Your flexi is older than me

And me

I use a flexi for Izzy now when we walk round the pitch and putt course at night when all the bunnies are about. We let her off on a long line and still managed to lose her so now I put her on a long-line and attach the flexi-lead to the D-ring at the end of this.

Anywhere else I can let her off lead with no problems and she is very good at recall but this particular walk just has too many temptations in the guise of bunnies!

Did get a bit monotonous the other night on our walk though as the other dog walkers we met all said "Your dog has a very long lead". Glad it was a quiet night -too many people stating the obvious could be rather tedious as when people say to me "you have 2 dogs"!

Not read all the thread but thought I would post story of a poor dog I heard about on a Flexi Lead.
Owner had her Toy Poodle on a flexi and was walking it along the pavement. Toy Poodle went between parked cars and was run over on the road by a passing car. Poor dog

That is sad sounds like it was more of the owner using it irresponsibly, than a problem with the actual lead though.

If I use a flexi by the road (I walk a friends elderly dog on a flexi) then I always have it locked, and use it at the same length as a normal lead... If I get one for Jake and use it on the pavement (doubt I will though), then again it will be on a short length... I think it is common sense to not let the dog have full range of the lead by the road.

That's a sad story . When I had Cherry I used to walk her on a flexi and the brake failed one day as we were walking along near a main road. She went after a small dog that was being walked off-leash and it nearly ran into the road to get away from her. Felt awful and couldn't apologise enough but at least when I see the owner now he does have his dog on a leash.

I can tell you then same story , only its a Boxer in mine.....

The point being ofcause anyone can abuse them, they are not meant for this type of walking , but used correctly, they are a godsend fro many dog owners!