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Agreed the leash should not contact the ground. Disagree that a dog “needs” 20 feet of leash to wander and sniff. Your dog should be close enough to you to be in your control, not 20 feet away while you follow. Plenty of sniffing to be had on a 6 foot solid lead.
I almost ran over a dog yesterday morning that was on a retractable leash, ran off the sidewalk into the road. That happens at least once a week. Fortunately I've been able to slow down/stop before hitting the animal. One of these days I won't be able to.
Unless you're out hunting with a dog it should be close enough to you on the lead to control it. Twenty feet ain't it.
I'm using a retractable leash I bought at Dollar Tree 3 or 4 years ago, for my 45 pound dachshund that, I think could break the 2 minute mile if let loose. lol I agree with letting it drag the ground is the main problem.
I've always had at least three different leashes for all my dogs; a standard 6'-8' non-retractable leash, a lockable retractable leash rated for the weight of the dog, and a 20+' non-retractable lead. The circumstances dictated which would be the right tool for the job at hand. The more potential hazards there are and the more quick control I need, the shorter the leash needs to be. If in doubt, shorter leash it is.
I know I've been lucky to live in relatively rural areas with low to no traffic or people. Letting a dog free range or at the extent of a retractable leash is feasible. OTOH, because I'm rural there's a traffic hazard of a different sort. Wildlife. A dog needs to be exceptionally well trained not to lose its mind when a furry lure runs right in front of its nose. Not only are there more things for the dog to chase, but more chances that wildlife will chase, injure, even kill US!
Common sense tells me no way should I use an unlocked retractable leash near traffic, unknown dogs, local dogs I know are aggressive, near wildlife or other people who may or may not want to be approached. The leash will either be locked or under retractor tension with my thumb right over the brake. If I know I can't pay close attention to the dog or the brake, the leash gets locked. They make the locking mechanism very simple for a reason. Use it! Yes, if you don't have the properly rated leash for a powerful dog, a lunge could overpower the brake and/or the lock.
If it isn't safe for the dog to roam farther than 6-8 feet away, I'm not going to pay out a retractable leash to its full extent, lock it, then let it drag on the ground. If the leash drags because the retractor mechanism doesn't work properly, that leash gets retired. Even a smaller dog bolting to the full extent of the leash can build up enough momentum to pull the leash grip right out of your hand or drag you off your feet.
Last edited by Parnassia; 03-14-2024 at 03:26 PM..
Agreed the leash should not contact the ground. Disagree that a dog “needs” 20 feet of leash to wander and sniff. Your dog should be close enough to you to be in your control, not 20 feet away while you follow. Plenty of sniffing to be had on a 6 foot solid lead.
To me, even with bigger dogs, if another dog comes up or some critter (snake or angry raccoon, maybe some rabid), I want to be able to get them out of harms way as much as possible. In the AZ Desert, the snowbirds had coyotes grab their little dogs on the retractable leash, and they made complaints to the rangers. Yeah, coyotes are quick! I walked my larger dogs on a 2 ft. traffic lead, and when confronted by rushing pit bulls, this was probably a life saver.
Yup, there's no reason for a leash longer that 6 feet. In fact most parks/public places specify "6 feet max" for a reason.
Anyone ever witness a coupla dogs on 20 footers that want to "Say Hi?" Then, they sniff each other, then they twirl around each other joyously....then one of them has had enough but the other is just getting started and those long wonderful leaches look like a giant pretzel. Then they get drawn closer and closer together at their necks, as the cords reduce in length. Then, they begine to freak out and one snips at the other. Then, it's game on. As the 2 dog handlers stare at the commotion they allowed to escalate, one dog's lifeless bloody body is laying on the ground. Then the victorious handler says, "Good work, Parvo..."
No, I haven't witnessed it either. I mean, who'd name their dog "Parvo?"
Thanks for all of the great comments! Now I know I have been using the retractable lease improperly. Yes, I have let it out for about 10 feet, locked it, and went from there, so it dragged on the ground. I do hold the tape in my hand to not allow her to roam the full length when walking in areas where I need to keep her at a shorter distance, such as on a sidewalk next to the road. While walking her yesterday I re-evaluated whether 6 feet would be sufficient, and decided it would be. So I am going to move from the retractable to a non-retractable 6 foot lease. Again, thanks for the comments and education!
Yup, there's no reason for a leash longer that 6 feet. In fact most parks/public places specify "6 feet max" for a reason.
Anyone ever witness a coupla dogs on 20 footers that want to "Say Hi?" Then, they sniff each other, then they twirl around each other joyously....then one of them has had enough but the other is just getting started and those long wonderful leaches look like a giant pretzel. Then they get drawn closer and closer together at their necks, as the cords reduce in length. Then, they begine to freak out and one snips at the other. Then, it's game on. As the 2 dog handlers stare at the commotion they allowed to escalate, one dog's lifeless bloody body is laying on the ground. Then the victorious handler says, "Good work, Parvo..."
No, I haven't witnessed it either. I mean, who'd name their dog "Parvo?"
I haven't witnessed the dog fight (in that situation) but have seen innumerable instances of dogs getting tangled up in each other's leads and the owners having fits.
I might, but then again I have a strange sense of humor. The cat's name is Cat. My old beagle's name was Dog.
Thanks for all of the great comments! Now I know I have been using the retractable lease improperly. Yes, I have let it out for about 10 feet, locked it, and went from there, so it dragged on the ground. I do hold the tape in my hand to not allow her to roam the full length when walking in areas where I need to keep her at a shorter distance, such as on a sidewalk next to the road. While walking her yesterday I re-evaluated whether 6 feet would be sufficient, and decided it would be. So I am going to move from the retractable to a non-retractable 6 foot lease. Again, thanks for the comments and education!
Kudos to you for being receptive to the comments.
Most dog folks don't support the use of retractable leashes. I've tried them but they are more of a hassle to me...and one dog (a Pomeranian) managed to get away from me way too many times. I underestimated him and I got complacent.
Anyway I've found that sometimes there are reasons for longer leashes. I have a 20' webbing leash that I will use sometimes if I take my dog to an unfenced open area. It allows him a bit more freedom.
Mostly though, a 6' leash should be plenty long enough unless you are super tall and your dog is a teeny tiny chihuahua or dachshund (iow, really short).
I think you'll find that it is easier to handle the 6' leash.
OP, good on ya for thinking about the issue. I once used retractable leashes. I don't anymore. AFAIC, they do nothing more than encourage bad walking habits. Any dog can learn to walk properly on a 6 foot leash. If a person has trouble teaching the dog to walk on leash, then they should get training help from a professional trainer - as in take a class. It can be done.
I also use 20' and 50' leashes, but that is for training working dogs, not something everyday folks would need. But I've got a regular dog walker who uses a 20' for their dog on one of our walking routes. Once you've trained a dog to walk properly, you can allow the dog to "roam" a bit more. That long lead dog walker has their dog trained well enough they can pull in the lead to a normal 4-5' walking length when appropriate.
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