Long lines

[Flowerofthefen]

Why are people so against using a long line on their dog? My little parsons is great off lead in certain areas. Always comes back, ignores other dogs, I'm really pleased with her. But when I walk her round the farm I keep her on a long line as we have loads of wildlife especially hares and I'm not 100% convinced she could resist a chase!! On the long line she can have a good run without running the risk of me loosing her. I wouldn't want her any further from me off the lead than she is on the long line anyway so it's definitely not restricting her exercise. It means we can have a worry free relaxed walk and of course practice recall safely when we do come across a hare. Are there any downsides to using one?

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes a big down side is if you leave them long when others are around it’s rude and selfish and dangerous ,otherwise no it’s a safe way to let a dog with less than perfect recall have some fun .

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Yes a big down side is if you leave them long when others are around it’s rude and selfish and dangerous ,otherwise no it’s a safe way to let a dog with less than perfect recall have some fun .

Yes I can understand that. Its hard enough keeping myself from getting tangled in it but I can't otherwise see a down side.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Who is against them? I wouldn't use them in a public/busy place but they are very useful.

 

[Kaylum]

I have used one on the beach for my rescue first few times I let her off. Nothing wrong with them.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Long lines are fine in the right environment. I think you will find it's people who insist on using flexileads in busy areas that people have problems with.

 

[planete]

We use harnesses and long lines all the time with the lurchers, except when we are in enclosed areas, but it would be short leads in more urban/busy places.

 

[Goldenstar]

In the village that we are moving too there lots of dogs and lots of dogs on holiday .
You will be surprised how many people just have dogs running on flexi leads in between cars while they walk down the street even when its busy .

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Who is against them? I wouldn't use them in a public/busy place but they are very useful.

Just been reading fb comments on videos posted with a dog on a long line. That it's cruel etc!!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

In the village that we are moving too there lots of dogs and lots of dogs on holiday .
You will be surprised how many people just have dogs running on flexi leads in between cars while they walk down the street even when its busy .

Madness!! I only use the long line whilst we are on our own. If I go to the woods I use a flexi lead. If we go in the fields near me she is off lead.

 

[Clodagh]

when we used to walk on the cliffs I used a flexi lead but I did find the dog has to know how to pull for them to work.
A long line, like a lunge line, might have worked better but I think I’d need to teach mine a different set up as they are used to a slip lead, so you’d have to specifically train that wearing a collar or harness meant it was ok to pull/wander.
Doable… and probably easier with a terrier than a lab!

 

[Morwenna]

I walk my dog on a short lead to get to the park etc and then put her on a longline if it is not too busy. She lost offlead privileges when she turned into a terribly teen and forgot what recall was so the longline allows me to do more in the way of training and lets her have some freedom to pootle about and sniff etc. As she is in her usual harness the rules about civilised walking remain. The only time she is allowed to pull is when we are mantrailing and she has a different harness for that (and a much nicer leather longline).

 

[Goldenstar]

One of the issues with flexi leads is you can’t see as you walk or drive towards the dog that it has the ability to run straight across the road .
I have learnt not to assume that they can’t launch across the road because it’s happened to me twice , I think people forget to click the button .

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

I use a long line all the time with my monster, if I need it shorter, I just fold it up in a figure of eight like the horse's lunge line, so he get about a meter on the road and the full long line when we reach the lanes. I wind him in if I see anyone else.
The downsides are you can get tangled in them, get whiplash if dog suddenly takes off after something, if a jogger (very rare where I am) creeps up on you from behind, you suddenly have a person between you and your dog, if a cyclist comes by, the dog is already recalled and sat at my feet and I'm still fighting with the long line. The last two are rarely an issue where/when I walk my dog but wouldn't be fun in a busier area.
I know the flexileads can be considered "bad" because your dog has to pull on them / is rewarded for pulling by getting to sniff / explore. I also don't like them because the handles are clunky and I don't trust the lock system.

 

[Caol Ila]

Longlines make for entertaining hacking when your horse thinks a dog has a giant snake following it.

 

[planete]

The knack to not getting yanked off your feet by a dog on a long line depends on your ability to never let it go slack but maintain a light contact by coiling and uncoiling as needed. Years of practice needed though! The only dog the system failed with was a bull cross who suddenly doubled back like a rocket and slammed me onto my back when he hit the end behind me. He never went on a long line again.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We used a longline to walk the Rottweiler with the Labs. Her recall wasn't reliable, which was the reason for the LL and it had the added advantage of them learning not to go further than the length of the longline. We all had to learn to skip, though!
When we collected the brown one and took her to the beach on the way home, we had her on a longline, so that she knew who to come back to.

 

[Kaylum]

I have always used a flexilead with my dogs. They arent difficult to use even in public places. They have locks on them and you shorten them when needed very quickly and use them like normal leads. Just make sure you get a good make that actually locks and it is appropriate to the weight of the dog. My current lead I have had for over 20 years and it still works the same and is in perfect condition.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Just been reading fb comments on videos posted with a dog on a long line. That it's cruel etc!!

I'm come off most dog/training Facebook groups.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I'm come off most dog/training Facebook groups.

That's not a bad idea! There are some very strange views!

 

[CorvusCorax]

That's not a bad idea! There are some very strange views!

It wasn't worth the impact on my blood pressure

 

[splashgirl45]

The downside for me is they get really dirty especially in the winter and when they are muddy my hands slip. Luckily I haven’t had to use one for a long time but if any of mine decide recall isn’t for them, they will be on the long line straight away..

 

[Annette4]

A long line is the only way Dobby gets to enjoy life, he is a pita but on a long line will play disc focused on me in a busy park. Ginny is still on one around distractions but her recall is improving.

Like anything, the tool is as good as the person using them.

I use a flexi in open spaces for Jack, he's a 15yo with 1 good leg so is going no where at speed but enjoys a plod and a sniff.