Do people judge owners with their dogs on a long line?

[Blubell281]

Our dog is 19 months old, despite our best efforts his recall isn't as good as it should be. He has a very high prey drive. I can recall him from people and other dogs but when he gets a scent he's so focused and he sometimes bolts. I don't think he'll ever be off his long line as we live in a very rural area with sheep everywhere and he can squeeze himself under stock fencing.

I have literally never once seen anyone with a dog on a long line, not even a puppy. All I see is dogs off lead trotting alongside their owners. I feel like such a failure, I feel like people must see me and think I dont know what I'm doing, that I haven't put any effort into training. I'm just embarrassed using it. I'm sure I wouldn't be if they were a tool that lots of people used but as I said, I've never even seen 1 person with one, in 18 months!

I don't judge long leads and I don't judge some retractables, tbh.

I do tend to judge anyone using any equipment in a dangerous manner. It doesn't matter if it's a long line or retractable or rope: if you are letting it run around people's legs then it is dangerous.

The main concerns about rectables are:

1. The dog can run right to the end and come to a sudden stop - the extra length allows for a better run up. This is the same as long lines if used in a similar way. Regardless of the kit you are using, allowing a dog to have several metres run up before a hard stop (except in real emergencies) is not great.

1. They are often thin cords that can cause very nasty injury if wrapped around human or canine legs. Nasty. But you can also get retractables that are an inch thick and so no more dangerous than a long line - as above, no one should be letting long leads wrap around anyone's legs.

1. They don't give the same level of control as a fixed line. I think this is on the owner. If the long/retractable lead is thick enough you can comfortably hold the actual lead in your hand (and you do so) then it is no different to a fixed lead. The handle just becomes somewhere to tidy away the unsued length.

1. They break. They either snap, fray or the locking mechanism gives way. All leads and collars should be checked regularly for signs of wear and no one should trust a locking mechanism in situations where it really matters. Again, this is why a thick line you can comfortably hold is important. It is also important not to push the weight limit on any kind of lead.

1. If the cord is very thin it cannot be seen, making it dangerous like a trip wire. Again, there are thick leads that are bright yellow. They can be seen clearly and no one should be using them in a manner that makes tripping likely.

I never judge longlines, I just think they are being responsible and ensuring they retain control while walking their dog. I’ve used a longline with all my own dogs at some point.

I used to always judge retractable leads and still do in many cases - often based on the type and how they are being used, but have recently started using one myself. It’s strong, sturdy, has inch-thick high-vis tape. I keep it locked to standard lead length on the 3 second walk to our local park, as well as holding the tape in my left hand in addition to holding the handle in my right.

If we’re road walking or walking around lots of other people he’s still on a standard lead, but he’s geriatric, quite deaf and has followed the wrong person in the park on multiple occasions recently, which causes him to panic. He can’t hear us calling him or if he does, he can’t work out which direction the sound came from and his long-distance vision isn’t great. He also has arthritis and we are actively controlling his exercise. He can’t go on great long walks anymore and I want him to have a bit more freedom on our snuffle walks in the park, as if he looks up and sees someone he thinks is us he will trot off after them and not hear us calling him back. He doesn’t need the length of a longline, so I don’t want the faff of handling all the spare for the whole walk.

I use it responsibly and he never has a lot of line around others. He’s also trained to walk on my left, so doesn’t tangle us up in it.

I check it after every walk and clean/dry the tape before storing it if it’s got wet/muddy.

I’ve had dogs for over 30 years and this is the first time I’ve felt that I have needed to or had an appropriate situation for using one. I would never usually recommend them to anyone, but for the moment it suits our specific needs.

The only dog owners I judge are those on their mobile phones taking no notice of their dogs at all

Retractable leads just make my blood go cold.

A dog I had in a puppy class was walking on a retractable lead and the mechanism broke. The dog stepped into the road and was run over and literally flattened, killed instantly right next to the owner and granddaughter. To add to the trauma the car carried on and noone stopped to help the owner for over 15 mins so she was stuck at the roadside with the awful situation in front of her .......

This has traumatised me ever since and I cannot imagine how the owner and young girl felt. I will never ever ever risk using one.

