Skip to main content

Why We Don't Use Retractable Leashes

If your dog pulls you all over the place when you go on a walk, your first fallback may be a flexi (retractable) leash.  This post explains the dangers that come with using a retractable leash and why we choose to avoid them for our own dogs as well as discouraging clients from using them.

Courtesy of www.jacksonranchfordogs.com


More Pulling


The first issue with this kind of leash that I will mention is that it teaches your dog to pull.  A retractable leash always has a constant pressure on your dog's collar or harness.  If you are trying to get away from your dog pulling, you would be better off teaching your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash as opposed to clipping them to a device that always puts and keeps tension on their body.


Hitting the end of the leash


You only have so much distance before you will get pulled around again!  Retractable leashes only give you about 16 feet for your dog to roam.  If they decide to take off after something, they will hit the end of the leash and give both of you a very nasty jolt.  This can be detrimental to both of you.  Your shoulder will not be happy with the sudden movement and your dog's neck and throat will not be pleased with the sudden tension.  Dogs have ended up with damaged trachea's because they hit the end of a retractable leash too quickly and with too much force.  Most dogs don't understand that they only have "free rein" until 16 feet out.  Because of the potential for damage to both you and your dog, we highly recommend working with a trainer (not necessarily us if we aren't in your area) to make sure you and your dog both enjoy your walks on a 6 foot leash rather than a retractable.

Burns and Cuts


Courtesy of google.ca


If the retractable part of the leash gets wrapped around your leg or hand, you are in great danger!  These leashes routinely cause burns to human and canine skin and also pose a risk to removing a limb (especially if it is only a finger)!  You never want to grab the retractable part of the leash with your hands, but almost everyone does at some point or another.  Sometimes circumstances are just too frantic for you to remember not to grab that part of the leash if your dog is not coming back.





Tools


To be the safest, a dog should be on a harness so that if they do hit the end of the leash, the pressure is distributed more evenly across their chest as opposed to being concentrated on their neck.  I see many people using a retractable leash with other tools meant to help stop pulling - head harnesses, martingales, choke chains, prong collars and more.  What happens when your dog hits the end of the retractable leash with one of these tools on?  A head harness can cause severe damage to the head and neck because of the sudden stop.  The choke chain causes heightened pressure on a smaller area of the neck and poses more risk to the dog's trachea.  Prong collars have the potential to embed in the neck if they hit the end of the leash at a decent speed.  These tools are all meant to be used with extreme caution and on a leash where you can control what your dog is doing - not a retractable!

Control


Most areas require your dog (on leash) to be under control.  If your dog is 16 feet away from you, how do you expect to be able to manage their behavior?  Conversely, if another dog runs up to your dog and is not friendly, how do you intend to keep your dog safe?  Retractable leashes have so many downsides!


I could keep going, but I think I have painted a morbid enough picture for one post.  Moral of the story - don't use retractable leashes if you want to keep your dog and yourself safe!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Puppy Teething

When a puppy is teething, it is normal for them to become excessively nippy.  We need to remember that, just like a toddler growing in their teeth, it is uncomfortable and sometimes painful for a puppy as well.  the best way to manage them when they are teething is to keep them busy and give them lots of frozen treats to try to help numb their gums. Puppies don't get all their adult teeth in until they are about 6 months old.  Anywhere from 3-8 months your pup will be teething and need some good chews to be able to help alleviate some of the discomfort they are experiencing. Rope Toys These can be very useful when your puppy is teething.  They are a nice thing for your pup to chew on to help pass the time (watch that they don't tear and ingest any of the strings) and very versatile.  You can soak and freeze rope toys to help with the soreness of their mouth.  Keep in mind that sodium is not good for a dog in large quantities, so either soak in water, low sodium broth or
Post a Comment
Read more

Nipping

All puppies are going to go through a stage of nipping.  Puppies don't have hands to help them explore the world around them, so naturally they are going to grab, taste and tug on anything new that is introduced to them.  Their mouth is their hands, so we need to help them understand from a young age what is acceptable to put their mouth on and what is not.  Please note that nipping may become worse around teething time as it is uncomfortable for the pup to grow in those adult teeth.  Refer to our post on Puppy Teething and how to help minimize the nipping with management of their pain. Some puppies will go through a more intense period because of their genetics.  Dog breeds that are a working breed are more likely to have a more intense nip stage.  Examples: herding dogs: boarder collies, Australian shepherds, cattle dogs, etc; working dogs: German Shepherds, Malinois, Belgian Shepherds, etc. There are a few different methods that we can try to help your pup understand that
Post a Comment
Read more

Different Types of Collars

You may go to the store to get your dog a new collar and become overwhelmed from the selection.  In this post I will outline the general use and position of each collar, whether to use it on a puppy or not, and why there are so many different styles. Flat Collar Flat collars are your regular, every day, tag holding collars.  If your dog isn't a puller or has learned not to pull, these are perfectly fine to use on a walk.  If your dog does pull on a walk, a flat collar is not going to help you any. Harnesses There are many different types of harnesses available on the market.  Step through harnesses, buckle around the barrel harnesses, mesh harnesses, the list goes on!  Harnesses are good for brachycephalic breeds that have trouble breathing or any dog with issues with their trachea.  Generally, we don't suggest putting your dog on a harness for your every day walks because it gives them more ability to pull you around, but sometimes a harness is necessary.
Post a Comment
Read more