Flexi-leads

no likee.

Mainly due to the vast majority of the dog owning public not knowing how to use them...using them because their dog pulls (duh bad idea), etc. Some people love em...and know how to use em...but I've yet to meet one F2F.

I've had my legs burned by the rope, my hounds tangled in said same, while the person responsible frantically tries to reel their dog in or catch up in general, watched people's aggro dogs approaching mine while their owners chat on a cell or with someone else totally obvlious to what their dog is doing, not pick up poop because it's 20' away from where they are, etc etc etc.

I don't use one...but if I did I'd definitely pay up for the all belt model and get the shortr length if they make one.

I don't like them because in order to get more lead, the dog is the one pulling the lead out.  If I want my dog to have extra space, I will use a long line where *I* control how much line is going out. 

I've heard of too many incidents where they snap/break.  The dog can pull the line out, but how to you draw the dog back in?  If there was an altercation with Kenya and another dog and I tried to pull her back, she would easily snap that leash.  Then I might as well have been using a long line. 

Around here, we have a leash law which limits the length of leads being used off your own property.  So, a Flexi is really a waste of money.  Just get a basic nylon 6' for $5 and you will be obeying the law and have a stronger leash. 

My husky ran to the end of one and snapped it. Bye bye husky.

Needless to say, I don't like them or think that they are safe. 

BUT (but but but) it is NOT used for things like going to the store, the vet, walking in public, ect. I hate when we're walking on a crowded street and Pirate is in a PERFECT (and we've dedicated months to it!!) heel and some stupid ditz with her something-poo on a flexi lets it run up and sniff Pirate and get him all flustered. Uh, did I *say* it was OK for your dog to sniff mine?? It's even BETTER when we're in the park and Pirate is again, heeling nicely and NOT BARKING at the other dogs walking by (again, something I dedicated MONTHS to) and there is a dog yapping it's fool head off at the end of a flexi and the owner is at the other end of the leash saying, 'oh no....stop. don't bark.' Grr.

The absolute icing on the cake is one of the dogs that comes to the doggie day care where I work. He has a PRONG collar with a FLEXI leash. Talk about mixed signals.

I can see where a flexi could be useful to some people, like those who live in an apartment complex or something. I just can't STAND when people use them wrong.

I've seen someone with a dog on a head collar and a flexi!!!  

Rarely if ever have I seen anyone using one correctly.  I second everyone above on everything that's already been said. I live in a city and we have leash laws that stipulate that leashes must be 6 feet or less (not like anyone pays any attention to that law). There's a reason for that! A dog on a flexi could make it so far up someone's front yard here as to be pooping on their welcome mat! I see people allowing their dog to potty all over people's yards on flexis and it really pisses me off because it gives all dog owners a bad name. Sometimes your dog hitting the edge of someone's yard happens, though I try my darndest to make sure it doesn't, but letting your dog walk right up to basically someone's front door and potty? Or leave little land mines or burns all over someone's yard? No. No no no.

And I loooove it when people take their dogs to PetCo on a flexi. Or huge dogs the owner can't control, on a flexi. My husband's cousin has a weimeraner puppy (well, adolescent now) that she has always walked on a flexi and this dog has zero leash manners and pulls her owner everywhere, because she can. I've been tangled up in cords at the park, I've had owners let their dogs rush right up to mine, and then everyone is tangled, I've seen joggers clotheslined. And if you drop the handle I've heard of way too many stories where the handle begins to 'chase' the dog and the dog goes off running and gets lost trying to escape this loud clattering thing behind him.

For tie-outs, use the plastic-covered metal kind. Most dogs can't chew through those. And for places where it is safe and appropriate to have a longer leash, I use 25 foot nylon leads for the reasons that Leisje talked about. I decide how much lead the dogs get and if I need to reel in I can easily just do a hand-over-hand. I can also drop them and let them drag without clattering monsters chasing my dogs. Also, I have small hands and I just can't hang on to those plastic handles, they slip right out of my hands, especially when it's cold out.

sl2crmeg,

I understand the point about proper place. I do use his on occasion, like after we found the copperhead nest, so that he wouldn't wander too far off the path. I usually let him off leash, because he likes to run further out in the tall grass than I do. Though when I am using his flexi-lead somewhere else (going through the neighborhood for instance), I usually lock it at 5' - 6' and use it like his normal leash.

