PS good point about the settling, she arrived in June and we started formal training in the November, although i have to say it took Moo a long time to settle in properly longer than any of the other rescues.

I just wish i had, had her from a pup she would have been a better working dog than the one i have had from a pup

Sorry, i should have elaborated...like i said, i had only really thrown my post together.

Its a matter of risk assessment and training success.

The problems with flexis is the amount and manner of control you have.

Firstly, you dont have first direct control of the device, you have second direct control.
First direct control in terms of stopping movement is the button you must press, and first direct control in terms of momentum is the pulley system, somewhat determined by the free running dog, so you could argue you have third direct control there.

Therefore, secondly, you need razor sharp reflexes in any given situation whatsoever.

So, if your dog sees that squirrel way before you = pretty much likely - he could be at the end of that line in a flash, before you have already thinking of reacting.
Thus you will likely be 'panic reacting', increasing likelihood of not hitting that button quick enough, or pressing it wrong, jarring it.
The risk here is dog gets to end of the line in quick sharp time and jolts his neck...not too mention the accident you may sustain, such as the handle bouncing back and whacking you on the forehead.

This could cause your dog to become nervous, setting back your recall training.

Aside from this, the constant pulling in and out of the cable, as determined by the dog, is teaching the dog to pull, another potential training problem..

Whereas, if you use a long line, such as a horse lunge or lightweight rope, you eliminate these issues, as their is no button and pulley, you are just holding the actual line, so you have first and only direct control of movement and momentum.

You get to feed,. lengthen, and shorten the line accordingly. You can also trail some of the line.
You can even, when things have advanced enough, drop the long line and trail on the ground.

However, long lines also have their H & S risks, such as entangling yourself, your dog, or others (which a flexi cable can also do), and you can get rope burn.

That it why it is essential to practice feeding the line in your garden to begin with, and to wear gloves until happy.

So - flexis - generally not a good tool for training purposes.

No Tassle i didn't use what i thought were Ceasars methods i used tried and tested positive methods, long lines repitition and patience, after all you can't get their attention when they are the other side of the field or woods, and a little bit of consequence for ignoring me. I don't get it when people say that dogs don't remember they have to remember to learn, ie they come back for a tasty treat because they remebered that you had a treat, if they lived totally in the moment like some say then they wouldn't know what a treat is.

Same for Moll, she is slowly learning that if she does as i ask she can have as much freedom as she wants, if she doesn't her freddom is restricted.

The problems with flexis is the amount and manner of control you have.
Firstly, you dont have first direct control of the device, you have second direct control.
First direct control in terms of stopping movement is the button you must press, and first direct control in terms of momentum is the pulley system, somewhat determined by the free running dog, so you could argue you have third direct control there.

I've only ever used one once, when walking a friend's dog, and was left feeling it was rather like trying to ride & control a horse using a steering wheel!