The long and short of it is that the majority of people commenting think retractable leashes should be taken off the market.
I don't. While we don't use ours all the time - only when hiking state parks - I see the value in them for OWNERS who are properly trained. No, owners isn't a typo. The problem is that the retractable leashes can be a tool for lazy pet owners who don't bother to train their dogs properly. They don't pay attention to the dog, talk on the cell phone a mile a minute, and before they know it - oops, the dog has nearly yanked their arm off going after a squirrel or dashing into traffic. (Usually, it's the same kind of dog owner who doesn't pick up after their dog in public, too)
Granted, I have 30 pound Corgis, not 100 pound Labs. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable carrying a retractable leash that big.
What do you think? Yay or Nay? Do you use one?
3 comments:
I use the conventional one. The retractable kind is not common in this part of the planet. ;)
As a veterinary tech who sees people with these all the time I say YES they are dangerous. People get caught in them by their pets and trip, they can't control their dogs with them, the line can snap and really injure someone and you could lose your pet, etc. I once saw a little kid almost lose some fingers by grabbing onto the line and then the dog took off...you get the picture.
We use the retractable leashes on our 2 dogs. But they are only 8 lb dogs. I just like to give them a little more freedom when we're in a larger open space.
Walking down the street, we keep it locked in to keep them closer to us. And obviously, since our dogs are so small and light weight, them running and pulling on us, isn't a concern.
With a big dog, I would feel much more comfortable with a conventional leash.
My kiddos have been too young to walk our dogs so far, but as they get older I think I'd probably get a conventional leash for them to use for safety concerns.
Post a Comment