Retractable leads

[lauraxxx29]

Hi all well Akia has already broke her retractable lead surpose to be for 110lb but well she ranked the lock didnt hold she broke it.....lol.

It was one with cord as i thought the strap ones would not retract properly so can you tell me what sort you use cord or strap. I dont want to have to keep buying them for her to brake. I have a 10ft training lead but I get in all sorts of tangles with that............lol.

I clip it on her harness but thinking about a halti if I can have some views on what you all use to make my mind up. I so want her to have some freedom when we are out and about in the fields and woods.

Many thanks Laura, Willow and little Akia

Naughty Akia but i love her

[KERNOWHUSKIES]

I use the Comfort long retractable leads in large, not 1 has broken yet... touch wood.

As 4 Haltis been usin them 4 yrs but.................. Mushu has snapped 2 in 1 month !

I know they r only a tenner but still ! Gunna have 2 re think wot i use on him.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

sarah uses the tape ones for her boys n has no problems - i dont use them for mine - tho ill b bringing 1 to the meet up for skyla at the end ov the month - when u say halti do u mean headcollar or harness? - i wouldnt use a retractable lead with a head collar cuz if they run and then the lead stops suddenly u cud seriously damage her neck when the headcollar pulls her head 2 the side quickly (assuming thats what u meant by halti)

also if u want a good harness - ezydog they r great!!!

[Sarah]

i use the tape ones - 8ft long, had mine for a year now and no fraying or anything - good for dogs up to 50kgs

[valkyries]

if your halti broke try a canny collar they are much stronger, the holti was no good on Odin but canny is fab. xxx

[Val (Zebedee)]

I use the tape ones - Myshka chewed the cord ones! I have a 15' (8m) one for each of mine and if I can hold 48kg (7.5 stone) Diesel with one, Akia should be no trouble!!

[Sid_Wolf]

NEVER, use a head collar with a retractable or long lead! Retractable leads are designed so that to gain any length (i.e get far away) the dog has to put tension on the lead, so with a head collar what your doing is putting tension on a neck which is already straining to keep the head facing forwards.

Use long lines with a harness only, so when they hit the end of the lead the shock goes into their body, rather than the neck.

[lauraxxx29]

Brill not using halti then as that is a good point about hurting there neck. As Akia does tend to lunge forward quickly. Harness it is and a tape retractable lead. Thanks again guys and girls you are brill.......yayeeee.

[Bec]

Totally agree that you should NEVER use a head collar with a retractable leash. Accident waiting to happen IMO

[Kells xx]

great advice sid, added to rep

[Sarah16]

I find retractable leads totally depend on your dog.

I used to walk my older two on them, however Loki would run the length of the lead behind you, then bolt the full length all the way forwards.

We used to say he was trying to snap the lead! It would also jerk him as well so we had to abandon the idea!

Now I have three it is just much easier to walk them all on four foot leads where I can keep them all close.

Sarah x

[KenRC51]

I find retractable leads totally depend on your dog.

I used to walk my older two on them, however Loki would run the length of the lead behind you, then bolt the full length all the way forwards.

We used to say he was trying to snap the lead! It would also jerk him as well so we had to abandon the idea!

Now I have three it is just much easier to walk them all on four foot leads where I can keep them all close.

Sarah x

Personally I do not like retractable leads because I feel that it lets to dog roam freely all over the place with no control. I also think its kind of unsafe to use the retractable leads because they can extend very long. If the dog runs (Sibe runs really quick) at full speed and you decided to stop her from chasing a squirrel or etc.. it can cause your sibe harm. These are just my opinion I do not mean to offend anyone here.

I like mine on a show leash so I an have control of the dog when ever I feel that the dog gets out of hand. All my leash are 4 ft long. I buy all my dogs Lupine collar and leash because they have pretty design and best part is that they guarantee that if the dog breaks or bit the product they will replace it with a new one (LIfetime warranty).

[SarahNukka&Shadow]

I use the longest tape retractable you can get the 28ft or 8 mtre one which is sposed to be able to take 50kgs and my girl just about weighs 20kgs so we've never had a problem and she knows when she coming to the end and usually slows down... if your dog doesnt know I'd surgest getting a shock absorber you can pick them up at pets at home for a few quid and its basically a metal spring but it would take some of the shock out of the pull so the lead is less likely to break! Hope that helps! xx

[Wizadora]

i've been using a halti with a retractable lead for the last week or so, Luna doesn't hurt her neck, she gentle trots along side, and occasionally goes further gentley walking along, i can't see any strain on her neck, i could be wrong, but i'm going to get a canny collar soon anyway, because i don't like the way the halti is under the chin and think that if it attatched at the back of the head it would work better and she would get tangled up less maybe.

[SarahNukka&Shadow]

i've been using a halti with a retractable lead for the last week or so, Luna doesn't hurt her neck, she gentle trots along side, and occasionally goes further gentley walking along, i can't see any strain on her neck, i could be wrong, but i'm going to get a canny collar soon anyway, because i don't like the way the halti is under the chin and think that if it attatched at the back of the head it would work better and she would get tangled up less maybe.

