Warning About Extending Leads

[Evenstar]

I just wanted to let people know about something that was shared on a local Facebook group this week, a dog that was being walked on an extending lead ran into a road after the brake on it failed and was killed instantly by a car.

I have decided to use a short traditional lead for walking near roads, just thought I would let others know to raise awareness of the danger.

Extending leads are a godsend for many dogs. Not all dogs can run free, for many reasons. For example, I have two oldies.... one deaf with a heart condition and one going blind. Their extending leads give them freedom they would not otherwise have. There needs to be more compassion and thought about why some dogs may be on leads, whatever kind. I could go on a rant about dogs off lead bothering my dogs who are well behaved and yes, on their leads, for the reasons stated. There you go.

With regards the original post, that is a worry. I hope people realise that a good sturdy standard lead is the only sensible way to walk dogs road side. Also, like someone has said, generally the complaints about extending leads are faults of the people on the other end of the lead, not the leads themselves.

A cocker spaniel pup's cord broke as he dashed off suddenly to greet another dog. He ran toward a side road from a field but was saved by concerned stranger who stopped him.

I had a similar incident to the one reported a couple of months ago.

Driving along the road, 40 limit area. Woman with 2 dogs stood at the side of the road, back to the road, talking to her mate. One of the dogs suddenly dashed off the patent straight in front of my car - I was forced to do an emergency stop, at which point the dog ran back to the pavement again. Throughout all of this, the woman had no idea of any of it and just continued talking to her friend!

I had nowhere safe to pull up and have a word (40 limit area, double yellows, busy road etc) and was so shaken that I just restarted the car and carried on, but was gobsmacked that the woman was completely oblivious to the fact that one of her dogs almost got hit. I hate extending leads.

Twice in the last month, I have nearly been taken off my bike while riding on back roads where someone is walking their dog on a fully extended lead and letting it go on the other side of the road - as a cyclist, you can't see those leads easily and although I am always wary around off lead dogs (some like to jump and nip at you on the bike), its not quite like being tripwired

I have medium sized dogs and use short leads and extendables. My dogs have good manners on the extendables. One gets to the end, checks in, goes off to sniff something else. The other one mostly walks with me but will go off to sniff something from time to time. My dogs are also good at taking cues so if they are headed in opposite directions around a tree I can give a call to the one I want to redirect and they come back the other way when we get back into the neighborhood the more active one gets put on a v short length so she can't suddenly charge off, ;the other one is put on a normal short lead length. It works well for us. I've tried the more energetic dog on a long line but I fettle I didn't have a good grip when back in the neighborHood so haven't used it hardly. A dog trained well to walk on leads can also walk on extendables.

Our dog cant be off lead so has an extending but we have it locked when he is near roads he tries to chase cars sigh

I've got several dog leads tied together. So there is length there when needed, but also hand-holds along that length.

I hate seeing dogs being walk on extending leads attached to their collar, it's so dangerous! If they do take off suddenly the force on their neck when they reach the limit is awful and can do lots of damage. I keep trying to gently suggest to walkers (who use them) that their dog would be much safer wearing a harness if they must use and extender.

I agree. I don't like to see dogs walked via collars full stop.

To be fair if dogs walk without pulling it makes no difference what it's attached to.

But yeah flexis and collars make me wince.