Training leads are great for giving a longer lead if a long line is too much and can be clipped to be shorter for road walking

@WhatElseCouldIWrite

I don't judge a dog or it's owner on a long line, normal lead, with a muzzle etc. I do however judge the hell out of people with dogs on retractable leads!! Those things are so dangerous and have no place on a large breed dog, unretracted around other people and dogs and the worst some small dog trotting along with scope to leap into a road. Long leads are so sensible if your pup doesn't have 100% recall. To me it's safer for the pup and owner.

I judge you judging me with my retractable lead used safely on my small dog! We haven't caused any accidents and are always careful to retract in good time if cars come. We do live in a quiet village, however, and don't meet many people at all when we walk. If we used a long lead it would be completely filthy within seconds in our mudbath of a place.

I'd think 'what a good owner who is taking the time to be responsible'. Dog owners who prioritise their dog's safety and are considerate are great.

I hate the number of badly trained dogs in my area who are roaming around at the end of skinny retractable leads. They get in the way of other dog walkers, take up most of the shared use bike/foot paths, are hard to see on fields, and the owners (in my experience) are usually miserable gits who get arsey if asked to get their dog under control.

Please use a long line rather than a retractable lead. Those things are just dangerous. Also, around livestock your dog should be on a lead no longer than 2 metres. I would think you were a very responsible owner if you kept to these rules.

@NeedingCoffee

I think “there’s a really responsible dog owner, up to date on the dangers of retractable leads, training her dog”. Honestly, I couldn’t think more positively of you. And there are always lots of people with young dogs on long lines round me.

Yes exactly this

@PollyRoulson that happened to my MIL when she was a child. She was given a puppy for comfort, when her father died. Took it for a walk with her uncle, on a standard lead, it dashed off the kerb and was instantly run over.

I particularly hate it when I see dogs on extending leads on pavements - usually 1-2 houses ahead of their owner. We live seconds from the park entrance and a minute’s walk from the local infant school. There are two reasons I always reverse onto my drive. One is tiny tots on scooters that whizz past below rear window level, with their parents trailing behind. The other is tiny dogs on skinny extending leads that suddenly dash past the end of the drive just as you start to reverse. I think people are lulled into a sense of it being safe, as it’s a really wide pavement with a huge grass verge between the pavement and the road. Mind you, I regularly see people with their dogs completely off-lead, including one family with two pugs, one of which trails behind them straying into and out of the road without them even noticing. It’s a busy road too.

My dog is approximately 6 and will probably always be on a long line, people can judge as they like. He is safe and that's what counts.

@Blubell281 don't feel embarrassed using a longline. They are a great training tool.

If I saw you, I would assume you :

1. Have a young dog and it is still a bit of an arse
2. Were doing some training with a dog of any old age
3. Are a responsible owner
4. Had decided to let your dog swim in the lake and wished not to have a duck come back with it.

My HPR gundog is a similar age to yours and we had the longline out this morning, for point 4

I am also assuming that you use a longline with a good harness.

We use a Clix 10m line www.petplanet.co.uk/p25468/clix_long_line_10m.aspx quite a bit, also have a shorter one and a longer one.

One of our dogs has one, he can’t go off lead as hes scared of other dogs and makes a right racket.

Yes I would totally judge you if I saw you using a long line on any age dog. I would judge that you were a caring dog owner who took their responsibilities to their dog, other dogs and the rest of the world around them seriously and were doing a damn good job of it!

@moosemama so tragic. I am so sorry for anyone to witness this but a young child grieving her father

I would think you are responsible, but I also get the vibes you do from other owners when I have my dog on a long line and everybody else's dog is running about - I guess people are wary about why he is on a lead at the beach - does he bite etc? So I find myself shouting 'he's very friendly, just a new rescue and his recall is still ropey!' a lot.

I think maybe there's a recent shift in thinking where people now appreciate that it's not ok to let your out of control dog bomb around willy nilly and more people are using long lines for training.

My 11 year old ex hunter (who I have had for 6 years) can never be let off lead unless in a secure field as he bolts (I trained and trained and trained and the first time I let him off he disappeared!) I use a fixed long line in the park (not on the pavements) and he loves his poggle in the bushes and the chance to stretch his legs. I would never use a retractable lead as it could break his neck.

