Flexi Leads

TheresaW

TheresaW

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I know a lot of people on here don’t seem to like them, but we have just bought one for Luna and it is brilliant.

We keep it locked at the same length as her normal lead when we are on the pavements, but when we get to the woods/fields, and we let Aled off lead, we unlock it, and she thinks she’s free with him.

Was a bit scary first time I unlocked it and she trotted off. Had that horrible feeling in case is wasn’t attached at the other end properly or something. Staying away from other dogs at the moment as she’s in season, but so far she’s been quite happy mooching with Aled “loose”.
 
We use one for Millie the mad lurcher baby, as otherwise she sets off into the distance at a fast rate of knots :D I have got the ‘total recall’ book so hoping it won’t be for long, but in the meantime I totally agree it’s really useful :)

It is a bit of a technique when you have 3 other dogs walking along as well, but generally it is fine
 
I used on with Jack towards the end as he liked a bumble but couldn’t keep up. I would never use one for a sighthound which is what I have now and as with all things it’s the person who tends to be the issue not the tool.
 
I know they’re not popular in here, but with her high prey drive, Luna won’t be let off lead unless in a totally enclosed area, so we thought we’d try one and see how we got on. I was using a lunge line, but getting in a terrible tangle with it, ha ha.
 
I use a flexi lead with old deaf setter if I am somewhere wooded where she could lose sight of me when off lead. She can still browse in the bushes and think she's off lead !
 
I do actually use one on my dog but he has distance control/I can drop him. If he didn't, I wouldn't use one.
I don't use it for walks alongside busy roads as it is too much of a risk if the stop button or the lead broke or similar.
They are very handy if you are travelling.

The only problem is if the dog pulls or if it gets tangled or if the dog gets in a fight etc.
Then you have nothing to hold onto but a lump of plastic and you get cut to ribbons with the actual line.
For training a dog who pulls, they are useless.
 
I couldn't give a stuff if they are frowned on, if a gadget works for you (just like equestrian gadgets) then great :)
Poppy dog goes on one, every time we walk. Not round fields at my yard, but everywhere else, as a partially sighted and part deaf dog is a danger to herself and others if loose, especially a rescue with minimal recall.

OP, nice one :)
 
We have one too. Rarely use it for Daisy but it's handy to have in the draw.

Hopefully you're using it on a harness rather than a collar and it's tape rather than string xx
 
I loathe them on principle but still use them on the big dogs from time to time. -hypocrite- :p Mine will stop and turn as directed, I wouldn't want to use them on a hard pulling dog or anything likely to achieve 0-60 and hit the end of the line hard.

It is different when you have on-lead-only dogs, you end up collecting an arsenal of long lines, harnesses and other tools, I still boggle when going out with just the spaniels as they don't need any paraphernalia.

I would like to start a campaign to ban them from veterinary waiting rooms though, pointless lumps of plastic in that environment.
 
blackcob said:
I loathe them on principle but still use them on the big dogs from time to time. -hypocrite- :p Mine will stop and turn as directed, I wouldn't want to use them on a hard pulling dog or anything likely to achieve 0-60 and hit the end of the line hard.

It is different when you have on-lead-only dogs, you end up collecting an arsenal of long lines, harnesses and other tools, I still boggle when going out with just the spaniels as they don't need any paraphernalia.

I would like to start a campaign to ban them from veterinary waiting rooms though, pointless lumps of plastic in that environment.
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I am trying to teach her left and right at the moment. She gets it most of the time until a leaf blows past.

I agree with regards to the vets waiting room too. We use her normal lead unless we are going somewhere where we know we will be letting them off.
 
I don't like them (I do own one though lol) but I don't care if other people use them-as long as they wind them in when they approach a horse. I think they can reward pulling but worse than that can be the outcome if you've ever dropped one (behind a nervous dog when its not locked you'll know what I mean lol, they are very slippy in a gloved hand.) I find a 5m long line more useful if I need something but whatever works really-especially on those dogs that can't be let off lead.
 
I have (a hi-ish viz yellow tape) one which is great for walks in places surrounded by roads and with a dog which fits through railings and has some recall but no road sense at all (will bark to cross when made to wait watching a stream of lorries go by - though how he thinks a 5kg terrier-x is going to stop an artic' I don't know!).

Have never had an issue either with pulling (generally we use a harness and I do let him pull me along on a scooter on occasion with either a fixed length of the flexi or a simple short lead but for normal walks not an issue) or tangling with other road/park users. The lock seems as secure as it is likely to need to be but a conventional lead could snap/handle could break and, as with that, you'd end up grabbing the line part (one of the reasons for getting tape) in a similar way, no?

Great for a child to use on the 'not locked' or with a very short locked setting as doesn't get tangled around little feet like the spare length of a conventional lead. If this one breaks would definitely replace - although do still have an old flexi from a previous dog around too (just didn't like the colour/and it was a cord type which is pleasantly lighter in the hand/probably perfectly fine a less crowded places anyway) and that is still going strong after decade(s), albeit that dog wasn't on-lead as much due to different location/more normal road training levels.
 
I used to use one with Zak, but I hated the jerk as he reached the end and he actually had me down a few times. I think people dislike them because they’re thin, possibly a danger if another dog pelts into it and may fail, I suppose, so a dog could run out into the road? Dunno, but each to their own. I used a longline instead that I could step on as necessary to control demon dog until we worked out how to keep other dogs/him safe.
 
