Best retractable lead?

[Jungfraujoch]

Don't want to,waste my money - recommendations please?

[BeckywiththeGoodHare]

I walk my 32kg hound on a Giant Flexi tape lead - it lets him wander and sniff while letting me keep things moving to some extent, and it has a strong lock so if he needs to be under closer control it's pretty much the same as a normal rope lead. He isn't a breed that ever 'lead walks' like a lab or a spaniel - it'd be miserable for both of us - and we're in a very rural area where we don't meet many people to get tangled up with. Most of the time he's off lead but we couldn't do a whole walk with him free-ranging. It would take hours...

My DP, on the other hand, used to walk his small but very determined terrier on a cord retractable lead that was a total amputation risk it was swiftly 'broken' and binned. Small dog is now on a strong Flexi tape lead but again, used with caution, especially around other people, other dogs, and in non-rural areas. I think if you use it sensibly, keep it at the right length and don't switch off yourself, they're fine.

[Madbengalmum]

Pigs, absolutely agree with you.

I have had a flexi tape giant lead for seven years now with no problems.
I have a strong 40 kg dog and she walks well with it. The leads take some getting used to but are excellent when used properly. I think the problem comes when people do not know how to use them, and are not sensible with them.
However, sooner a flexi lead than a dog off lead in public with no recall,like most of those we come across.

[pigsDOfly]

Yes, well there are stupid people out and about with dogs on both retractable leads and ordinary leads.

I think your run-in was more with a stupid dog owner rather than a retractable lead Noitsnot

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

I had a run-in with a retractable lead just now - a woman walking a beagle on a retractable lead was walking towards us - as her dog was on the lead I called my dog to heel

I didn't expect her then to let her dog lunge towards mine, at which my dog goes to hide behind my legs (as he's a) the workd's biggest wuss and b) hates dogs he doesn't know getting in his face).

The owner starts twittering on about how her dog is 'only being friendly' while said dog starts chasing mine around my legs, wrapping the cheese wire-like cord around my legs - it bloody hurt but she said she couldn't let go as her dog wouldn't come back

I told her her lead was lethal and she countered by telling me that my (completely under control) dog should be kept on the lead too


Arrrhghhh

[HarrietSchulenberg]

I wasn't hurt, Cupcakes, as I had a long, nylon, arse-covering coat that nicely skimmed me along the sheet ice on the pavement. It actually made me chortle to myself once I'd recovered my dignity.

[LimeJellyHead]

Retractable leads are a god send if used correctly. I use a cord one for my skinny little old girl who doesn't go far but for our terriers we have always used the Flexi tape ones. I highly recommend them. Fantastic pieces of kit www.dfordog.co.uk/flexi-vario-tape-retractable-dog-lead.html

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Sorry Harriet buy I did at your cut price sledding! Hope you weren't hurt.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

I have a flexi lead for my 26kg lurcher and have no issues with it at all with. But, you do have to be sensible about where and when you let it extend. I tend to walk my hound when it's quiet as he's nervous, and he's a hedge/wall/fence surfer so sticks his nose to the nearest vertical surface rather than trotting all over the place. I can let it out to its 5m extension as long as there's no other dogs or bikes around, and in fields. His recall is ok when he's on the flexi lead but awful when he's off it.

The only hiccup I've had was one icy December night when he took off after a cat at the exact moment that I slipped on the ice. I landed on my arse and he towed me 20m down the street in hot pursuit until he realised something was amiss and stopped inhis tracks. We must have looked like a cut-price dog-sled team.

If you get one, make sure you get the right one for your dog's weight (go higher rather than lower if he's borderline).

[MothershipG]

Definitely no dig intended Whippet! And apologies if I wasn't clear.

I was just trying to say get the lightest line you can according to size of dog! I've had to carry one for most of the past ten years, so just trying to make the OP's life easier!

Happy to report that at 10 my Mini Schnauzer finally seems to be a bit better and is off her trailing line! At the end we were just using a puppy house line. But she's lulled me into a false sense of security before... 😊

[LilCamper]

If you use a long line, never attach it to a collar. Always use a harness.

[Whippet81]

Mothership why the dog at me? I never said she needed one strong enough for a horse just that I use a lunge line as I have quite a few so wouldn't know what lead to advise.

I've been off Mumsnet for over 6 months because of this passive aggressive nonsense.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

We got ours at a bootsale so no idea of brand afraid! I prefer one that doesn't have a loop at the end as it can snag on things, and a strong clip.

Tbh we've used strong cord with a carabiner tied on (you need to be good at knots!) at a push, but unless you've got good cord lying around its probably just as cheap to buy a proper line.

[MothershipG]

Having had a dog who's been on and off a training line most of her life I would recommend looking on eBay. Loads to choose from on there.

Depending on the size of the dog get the lightest weight you can safely get away with, you don't need one that's strong enough to hold a horse!

Get a non absorbent one so it doesn't soak up the water on wet days.

If you use it as a trailing line tie some knots in it so you can step on it and it doesn't just run under your foot.

[Whippet81]

Yep - one that's in the bin. I nearly ran over a spaniel last week that ran into the road whilst his owner was locking the front door.

Being horsey I always used a horse lunge line - if we go on a walk now I clip to leads together and put him back on to one for roads etc - I have a greyhound who is never going to recall though.

[Jungfraujoch]

Thanks for that - training line it is then - any recommendations?!

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

If you're a bit worried he might spook and do a runner I'd definitely avoid a retractable. They're Ok for old, plodding dogs that don't really get speed up, but a dog trying to bolt on one is not a good thing! Especially if it's a larger breed with some weight behind them (see previous comment about rope burns!).

Training Lines are great, and you can build up what you do gradually. And reel them in!

[Jungfraujoch]

It's just while he settles in really, I'm about 95% confident! He's a little nervy around men so I worry he could get spooked in the park!

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Congratulations on your new rescue, btw! Does he have any specific recall problems or is it just whilst he settles in?

[Jungfraujoch]

Have to say before we got our dog I was never a fan of them - some people just seem to let the dog wander way off paying no,attention to what they're doing or who may come a cropper on the lead!

I'll investigate a long training lead I think. Thanks for all the input.

[pigsDOfly]

Just to add a long training lead is better for recall practice. I bought a very long one when my dog was in her adolescent period and decided that she was just too cool for recall:) You can leave a long lead trailing, which you can't do with a retractable lead obviously.

[pigsDOfly]

Flexi is a good make. I use it when I don't want to let my dog off the lead for safety reasons but want to give her the freedom to explore. As pp said they can cause problems if not used sensibly around other people.

Tape is much better than cord and never use them with a collar only with a harness otherwise you could be in danger of seriously harming your dog's throat.

[Jungfraujoch]

Thanks. New rescue dog - 2 weeks - so not off normal lead yet. Thought it would be useful in park to practise recall etc?

[SnoopDoggyDogg]

Tape one is better than rope, I got a couple on offer in PAH. I only use them if I know I'm going straight to the park and not along many roads and I want my dogs to have some freedom but I can't let them off eg. when it's busy and there's cricket/rugby matches on.