I think they are the spawn of the devil...................

To the dogs that wear them, other dogs, other people, motorists etc.

Yes I do believe there IS a place for them (for the old, infirm, blind, deaf, post operative, dogs without recall etc) however the majority I see used are those with lazy owners.

You can achieve the same effect with a long line, but it does require a bit of work.

Also walking on a flexi lead teaches a dog that there is NEVER any slack in the line so dogs never learn to walk on a loose lead.

Dons tin helmet, flak jacket and hunkers down in trench..........

Lol SB, everyone is entitled to their oppinion!

Of course you can have slack in the lead, when I used to run with my Boxer we didn't run with a taut lead, it just gave us the ability to have a bit of give and take in change of speed etc.

Where I take Jago he gets ample 'space' on his to have a leap through the long grass at the side of the field. This is the only place I use the flexi on him and it works for us. He also has arthritis so having the lead on him controls his 'leaping'!

My Springer walks beautifully on a short lead and has been walked on a flexi from a relatively early age. I do tend to find flexis are good in that they don't teach the dog to pull....

I take two leads when out walking in the local parks: a slip lead and a flexi. I use the slip lead and flexi on my Springer with no problem, using either depending upon the situation. The Wire Vizsla doesn't walk nicely to heel so the slip lead is used as a figure of 8 for path walking and the flexi for those times when there are lots of little unsocialised rats running around (no offence meant, I have had a small dog myself! ) who can't cope with a lolloping great mutt bouncing around wanting to play.

I'd be lost without my flexi these days and I've no problems in their day to day operation, I don't find them dangerous to me, my dogs or others!

Never see a dog on a flexi that did not pull as of course if they did NOT pull, there would be no need for a flex as it would never be extended!

They teach the dog to pull as of course it is the DOG pulling that makes the line get dispensed! So they control how far they go out!

I nearly had a severed leg from some moron letting their dog gallop past me and do a banana!

I think we will agree to differ!

Err no the only reason to use a flexi is not because your dog pulls, mine used to run at the side of me but far enough apart so that we didn't trip over each other, I dispensed the length of the lead by using the locking mechanism. As fit as I was I clearly didn't have the turn of speed of a Boxer and although he was well trained our pace would vary at times and the flexi gave us the ability to do that without either me yanking him back or him pulling me over.

As I said my Springer was walked on a flexi from an early age and will walk loosely on a slip lead no problem. When she feels the slip lead go taut she slows down to match my speed, the flexi doesn't go taut so she roams more freely.

We will definitely have to agree to disagree, I use a flexi everyday and have never had a single problem with them.

Idiots on the other hand I have issues with daily!

I think they are fantastic. It is not the tool that is the problem but the people on the end of said tool.

I agree that many people either misuse them or are just generally totally ignorant about safety concerning their usage. However, used sensibly in the RIGHT places with the RIGHT dog (this also being the key aspect that many owners appear to overlook) they are great.

My Lab has just spent the last three weeks confined to lead walks due to an operation he had on his ear. I've used the Flexi throughout that time to give him freedom. I can use it because he has a decent level of training, never pulls and isn't interested in furry things. On the other hand, I would NEVER use one with Bo my Slovak as it would end in disaster and it would be very irresponsible on my part.

I think that in the right hands, they make a fantastic weapon.........

I could not be fagged carrying the equivalent of a handbag around all the time, bone idle that's me!