Retractable leash?

If you know how to use one and the dog is already trained I think they are great. not so great for a rambunctious large puppy though. I tried one on Timber when he was around 6 months old and somehow the thing got wrapped around my legs and cut me. once he was older and had a lot more training it was great. he could go a lot faster and I could walk at my own pace. I'm not going to try it with Lizzy until I have better control of her on a regular leash.

I hate them. I don't think there is any appropriate use for retractable leads. They teach dogs to pull against the leash. Any dog, even a small one, is out-of-control once he hits the end of the thing. it would be safer for everyone to just have him off leash.

I also hate when people think "Oh those spikes are going to hurt my poor dog" when they look at prong collars.

I hope you aren't using your prong collars WITH your retractable leashes. If you are, please stop now. That, and using head halters with retractables, is one of the worst things you can do to confuse your dog.

I do have a flexi that I use only in specific situations, and it works great, for the times I need it. The rest of the time, it lives on a shelf, in the closet. We have 4'-6' leashes for everyday walks, and walking in public.

i have to say that i dont particularly like flexi's either. we have one, and amelia refuses to walk on anything else. the one we have is an all belt one (not the one with the small string). if i could convince her to move while on a regular leash i would dump the thing though.

ORIGINAL: mudpuppy

I hate them. I don't think there is any appropriate use for retractable leads. They teach dogs to pull against the leash. Any dog, even a small one, is out-of-control once he hits the end of the thing. it would be safer for everyone to just have him off leash.

 
I understand your point, mudpuppy, but I disagree in specific.  If an owner is conscientious and teaches the dog it's limits the dog is no more likely to pull on a flexi than on a flat leash.  Case in point: Xerxes knows exactly how long the flexi lead is and will run, unless otherwise instructed, to the end of the lead.  Upon approaching the end he will slow down and stop.  When he is at the end he is not "out of control" rather he is just at the end.  I can still direct him to the left or right or recall him with a "finish" command.  I'll admit that sometimes it can be a tad bit of a challenge to get the recall, but he's not out of control.
 
I think that the flexi is an appropriate leash for walks on trails and other outdoor venues where the goal is allowing the dog to sniff, chase and cavort; but it is totally inappropriate-unless fully retracted-inside, walking around outdoor stores, or in other situations where the dog needs to be close at hand for his, yours and everyone else's safety.

ORIGINAL: jennie_c_d

I also hate when people think "Oh those spikes are going to hurt my poor dog" when they look at prong collars.

I hope you aren't using your prong collars WITH your retractable leashes. If you are, please stop now. That, and using head halters with retractables, is one of the worst things you can do to confuse your dog. 

The rest of the time, it lives on a shelf, in the closet.

 
 
 
I agree, NEVER use a retractable leash with a prong collar or halters! 
 
My husband liked the idea of a retractable leash and bought one for Peanut.  I HATED the darn thing from the start!  It was bulky to carry, it did NOT teach her to walk, she kept pulling.  The (thumb) stop button was useless, as soon as you gave her some slack, she pulled!  It now lives on a shelf in our garage, collecting dust as I refuse to use it. 
 
I had to buy a prong collar to teach Peanut to walk without pulling.  I use the quick snap leash, I like to clip it to my jeans to free my hands.  When Draiso came to us, he had a neck wound, so I had to buy a Gentle Leader, and I got lighter/thinner leashes to use with it. 
 
There may be a place and time where its use is appropriate.  I just had bad experiences with it, and will not use one!

The way Leerburg fits prong collars is designed to elicit a pain response. Not necessary, not recommended for any kind of reactive or fearful dog.

 
I don't know who Leerburg is or anything about him/her, but in looking at that fit on the link, it is correct.  A prong collar should be fitted high up behind the ears, not hanging down low like a flat collar.  And, they should be taken on and off each time by unhooking the links, not forced on and off over the head. 
 
