads can ever give enough control over a big strong dog.

I hate them as well. I have my dog on a strong normal lead . We have had 2 dogs first was a brilliant well trained black labrador current one is a more difficult rescue dog . Black lab could be off lead quite alot rescue dog unfortunately can't but always used normal leads with both . I don't feel fully in control on those extendable things

I think this is the key point. I have control over my dog when he's in a shorter lead, I tell him to heel and positively reinforce good walking behaviour. The lead is only retracted when there are no mother people around, he goes on a shorter lead when we see people or other dogs. He doesn't pull, he's been taught not to. I'd never use one of these leads on a big dog.

I do have fixed leads and have used the long line leads but they are not as good for us when walking

They are def misused.
If you are away from roads and have a small dog then they can be ok, otherwise they are just an accident waiting to happen.

Had a dog run up to mine yesterday on a flexi lead. Thank god there was no traffic because the owner was on the other side of the road still!

True.
The lead is an inanimate object and can't be harmful on its own, but the design does mean that there is more potential for misuse. But you are quite right, ultimately the responsibility lies with the human holding it. I'm sure there are plenty of responsible owners who use them that I don't even notice because they are aware of their surroundings, engaged with their dog and using the lead appropriately. It's unfair me to judge the equipment rather than the owner. Unfortunately though, I have had injuries as a result of misuse of an extending lead that I think would have been impossible had the dog been on a short lead and that has coloured my judgement. I think there are risks inherent to this design of lead that don't exist for shorter leads and whilst I am sure these can be massively reduced by responsible use, there does seem to be a significant number of owners who don't use them properly.
Again, I am happy to acknowledge bias in my observations but where I live it appears that the engaged, responsible dog walkers I encounter tend to use shorter leads and have their dogs close to them anyway whereas the long leads are more often used by disinterested owners who let their pets basically walk themselves whilst they're on the phone. It's the combination of the length of the lead and the behaviour of the owner that's the issue.
I'm not sure there's justification for a ban or anything- there are irresponsible cyclists and motorists but we don't ban bikes and cars - but misuse is an issue.

Some imbecile in our nearest town nearly tripped me up with one. He was one side of the pedestrian precinct and the dog was the other. I didn't see the grey lead against grey paving. My fault, apparently.

Leads over 3'3" are banned in our council by-laws now, in places like this, but of course it's not policed so it's made no difference.

Leads over 3'3" are banned in our council by-laws now, in places like this, but of course it's not policed so it's made no difference.
Same where I live. There are signs at various points along the path I mentioned in my previous post but as with many things the lack of enforcement means it's pointless. Responsible owners probably don't need to be told anyway, and irresponsible ones aren't going to care about instructions on a sign.
It's the same with lots of things. Like the numerous recent threads where posters are calling for electric scooters to be banned, when what is really needed is for existing laws to be effectively applied. You barely ever see police officers or even parking wardens round us these days so government and councils can make laws about stuff like this til they're blue in the face and nothing will change unless they fund ways to actually enforce them.

I dislike them intensely, as pp has suggest, primarily because they are misused, and appear to be a substitute for training and socialisation. There’s generally some yappy little ankle biter at the end of them round here.

I have 2 labs, and the idea that their combine 60kg weight and momentum could be controlled at that distance is laughable.

I use one with my border collie when we go hiking. She's fairly reliable but she's nervous of people, so when people are around (or livestock) she's on a retractable lead. That means she can sniff and she can be kept on a short lead as people pass. She's always on the shortest setting down by roads. When we're out in the open, if it's an area where I can't quite tell what's coming she's on the zip line. She will recall away from most dogs but she's not 100 reliable, so lead it is unless it's definitely quiet enough for her to be loose.

I think they're ok if used sensibly.

Hate them and the should be banned on bridleways. The amount of times I have to tell dog owners to retract them around my horse. They really don’t get it and the risk of wrapping around my horse’s legs. Idiots 😡

I'm in sympathy with all the reasons they can be problematic, although would say like most things in life, they are partly as bad as the person using them. Like cars that can be driven aggressively to make noise that annoys 1000 people in a dense suburb.

How are you supposed to train a dog to walk by your side, if the leash lets the dog go all over the place? They've always irritated me.

I use one, because my dog cannot be taken off the lead because she is scared of other dogs . She needs to be able to explore and runaround. Keep it on short lead on the pavement l

They have their place in the world. I used one for my dog… she was a hound so if she got a good scent her brain and hearing switched off and the world around her ceased to exist. It gave her room to explore and meant that she couldn’t wander off.

Although this is MN so the fact that dogs exist in this world is unreasonable to a lot of people here so it’s no surprise that a long lead would be unreasonable.

I hate the cord type ones and agree most people don't use them correctly, however, I do have one of the tape style ones for my dog - used when we're on holiday/camping and dogs can't be let off lead, or when I'm walking him round the field in the dark during the winter. I don't trust it near roads though as I've known the mechanism to fail (my grandmas dog got run over years ago when the brake on the lead failed), so always have a normal lead on him when street walking. He has excellent recall though and walks nicely to heel until I give him the command to go and have a wander round.

Used correctly, they serve a purpose, but a lot of people use them in place of teaching their dog recall and manners.

This is what happens when people buy dogs and then refuse to pay professionals to teach them best practice. No dog trainer worth anything would recommend an extendable lead.

I use one with my cocker spaniel purely because he is deaf and can't go off lead in many fields these days as if he gets the scent of a pheasant I'd lose him. It allows him to wander and sniff, and have some quality of life. We lock it before going through the gate though and it's only loosened when we reach a footpath. It's the tape type which is stronger/thicker.

It's not the lead that's the issue, it's the humans using them.

It's not long leads that are unreasonable, just extending ones.

@latetonews
Most vets don't approve of them either.

That's the only time we use ours. Perfectly ok in that situation. Walking in a more public space the dog would be on a normal lead

As with many things in life they are fine if used with care. I use them. My dogs are kept short when on the pavement or near young children or people. I let them slack when in the park and not near people. I pay attention to the surroundings so know if a jogger is approaching (for example) and then retract the lead. Simple.

@Woodythewonderpony the thought of one of these leads wrapping around a horse’s legs while a dog runs riot makes my blood run cold 😱 A simple long line is far safer than a flexi lead IMHO

@saltinesandcoffeecups talking of hounds, you’ve just reminded me of great YouTube video I watched of a US police Bloodhound trailing a pretend escaped convict. The phrase “stubborn” and “single minded” were used for once he has an idea in his head 😁 He was on a long line though, not an extendable lead, which is definitely my preferred option. Funny how no search and rescue dogs use extendable leads while tracking 🤔

@JBJ ah yes, the pitch black walks on playing fields 😆 My late dogs used to wear LED collars so I could see them in the dark

@latetonews true, although I think one of the joys (at least for me) of dog ownership is training my dogs myself. I found it fun learning how to do it and feel I’d have missed out if I’d simply got a professional to do it for me.

They are awful. I saw a toddler trip over one and smash her two front teeth out. Horrendous.

The issue isn't the lead, it is the people using them. Many people have no clue how to use them properly
I have been using them for years, and never had a single issue with them.
Mine is particularly invaluable now as my dog is pretty much deaf so has no recall. She can still have a good sniffy walk without me having to follow her into the bushes.