Cathy is certified through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, holding both the CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA designations. Cathy is a Fear Free Certified Certified Professional, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, the Pet Professional Guild, and the Dog Writers Association of America.
As Preventive Vets dog behavior expert and lead trainer at Pupstanding Academy, Cathy focuses on helping humans and their pets build a strong relationship based on trust, clear communication, and the use of positive reinforcement and force-free methods. With over 13 years of experience, she has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of dogs on a wide variety of training and behavior issues. Beyond her one-on-one consultations through Pupstanding Academy, she also teaches group dog training classes at Seattle Humane. Her specialties include dog aggression, resource guarding, separation anxiety, and puppy socialization.
When shes not geeking out about dogs, you can find her reading, hiking with her two Cardigan Welsh Corgis, or paddleboarding.
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When is it Okay to Use a Retractable Leash?
Retractable leashes are a modern invention designed to give a dog freedom, while still maintaining the security of being tethered. These leashes have gotten a bad rap lately, and often it is with good reason due to incorrect use.
I was recently waiting for an appointment at a vet clinic and was tied up in a Shih Tzus extendable leash. A busy veterinarians waiting room is not the right place for an extendible leash to be unlocked. Often, people get too comfortable with the idea of controlled freedom. Its important to be selective, careful and safe while using this tool.
When retractable leashes are a great choice
These leashes provide exactly what Manfred Bogdahn had in mind: give a little more freedom while still having some control. Using these leashes can be great when teaching recall, retrieve, stay, or other commands. They are also ideal in an on-leash area when a dog already has good leash manners and is under voice control. They can also give more freedom to deaf dogs or dogs after surgery who are not supposed to run around but can start exercising.
A retractable leash is also suitable for potty breaks in an area with some dangers around – like stopping next to a highway while traveling when you want to give more room for the dog to stretch their legs. A similar risk could be if there are coyotes, skunks, etc., around someones home, so they want to limit the dog’s freedom for the bathroom breaks at night.
Both veterinaries and human doctors can confirm that there are many injuries resulting from using retractable leashes. The most common issue is that someone’s leg gets wrapped in the leash while the dog is running around and the thin leash can surprisingly easily burn and even cut the skin when sliding on it. If dogs are allowed to play with other dogs while on a retractable leash, both dogs have an easy time getting tangled and eventually injured when one of them starts running, yanking the leash wrapped around them. One might think these are only minor injuries, but they can be severe and very painful. In general, using these leashes is not ideal in any busy location where there are dogs, people, bikes around because any of these could get tangled in them, or a situation could quickly arise when you would want to have the dog close for better control.
Another risk is if the dog starts running at full speed and the harness or collar injurs them when they sudden reach the end of the leash. Having the leash attached to the harness is much better in this situation, but it can still cause damage when stopping a running dog suddenly.
I also see many people walking dogs on the sidewalk of a busy road with a long leash far ahead of them. Dogs quickly learn that they are not supposed to step on the road, but if something happens (like someone suddenly stepping out from a building or a car honking, etc.), they can get scared and jump on the road. When they are so far ahead, there is no way to pull them back from the road quickly. There is also always some chance that the leash would malfunction if the dog suddenly pulls on it, and the button would fail to stop the dog, or even the rope could break.
As a general guideline, Flexis are not great if the dog is constantly at the end of it, pulling in one way or another. I wouldn’t use it as a main leash for a puppy either because my experience is that they have a much harder time understanding leash rules since the end of the leash is always at a different distance. Flexis also maintain some light leash pressure which might make it harder to teach loose leash walking later.
Lastly, many feel that it’s easier to hold onto the Flexi leash handle than a regular leash, but this is not true – especially if there is a big, strong dog pulling at the end of the leash. When walking the dog on a retractable leash, most people get comfortable and will not maintain a firm grip on the handle. When the dog suddenly pulls on the leash, they easily drop the handle, which usually scares the dog, who is now running away with the handle loudly flapping behind them – scaring them even more.
Why Retractable Flexi Leashes are Bad – Robert Cabral – Dog Training
When it comes to buying a dog leash, there are countless choices on the market in every shape, color, and function imaginable. These range from simple rope leads to designer brand leashes with matching collars.
One type of dog leash to beware of, though, is retractable leashes. Trainers, veterinarians, and pet care experts have all expressed concerns about retractable leashes. In honor of National Walk Your Dog Month, let’s look at the risk posed by walking your dog with a retractable leash and explore safer alternatives.
A retractable leash is a kind of leash that lets you feed out and/or retract the lead that’s attached to your dog. They usually have a plastic grip with a brake-and-release mechanism, and a spring-loaded housing to store the coiled-up leash. The end of the lead has a normal clip that attaches to your dog’s collar, though the leads on retractable leashes tend to be thin cords so they can be stored inside the housing.
Retractable leashes are manufactured under multiple brand names and vary in price from $15 to $50 and up depending on specific features.
Dog experts in several fields have voiced alarm about retractable leashes for several reasons. Most boil down to the harm they can cause to either the dog or the owner. Here’s why retractable leashes can be problematic at best and dangerous at worst:
The motion of your dog pulling on a retractable leash can harm their neck and throat, leading to long-term health problems. These injuries can cause your dog to cough or even have breathing issues. Likewise, getting tangled in the cord of a retractable leash can result in burns and cuts. In the most severe cases, the cords can cut off blood circulation and even amputate limbs!
Dogs aren’t the only ones at risk from retractable leashes — humans can get hurt too. Retractable leash cords can cause severe burns and cuts, especially to the hands. Consumer Reports has even fielded complaints from people whose fingers have been amputated by retractable leashes. In addition, the length of these leashes can be a trip hazard to you and others, which can lead to cuts, bruises, or broken bones.
Since retractable leashes have more components and/or moving parts than a simple lead, there are more opportunities for product failure. A large dog can break the cord on a retractable leash, potentially putting the dog in a dangerous situation. Additionally, the spring-loaded housing for the leash can wear out or break over time, which can disable the feed-and-retract mechanism. In 2008, about 223,000 SlyDog brand retractable leashes were recalled for faulty clasps after five people suffered serious injuries.
Letting your dog roam farther ahead of you may sound attractive, but it’s not appropriate in the majority of situations. If you’re by yourself in an open field with no other animal or environmental hazards, then a retractable leash would certainly be perfect. Unfortunately, the real world rarely operates this way. Even on a routine walk, you have the opportunity to meet other people, animals, and vehicles. If you run into a potential emergency, it’s rarely possible to retract the leash fast enough to avoid a dangerous encounter. Likewise, using a retractable leash in a small area, like the lobby of a vet’s office, allows for aggression between dogs already in a stressful and unfamiliar environment.
Lawless goes on to add that because retractable leashes work on a pulley system, they teach dogs to apply their body weight to move forward. Constant tension on the leash means that the dog is being trained to pull against tension to get what they want.