The problem isnt when shes walking nicely its if she sees a cat and goes shooting off to the end of the lead its gunna jerk her kneck right back and can do some MAJORLY serious damage! Please for her safety dont use any kind of head collar with a retractable lead or your gunna end up with one hurt puppy!!

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

i agree i wouldnt use a head collar on mine with a retractable - i use a canny collar on blaze but use a normall lead for it

can i ask a question?? shes only a pup y do u need 2 use a head collar ?? hope u dont mind me asking im just curious

[Sid_Wolf]

I hate headcollars on pups full stop... their joints arent developed enough for that So easily damaged

I also hate retractables tho, because it teaches a dog bad lead manners, since to get any length from it the dog has to pull and put tension on it. So basically it teaches a dog to pull on the lead

People put puppies on retractables, then try to change to a normal lead... and start going 'Help!! My dog wont stop pulling!!' lol

[Wizadora]

i had her on a normal lead to start with but she pulls my arm off already, i've got freakishly weak arms, i've tried using a harness and using a normal collar, same result and on a normal lead my hand was all tied up and hurt. So i started using a retractable lead with a handle, and i tried the halti that i already had on her. I pretty much just use the lead on the shortest (mine has a section of normal lead at the end before it going into the plastic bit) and just walk her down the park everyday.

She doesn't just bolt like you say if she sees something. The only thing that makes her try to pull is seeing other dogs, but i usually go up to them if they are friendly anyway, and she doesn't jerk herself about at alll, so i don't see the problem. I'll speak to my vet about it when i go there next month.

[scott]

guys can i ask why 2 members have had to shout in posts with regards to this thread its went from someone askin bout retractable leads to someone bein pikd on and told how they should do things as opposed to offering advice in the best interests of the pup especially when its a new member.

[KERNOWHUSKIES]

Ive been usin Haltis and retractable leads for yrs n yrs n not once have any of mine been hurt, just thought id let u know.

[SarahNukka&Shadow]

guys can i ask why 2 members have had to shout in posts with regards to this thread its went from someone askin bout retractable leads to someone bein pikd on and told how they should do things as opposed to offering advice in the best interests of the pup especially when its a new member.

Well Im sorry if it came across to you as picking on her I most certainly didnt mean it like that I was just trying to impress upon her that what she was doing was dangerous for her pup (a pup under 6 months old shouldnt really be on a halti anyway, nevermind the disasterous conbination of halti and retractable) The caps word wasnt ment as shouting just as an emphasis on that word, if Id written the whole thing in caps then yeah that would have been shouting... I personally think the tone I used was just giving advise for the best interst of the pup not picking and Im sure Sid would say the same, but thats the trouble with the internet you cant always tell about tone... Sorry if you took it the wrong way.

[Sibe77]

You got to feel sorry for a Husky, not only are they not advised by some to be off lead its now not wise by some to have retractable leads! not every one runs there husky so the only type of excersise they get is either off lead or on a nice long Retracable one.

Do what feels is right for you, the only reson i dont put collars on Grey in simply for the fact they make him look stupid as he has thick fur around his neck, but he did use to where a collar and was on a retractable lead and i never had a problem! if he saw a cat he never picked up enough speed befor i locked the lead to stop him getting any further.....

[SarahNukka&Shadow]

You got to feel sorry for a Husky, not only are they not advised by some to be off lead its now not wise by some to have retractable leads! not every one runs there husky so the only type of excersise they get is either off lead or on a nice long Retracable one.

Do what feels is right for you, the only reson i dont put collars on Grey in simply for the fact they make him look stupid as he has thick fur around his neck, but he did use to where a collar and was on a retractable lead and i never had a problem! if he saw a cat he never picked up enough speed befor i locked the lead to stop him getting any further.....

No one is telling anyone not to use a retractable lead or a collar or a head collar (halti) for that matter... they are simpley saying it is dangerous to use and halti with a retractable lead!

Anyone is free to do whatever they like with their dogs and no one can say otherwise as it is their dog, but people are simply trying to offer helpful advise and point out what might be a dangerous idea or not if they want to ignor that advise then fine but please dont go in the steam room and blast other people for having and shareing an opinion that is different from yours!!!

[Sid_Wolf]

I agree, we never said no collar with a retractable, yea, flat collar, semi slip whatever, fine. Just not a headcollar.

It is a fact that to gain any distance on the lead dog has to put pressure on/pull on the lead, a headcollar pulls the head to the side. Dog wants to look forward and get some distance = strain put on the the neck muscles and joints!

Thats why we say, no headcollars with extendables, not because we're trying to dictate, but because its in the pups interest/safety.

And no, I dont like extendys, but im not gunna tell anyone not to use them, just to use them sensibly and correctly. And not to moan when they find that their dog is a puller when it comes to walking on a normal lead.

[KenRC51]

I don't think any member here are picking on anyone. They are just give their own advice and opinion just like mine.