I have an extra long one, made for large dogs even though mine is only a JR. it’s the longest I could find with tape, rather than that thin string and she rarely gets to the end of it. She never comes off a lead as she’s a typical terrier whereby she’s hard of hearing only when she’s in a bush after a small fluffy thing. I don’t use it if I’m expecting her to walk to heal and only ever with a harness. She has a short lead for roadwork, vets, etc and a 50m and 100m lead for when we go anywhere very open with nobody else there, such as the farmers fields at the top of the road or my horses field. The flexi lead is useful in wooded areas, although she knows how not to get herself caught up by coming back the way she went.

My other dog is perfect off lead so we’ve never needed one for her.
 
GirlFriday said:
The lock seems as secure as it is likely to need to be but a conventional lead could snap/handle could break and, as with that, you'd end up grabbing the line part (one of the reasons for getting tape) in a similar way, no?
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Leather, a rubberised line, soft cord, are stronger and will not rip your hands in the same way as thin rope or synthetic tape. I never hold the loop/handle of any lead (especially not after a friend broke his finger) and in fact I sometimes cut the loop off :p

I've had a flexi line snap and the clip came off another tape one. Both official brands and L or XL sized. That's why I won't use on or near the road. I appreciate my dogs are probably heavier.
 
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I use one in fields, but always switch to a normal lead for road walking. Please consider doing the same with Luna as I have read of too many horror stories where the stop button has failed and dogs have been injured or killed on roads. They definitely have their use but are not for every situation by any means.
 
blackcob said:
An opportunity to plug my favourite long line, cheaper than the Julius K9 equivalent and almost as good quality (riveted rather than sewn but has proven husky proof):

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_collars_dog_leads/long_leads_safety/long_leads/194643
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That is JUST what I want!! I have a training line that's nylon and soaks up every drop of water and is really yukky....I use it to stamp on when training young spaniel if he "forgets" the stop whistle - he's nearly there but we have sheep on the farm at the mo - and I WON'T take chances...!!

On the flexi front I'm not keen - spanner is not a puller and I had one break on me as he just trotted to the end of the line...and I cringe when I see people using them next to roads, BUT yes I too have one! - we use it when we go away to strange areas!
 
Yay for biothane lol. Do cut the strap through :p

Maisie that's my favourite use for them...I can let the dog toilet during long journeys or breaks and not worry about him buggering off in a ferry port/forest/car park/beach in a strange country :p
 
blackcob said:
An opportunity to plug my favourite long line, cheaper than the Julius K9 equivalent and almost as good quality (riveted rather than sewn but has proven husky proof):

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_collars_dog_leads/long_leads_safety/long_leads/194643
Click to expand...

Sorry to be a thicko, but with long leads do they literally just trail behind the dog? We tend to walk through woodland, so I'm imagining all sorts of snagging.... but we do have a route across an open field where we could use one
 
CorvusCorax said:
Leather, a rubberised line, soft cord, are stronger and will not rip your hands in the same way as thin rope or synthetic tape. I never hold the loop/handle of any lead (especially not after a friend broke his finger) and in fact I sometimes cut the loop off :p

I've had a flexi line snap and the clip came off another tape one. Both official brands and L or XL sized. That's why I won't use on or near the road. I appreciate my dogs are probably heavier.
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Ah, yes - my dog is definitely not in the 'like a horse' category - only the child was taught not to wrap lead around hands etc, on me that is default - in fact I've added a loop to the flexi so I can use it around my wrist when holding a coffee (*smiles* from under tin hat). To give you an idea how different a world we're talking about I've only lost a coffee that way once in over a year when doggie ran VERY fast to play with a boisterous friend.

But then I use a cheap 1cm or so tape harness on the doggie anyway so that is likely as bad a potential point of failure as the lead... (I do regularly check it and replaced the metal work with stronger rings on purchase).
 
MM, I will do that. If I know we aren’t going to the woods, old quarry etc, I do use her normal lead anyway.

Blackcob, they look great, and willing to try one, I just know what a tangle I got in with the lunge line. I guess it won’t get all heavy and muddy though and would be easier to manage?
 
Lévrier;13695761 said:
Sorry to be a thicko, but with long leads do they literally just trail behind the dog? We tend to walk through woodland, so I'm imagining all sorts of snagging.... but we do have a route across an open field where we could use one
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Whenever I've seen them, yeah. I'm sure they can be used neatly but all the ones round here are a blinking (and potentially dangerous) mess most of the time - espec if dog is running back and forth and getting feet caught up.

ETA: And obviously they offer no control in the event that the dog on one goes for mine whereas at least a flexi the owner can try pushing the button to get tension.

They are mostly used on larger animals around here and so I find them useful simply as guidance to stay well away as I take them to mean an out of control (as in needs to be on the line for a reason but line provide little control - goodness knows how much worse if owners cut the loop!) monster in a 40' circle.
 
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Exactly that Levrier, they trail behind and get stomped on or grabbed as necessary. And again exactly that Theresa the biothane ones are much better for not tangling, not taking up water and staying light and clean.

There is a bit of an art to using them, god knows I ended up in some tangles before we got the hang of it and the dog learnt some voice commands, lol. And not to be used anywhere where you might clothesline other dogs or people!
 
The loop on a long line is not meant to be a Bejaysus Handle. It's not waterskiing. The idea is that the dog never reaches the end of the line. You stand on it or pick it up beforehand. Simples.
 
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