I agree that a prong collar shouldn't be used to soley "illicit pain" which is not needed.  It is a tool only.  Doesn't replace proper training at all, and if used incorrectly can cause more harm than good. 
 
When we got our first Mastiff, I had never heard of a prong collar.  Our trainer brought one over and had one on his Rottie.  He explained it's use and showed us correct fit and placement.  I have used it on occasion, but to be honest with you, I find the Gentle Leader just as effective.  I rarely use the prong anymore.  

some people feel that prongs should be fitted mid-way on the dog's neck. Basically the higher on the neck the prong is, the more painful it is. Some dogs need it higher; others are ok with it fitted mid-way. Whatever works for you. Just make sure it's fitted tightly enough that it doesn't slide up and down the dog's neck.

I use a retractable leash for Bubblegum all the time. The reason that I like them is while I'm walking she can go a little further and stop and sniff a bit, and then run and catch up to me. She seems to get more exercise doing that, as she will get way behind and then when the leash tugs a bit,,,she runs up and get way ahead of me.   She has learned to not run until the end when it pulls on her thoat, but  I do remind her once in a while when she doesn't look like she is going to stop.  We walk thru our neighborhood...but when someone is approaching, I pull the leash up and keep her by  my side.   Sure the lock could give if she took off,,,she is a strong dog. But I keep her attention when I feel the need and she walks like a good girl.  I do have a regular leash if I were taking her someplace where I need better control.  
I also have the leash (belt) type,,,not the cord. They seem too dangerous to all of us!

I use a halter not a collar for walking. Keeps the throat safe and doggies cannot back out of them if frightened.
 
I used a retractable leash a while and when a big dog came after us, I had to try to grab the leash and it was VERY hard. Burned by hand. They are thin and long.
 
NOW, I only use regular leashes. I can grab if I need to if we get a dog coming at  us.

My partner would rather use the retractable lead, i like the matrial one, its softer on my hands & kian plays up alot with me, so i can keep more control of him with the none retractable.

Nothing beats a six foot leather leash.

Keeps the throat safe and doggies cannot back out of them if frightened.

Don't tell Teenie that! Short legs, you know[]

I have used flexi with both my dogs for years.   There are serious pros and cons w/ them. First, I think they were very good for teaching my dogs to "stay with me", regardless of leash length or tightness- they don't have the length of the leash memorized so to speak, so they keep in a close radius w/ me.  They are now both equally good off the leash as on- this is great for my breeds (Pugs and Pekes) because they both need harnesses rather than collars due to their lack of neck!- so its hard to train "heel" as there is no neck control. Second, i keep them on short tethers when we are walking in the city (we live in NYC), since there are innumerable dangers everywhere on a crowded street.  Once the leash is locked, it is like any normal leash, provided your dog is not strong enough to simply break the thing.
The cons are that, first, if you are not literally an expert on the thing, you can loose controll of your dog in a second, even though its on the least.  I think about this whenever we are at a traffic light. If I have a friend hold them, I lock the leash and tell them not to even attempt to unlock it.  The other big problem i have is that God forbid you drop the leash handle, it goes chasing after your dog, retracting itself,  scaring her and causing her to run away.  We met w/ a couple of dicey situations due to this.  However, I feel very experianced w/ the Flexi now, and think the good outweighs the bad.  Just excercise caution and learn the thing in a very safe environment.

the retractable leash was great for taking berserker out around the yard when he was a pup, especially since he liked to go down in the mucky weeds around the lake and a regular leash got all gross, where as the cord on the retractable easily wiped off. but now we use a standard 72" leash when we go out and walk around town, i can just as easily hold up the slack if i need to "reel" him in for other pedestrians, and i have more faith in the regular leash not breaking if he were to jet after a cat or animal.
 
so my opinion would be retractables are great for lightweight dogs and puppies, but a standard leash is more appropriate for full grown and large breed dogs. i can only imagine trying to have put our 160 lb rott on a retractable leash, what a joke.