Liesje and houndlove,

I once tried a 25' lead with Misha. So of course he wanted to be something like 7' away from me at all times, so I got rid of it. I'd never thought about how the dog is controlling his distance instead of me controlling it.

Also, Misha's not typically tied out. I didn't know my dad was doing that at the time, or else I would have said something about it. I decided against tying out Misha because his mother pulled out one of those two foot deep screws while attached with some heavy chain to a choke collar. I didn't think I ever needed to find out if Misha would do the same. However, if I do tie him out, it most certainly won't be with anything nylon or leather.

Thanks for your opinions and reasons. Some of which I obviously hadn't considered yet. 

I'm just irritable today. :p

 I like em for the reasons others have stated.  However, I only use them at certain times or places.  Like at an agility trial after a run, to go for a walk as reward.  They get the length to sniff and do what they like AWAY from all the chaos of the trial.  Or at the park when there are no other people there and we're not walking on the paths.  Or on Sunday, when I arrived at a Show and Go an hour early because of dropping the BF at the airport, I used two flexis on two dogs at a time to walk around a field while killing time.  No one else around, the dogs can wander 16 feet in any direction and we all had a nice time.

Oooh, or at my parents house to go out to the bathroom.  Two dogs on 6 foot leads each?  Ugh!
 

But other than those scenarios, no I don't use them.  And my dogs were taught to walk nicely on leash first.  Not a good tool if your dog has pulling issues. 

The dog I had before Max used a flexi for years with no problems - but he was not a puller.  He just liked to wander a bit from side to side sniffing and exploring the trees and bushes and  the flexi allowed him the freedom to do this.  I always locked it short if it seemed necessary.  Max on the other hand is strong and has a tendency to pull, so I learned the hard way with him that he can not be on a flexi - not ever - under any circumstances.  There are times when I have his leash wrapped around my had so short he's lucky if he has 12".  Like anything else, it depends on the situation and the dog.  Flexis have their place - they're just not always the most sensible choice for every dog or in every situation.

Joyce

We use Flexis for both our dogs when we are going for a nice long walk around the river or something.  Neither of them pull and they will return to a heel position when asked to.  When they were pulling we always used the 6 ft leashes - hte flexi is a reward.

Both my dogs are bred for hunting and they like to cross back and forth in front of us during our walks, the flexi allows that.  I have never allowed them to wrap around each other or anyone else which will cause rope burns.  I have never had one break even though we use one smaller than we should.

Sometimes I keep the Flexi locked at a 4 to 6 ft position and use it because the handle is more comfortable in my hand.

I don't like them a whole lot.

But I have two, and we use them for various things, in specific situations where leashing is required. Such situations might be:
1) At dog shows. Not all dogs like having their owners tail them while they go about their business outdoors. And it's better than having to fumble with a long line.
2) At beaches/parks where leashes are necessary. Again for me it comes down to not having all this excess of line line to rummage up or have on the ground at risk for tripping somebody, or worse tripping the dog or getting wrapped up in it, but at the same time allowing them some freedom of movement.

For the most part I use either a 6-ft lead or a 50' tracking line. But there are a few instances where I will use a Flexi with my guys. And it does come down to knowing how to use them properly (I would use cues to signal when the dog can roam from me and when it is to return - prevents reeling in of the dog and makes using the leash a lot more dog and human-friendly. Even better is also to teach a "freeze" or "stop" cue in case the leash ever did get wrapped up in something - I didn't do that though, as when using the leash I was always cognizant of what was going on around me).

So I don't like them on the whole. But they have served a purpose for me where other leashes have not in the past. And FWIW, I really don't like the band-style Flexi's, as I have only had experiences where they don't retract well, or get tangled/folded etc. I have yet to find a band-style one that I could ever bear to use.

I don't like them much, but I have 2, and use them. I didn't pay for either one. One came with Teenie. It's a regular, 16', cord Flexi. Emma weighs 18 lbs. It's for dogs up to 25 lbs. If it's locked, and she's pulling, she pulls it out. It's Flexi brand, too, not cheapy dollar store retractable lead. I also have one that I got in a goody bag at a dog show or pet store or something... It's got "Purina" stamped on it, and it's a 10' belt lead. I like it a lot more.

They're good for biking with the dog, going to the beach, or potty breaks away from home (mine will go on a short lead, but I'd rather stand still if I just woke up and just watch them go...).

I hate them.

BUT if you do use them, please train you're dog not to freak out at the clattering noise they make when they are dropped and trail after the dog.