Idiot dog owners with retractable leads

*hic*

*hic*

village idiot :D
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So yet again we've had a near miss outside our house. Woman with collie-type on lead walking it along the pavement, not that much traffic about. Dog spots something on the other side of the road and set off for it, completely uninhibited due to the retractable lead. Yes, there was a car coming and the driver managed to brake hard and miss the dog but locked wheels up and skidded onto the pavement. Luckily for the driver she went up the dropped kerb to my driveway and just missed my rather heavy duty gatepost, so no damage to her car but she bit her tongue quite badly.

There could have been so many worse outcomes, all because some idiotic owner can't use a proper lead on her dog that she is only going to walk up the pavement to the shop and then back again. There is nowhere en route where the dog could (should) take advantage of the freedom of the long lead.

/rant
 
An extending lead IS a 'proper' lead. The woman in question was using it inappropriately. They are a godsend, but is she has'nt the common sense to have it locked on 'short' in an urban situation, there's not much you can do?
 
The outcome could have been the same if it was on a short lead that was dropped when said dog took off. Glad all involved are unharmed.
 
I don't buy that, retractables are big unwieldy lumps of plastic with awkward hand grips, a flat lead is pretty hard to let go of (with the exception of the lady having arthritis or something which would affect her grip, same would apply to the flexi though). They have no place in town situations.

I say this as someone who uses them pretty much daily, I appreciate how useful they can be but they are a bloody menace when used inappropriately.
 
baublecob said:
Shall we compare ankle scars, Spudlet? :p

Saying that I have a matching one on the other ankle from my own long line. :o
Click to expand...

That is cos you is a speyshul snowflake :p

I don't like seeing them on the roads at all, the locks can and do fail, and don't even start me on people who wander along with their dog miles ahead of or behind them - what effect do they think that lead is going to have if the dog takes it into its mind to go into the road?:rolleyes: And for training purposes, you're better off with a training lead and long-line - you can't use two hands on a flex, and you can't reel a dog in quickly either.
 
I agree they do NOT have a place on roads. There is an old lady who walks her yorkie dog on one of these, the pavement is set back from the road but there is a pedestrian crossing. The dog is halfway across the road before the old lady is at the pedestrian crossing. One day that dog will be flattened.
 
I've been that driver, once with a Flexi and once with a dog on a bungee lead attached to a harness (Fly Air Staff!)

Flexis as BC and Spud say, are cumbersome and you cannot use two hands, mine has pinged out of my hand on several occassions.

Away from roads, with a dog that does not pull, fine, but they are possibly the worst tool on the earth if you have a dog you have no vocal control over, or who pulls.
 
A couple of months ago I was driving home, some silly woman was walking her dog along the path at the end of an extendable lead, just as I get to them the dog runs into the road, I didn't even have time to break & drove straight over him.

Fortunately he went in between my wheels so I missed him & he was only little so he fitted under my car (I've got an L200 which is quite high), I was so shocked I just kept going. Hopefully the shock will make her take a bit more care in future.
 
I've also managed to drop mine on occasion, the worst bit is if you manage to drop it while unlocked it goes rocketing off to hit the dog in the arse, causing the dog to panic and shoot forwards.

I also use bungee leads daily but only the bit closest to the human is bungee'd, the dog end is static and has a traffic handle so it becomes a normal lead when you need it to be. Hate the kind with the bungee on the dog end so they can ping about uncontrolled!

Should add that I only ever use one flexi at a time, there's a woman round here with a pair of adolescent labs that has a cord flexi in each hand, the dogs pull like steam trains and she has absolutely no control over them while clutching a thick piece of plastic in each hand.
 
personally can't stand them, i've got a normal lead for the pooch and she's only 6 months old but perfect off the lead. I've never liked them and doubt i ever will!
Like everyone else i've seen and heard of too many near misses!
 
I've still got the scars on the back of my knees from meeting some idiot years ago with a boxer on a flexi lead. The owner had no control at all as the dog ran around my legs - it was summer and I had shorts on. I don't remember him even apologising.

I have used them myself in the past and agree they very easily ping out of your hand, especially if you have gloves on.
 
Only a few months ago I watched a poor little Westie die on the side of the road after it's owner had foolishly let it 'roam' on the pavement with one of these flexi-leads on, until it ran out in front of a van which I was driving behind. I posted on here about it as I was rather upset and felt hopeless while the dog was laid there dying, shaking in a pool of blood with it's head mashed completely. Will never forget it.. It's owner was in dreads of tears so please, please think twice when and where you use one! I would never wish this upon any one and hope to god I don't ever witness it again.
 
Ok for use out in the fields with a non recall dog,otherwise hugely dangerous.I always remember the yorkie squashed beneath a concrete block in a "Fish Called Wanda" where the old lady followed her flexi lead back to the block the dog was under.Had me in stitches:D:D
 
My uncle was riding home on his bike one evening and a lady was walking her dog with one of these leads, through the park and my uncle didn't see her dog and tried to cycle between them and hit the lead, fell and got his face smushed :( I hate those leads but it was a bit funny :P
 
There is a woman who rides round my way, with a dog on a very long line. Not just is she lacking any real control of her dog, but she usually rides with her mate, 2 abreast, so the dog is in the middle of the road and she is nattering away, paying absolutely no attention to her horse or dog.

We have narrow lanes here and there is often stock on the road, not to mention wildlife. Plus tourists who don't know the road and locals who drive too fast because they do.

It is an accident waiting to happen and it is likely that it will be the dog or one of the horses who will get hurt.

It makes me mad.:mad:
 
I'd be worried that the dog would plait the horse's legs together, never mind anything else. What makes people do it?!
 
I can still remember the first time Yellow Dog broke an extendable lead - he took off and the end of it popped off and walloped him in the bum. He looked so suprised that I'd been able to tell him off from where I was standing that he returned to me straight away :D I don't use them these days as I find them hard to hold, much prefer a lead rope :)
 
They did once make lunge lines for horses in a retractable box too.SO..had a maniac horse at the time so needed to lunge him for half an hour before getting on him.Bit of a pig,he would give a huge buck when asked to canter on the lunge and try to piss off;came the day he got away..so then had large chestnut idiot belting round the field being "chased" by the bloody retracting box. Now,either I`m very stupid or something..but idiot horse set sail straight at me..so I did a sort of "angel of the north" pose..believe it or not he skidded to a halt that any quarterhorse would have been proud right in front of me. Lunge line and idiot horse departed elsewhere.:D
 
The locks on the flexi leads can and do fail as I found out the hard way. Had been out walking on fields coming back along the pavement with it locked on short. Dog sees his best friend on the other side of the road and shoots forward only the lock broke allowing him to run into the road. Idiot here automatically grabbed the rope and had a friction burn nearly down to the bone on my little finger. Thankfully dog wasn't hit by anything and I have never used a flexi again it makes me cold to see them now.
 
Mine is a godsend with oldest bitch in the field as her recall is not 100% and I am not having her disappear off. Had two warnings when my normally reliable dog tore off after deer. Not giving her another chance. However in crowded areas shows etc, short leads only.
 
Have to useful, they are useful for our deaf (sometimes selectively!) 15 yo terrier x - he doesn't pull/lunge and its a way of keeping him with you, whilst allowing him room to roam and sniff etc.

Wouldn't have them on a strong dog though, my friend has one for her large lurcher cross, on a harness - infuriates me!
 
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