Long line etiquette - worried about tripping people up

[longlineetiquette]

I am using a long line lead (10m) with my puppy while I work on his recall. I usually only use it in large empty fields where I am far away from others. I have recently starting going on group walks, and I've been encouraged to use a long line lead to let him play and run around with the other dogs. I find I spend the entire time worried about people tripping over the lead or getting tangled in it, and apologising on my puppy's behalf if they do get tangled up in it. My puppy has a lot of fun but I feel like it's antisocial to keep using a long line on these walks as it impacts others' enjoyment of the walk if they're constantly having to watch for the long lead trailing along the ground.

Does anyone else use a long line in group settings? Is it something other dog owners will just accommodate or am I committing a faux pas by using it?

I think it's a matter of mastering it. A 5m line is easier to navigate, especially with a puppy! The idea is that you can loop it in and feed it out rather than letting it trail, which might not always reflect the reality!

In terms of your group walks, what's everyone else using? Are they off-lead? A puppy will usually follow you, rather than run off, so you could let the lead trail on the ground when the pup's playing, and try to make sure you're falling behind the others when you do. If it's the trailing that's the problem, you could try letting the pup off lead when it's playing and calling it back straight away to clip the line on? How old is the puppy? I found mine lost recall around 7-8 months but was pretty reliable up to then.

He's 5 months. He loves to chase and be chased by the other dogs so I have to let the lead go completely as they all bound ahead. It's when the circle back to the group that the lead ends up causing issues. Towards the end of the walk when he's tired I pick the lead up and feed it in and out which works fine. Maybe I'll try buying a 5m one to try as that will cause less issues with tangling than the 10m.

I'm really anxious about letting him off the lead. He has good recall on the long line but I just think surely I'm not anymore exciting than chasing birds and other dogs. He is very food motivated but even so! I've also been on the other end and had a reactive dog and we would constantly have to deal with dogs with poor recall running up to us so I don't want to end up becoming one of those dog owners either.

I was always more worried about the long line trailing in the dog poo that some manky people leave … yuck

Make sure it’s on a harness. Never a collar. I would let it trail on the floor. If other dog walkers or dogs are about I would gather it in. I have a biothane one which means it wipes clean

I think you’ve answered your own question - it’s a little anti social, especially if other dog leads are getting tangled up. Can you use a shorter lead / loose lead for the ‘walk’ parts and longer leads in play areas? Surely he should be taught loose lead walking on the walk parts anyway?

(plus picture of puppy please).

Long lines can be really useful but they can also nasty injuries - one of my dogs stood on a fast-moving longline and ended up with a injury in her shoulder that took about 6 weeks to heal.

In a group, I'd use a shorter line. Also, if the other dogs have good recall, he will probably follow them, so you might not need the line at all.

I would just use a shorter long line (mine was less than 6ft) and let it hang on the ground when in a group.
That way, it's not in the way but you can still step on it to get the puppy back easily.
And get one of those in biothane so it can be wiped and used in bad weather.
And with a harness of course! Never with a collar.