I used a long line when my dog was a similar age. He was a rescue with recall issues... he was on a long line for ages until we cracked it.

These days I use a hated retractable leash - one of the tape ones. The old dog is nearly 14 now and has gone deaf, and I have a small child so I don’t have two free hands for a long line. The retractable lead gives him a bit of freedom for sniffing and pottering about. He still goes off the lead in certain circumstances but it’s not as easy these days and he’d be pretty miserable living his life on a short lead for every walk. It’s the right tool for the job in hand, these days.

Anyway, I certainly wouldn’t judge. Been there, done that!

I feel dreadful - we use a retractable for our golden retriever as her recall is useless and I never realised how dangerous they were. When we walk her on streets or in a town, she's on her short fixed lead, but whenever I take her on walks in parks, the common, country tracks etc, I have her on the retractable lead so she can roam a little more freely but without me panicking that she'll dash off the moment she spots a new canine friend. The lead we use seems sturdy and she's never wrapped around a human or other dog as we shorten it when people come near, but I can see why they can cause an issue.

Can I ask, what long lines are recommended? If they don't retract, do they not get in people's way?

I use a long line because I'm not confident of my puppy's recall. All our local parks are jam-packed at the moment and although she is mostly ok about not jumping up when excited, I can't 100% trust her. It would be horrible if she knocked an elderly person or young child over so I don't take a chance. If people look at me and think that dog isn't fully trained they would be right!

She also goes in the stream on a long line and that limits how far she can go otherwise she'd keep swimming!

The only thing I really dislike is when other dogs come bounding over and she's on a long line. It's dangerous as they get tangled and I've had to cut short a couple of play sessions recently because I couldn't safely keep her on the long line or let her off lead completely. I suppose she is learning it's not always time to play though as she thinks everyone is her friend.

There's a lovely local dog of about 4 years old who is always on a long line as she's an escape artist and just keeps running like Forrest Gump. Had a lovely chat with her owner who made me feel a great deal better about our dog's sketchy recall!

If he bolts on an extension lead and reaches the end he could suffer permanent nerve damage and/or a broken neck.

Lots of difference leads are good for difference purposes. Long leads are great for training and open walks.

Heavy duty retractables (with a good 'brake/lock') are also perfectly fine if used sensibly.

Harnesses are good. But it also depends on the dog breed and type of walk. No right or wrong, you sound very responsible.

Long line user here! My dog’s recall is not there yet; also he is the type of dog that would spook at things and bolt. A long line means that on quiet walks I can drop the line and practice recall safely and he can stretch his legs. On busier walks I can bring him back to me before I go round a corner - it’s like driving a car - I need to see the distance is clear for my braking power!

I loosely tie the line round my waist which means if he flies off at a squirrel or something I don’t have to try and hold onto it. And if he gets into a situation with an aggressive dog I can drop the line for him to fight/flight if I judge it safer to do that.

My dog is also fast, black, young and barky. He won’t hurt anyone but he might alarm them if he runs over to see their dog; with a long line I have a few more seconds to see and deal with a potential issue.

I’m a fan!

@NeedingCoffee why are retractables so bad?? Genuine question because that's what I use with my 2 dogs and would hate to think it was hurting them some how.

Fantastic to hear positive reactions to long lines.
Remember they are safest on harness too otherwise it’s still a very hard stop on a neck if you stop with a long line

Being honest ... yes, long lines don't train your dog to stay by your side so I would probably think you couldn't be bothered to train your dog properly.

[quote mcdog]@NeedingCoffee why are retractables so bad?? Genuine question because that's what I use with my 2 dogs and would hate to think it was hurting them some how. [/quote]
They are prone to snapping at the link between the “rope” and the “winder”, the “lock” is prone to failing just at the worst moment and the rope / tape is hard to grip so it’s very difficult to pull them in fast in an emergency. And people often don’t use a heavy duty enough one, which makes the failures above even more likely.
So basically the issue is that in a situation where you really need to have control of your dog you may find you don’t.