Why do you hate (or love) Flexi leashes (extendable leads)?

When I was given my first dog, she came with a very short leash... about 5-7 feet. She would always get over excited and run and choke herself out with those internal wheezing sounds followed by coughing and usually slimy saliva coming out of her mouth. I then bought her a harness, but she seems uncomfortable in it, always trying to squirm out of it and usually getting one leg stuck, yet still gets over excited and tugs and pulls the leash a lot. She is a beagle and she loves to follow her nose where ever it may lead her and usually that's more than 7 feet from the cemented walkway at the park. I then get her a flexi leash (23 feet) and she's super happy now. I took her off the uncomfortable harness that she kept on wanting to squirm out of... she often runs the full 23 feet in front of me and once she feels tension she usually slows down. She isn't always at full extension all the time and sometimes only stays 1/2 the distance from me. She seems a lot more happier with the extended freedom.

I can't seem to find out why so many people on here hate the flexi leashes. As an intelligent individual, I recognize the design of the product and take precautions to ensure the safe use of this kind of leash. I lock it when I need to so my dog doesnt run into the streets, I brace for impact when I see my dog bolting after something before I have to lock it and I keep away from the cord as much as possible to prevent any pinching or severing of my skin or other bodily parts. With all that in mind, why do you hate this kind of leash? The design definitely has it's drawbacks but with those drawbacks come advantages as well. The exact inverted advantage/disadvantage statement can be made with standard leashes so what is so extremely negative about these leashes? I asked because I'm contemplating buying a second one for my bigger heavier dog and am worried I might be missing something. I realize using two at one time is just asking for complications, again, with the obvious being noted, but I have to ask in case there is some reason that is not so obvious to me.

do a search

we've had lots of threads giving reasons

(as im too lazy to type it again LOL)

For me at the moment they're useful. My foster dog was spayed last week and so cannot be let off lead to play with the other dogs as we have to be careful with her stitches. The flexi lead means that she can still have a bit of freedom for sniffing around and not be constrained to walking by my side yet I still have a modicum of control over her if she decides she wants to try and run off!

That said I would never ever use a flexi lead anywhere near a road and always use the mikki 7-in-1 leads when I'm road walking or leashing the dogs when coming up to the road at the end of our usual walk.

You brace yourself but your dog will come to a sudden stop and could possibly damage her neck.

I have a flexi lead and used it more when I first had Lana, first 10 days or so, and didn't want to let her off lead. I also used it a night for her last walk around the streets in the winter when it was dark and will probably do the same this winter. That way she could go onto the grass verges while I stayed on the pavement.

I've always been aware that if I let a dog go 15 feet in front of me that the same dog could suddenly change direction and go 15 feet to the side and end up on the road possibly in front of a car so I've always made sure it wasn't extended so far, yet I see plenty of people who's dog walks so far in front of them and never seem to think their dog might suddenly change direction and put themselves in danger.

Firstly I think you have to remember that our leash laws are very different in the UK (where most of us are based) compared to the USA. If I had to keep my dog on a lead all the time, I would probably feel they were not such a bad thing too.

But as it is, over here we tend to get the people who can't be bothered to train their dogs on recall and basic manners and just use the flexi-lead as the easy way out.

So in part, its probably a lot to do with the type of people who use them rather than the leads themselves.
(NB I'm not saying that they are all like that - there are also good owners who's dogs have to be on a lead for a valid reason).

For example, I have one dog who can be quite unpredicatable with other dogs. When another dog comes along, I will move her out the way. So someone approaches with a dog on a flexilead, with it locked at about 10ft. There I am thinking their dog is under control a nice distance away, when suddenly the owners decide to relax the lock so there dog can charge straight at mine Yes maybe their dog does only want to play, but mine doesn't and its amazing how many times this has happened.

Then there are those that will let their flexi-leaded dog run completely round you so that you get caught up in their lead. And others have said, the countless number who use them on pavements etc.

As for the leads themeselves, the things I don't like are

(1) the risk to the dogs neck if it is running fast and suddenly stopped (so I would prefer to see them used with a harness)

2) although they are better made now, I've heard of several accidents where the lead has snapped or come unhooked and has whipped back into the owners face.

i LOVE them, when used correctly!

Glad you added that bit

For me , neither love or hate them, they are a necessity for me, for one of my dogs, so needs must, they are used to give her some freedom to sniff /dart about when we are in a vicinity where we may meet other dogs!

I love them myself. I walk four small ones on flexi-leads daily (usually with another family member or two as well), but then I walk rurally without the worry of the extension reaching to the road. (Our ditches are 30-45 feet wide). I also don't use collars on my dogs - just harnesses.

They are allowed off lead on my own fenced land (fenced to keep coyotes out and dogs in), but I believe they need time off their own land to sniff about and socialize with the many friendly dogs in this rural subdivision. I keep them on flexi-leads as there are also known small dog aggressive dogs that live too close and that are left to run loose by less than responsible owners.

I've had four incidents of run ons and attacks from larger dogs in four years. They were all kept somewhat under my control as my dogs were on lead, so I could reel them in quickly and place myself inbetween. In two incidents I was pushed about and mouthed by the dog trying to get to my own, it was so persistent.

We also have coyotes here, and not five days ago one stalked us 25 feet off to the side in the bushes. One took my neighbours Yorkie walking off lead with her 8 years ago which was the incident that initiated my desire to find a more protective way to walk my little ones.

I find the flexi-leads give my dogs a better quality of life.

I don't believe I would find too much use for them in an urban environment though.

Ruby

I think like most things in life they are great when used properly and responsibly. I don't currently use one at all but used to use one when I had my Boxer and he had to be on a lead due to his 'issues'. I used to run long distances with him on a harness and flexi lead and never had any issues with it at all, it made life so much easier for both of us.

Me too, and having a dog that cannot go off-lead, it is a brilliant solution for me