Flexi Leads

kylith

Was at a rescue with my neighbour at the weekend as she's looking for a companion for her dog. Anyway she brought her dog with her in case it was possible to meet a potential companion (it wasn't). Anyway, we had a look around, filled in some forms and were heading back to the car when a gentleman associated with the rescue pointed out her flexi lead and said that they should never be used because the mechanical parts can fail.

That's far enough, any mechanical parts can fail, but to say that they should never be used because of it is a bit extreme, imo. I live in the city, one of my dogs isn't friendly, and there are no completely safe areas that I can let the dogs off for a romp. If I were to use a standard lead, as this man said, my dogs would be denied the only bit of freedom that they have, and I could have no happy medium with my dogs where the older one can potter at my heels while the younger runs up and down canal banks. Of course when we're on the footpath both leads are locked at a length that keeps the dogs next to me.

What's your opinion on flexi leads?

star-pants

I use them for my two, in saying that there have been one or two occasions where they've not locked properly and got a lovely rope burn for my troubles. I think you need to make sure they're of decent quality (we've better ones now) and just always been on the ball so to speak. I walk mine no problems, I lock and unlock a lot as sometimes they run with me or sometimes I've to have them short to get past a cat etc. and have to be trigger ready in case they decide to chase something across the road.

Groom!

Sorry but I hate them and I am inclined to agree with your man.

I have boarded hundreds of dogs over the years and if someone arrived with a flexi lead, it was put away until departure date. I always use a thick rope lead to walk dogs.

I think they are dangerous, especially in the hands of children walking the family pet.

A friend of mine was chatting to a friend outside the park, with her bichon on a flexi lead, not locked, and the dog was actually run over by someone reversing out of a parking space. Possibly the owner's fault and maybe not 100% the lead's fault.

I also think they are bad for trying to train dogs to walk on the lead, they are heavy and uncomfortable to hold and I basically don't trust them.

I can however see where they might have their uses...if an elderly person who can't walk too far needs to give the dog a bit more freedom etc.
Also, I did use one in the past when we had a blind dog, for guidance in large open spaces.

As a rule I never use them, but that's just my opinion!

tk123

I think they're good if used in the correct hands but mostly we encounter muppet owners with muppet dogs who are out of control so its a recipe for disaster - they get wrapped around peoples/dogs legs, they can't pull the dog back quickly etc. I just found the handle part way too heavy on the one we got for my guys size so gave it away!

I heard of somebody recently who had their finger cut off by one and had to have a toe attached to their hand instead!!! ** puke puke**. Friend of my bros had her dog on one, it wrapped around a bollard thing as they were crossing the road and she couldn't free the dog in time before it got hit by a car.

Helen1976

Ah for feck sake - I just bought one of these leads today!!!

tk123

Helen1976 wrote: »

Ah for feck sake - I just bought one of these leads today!!!

Mind your fingers he he and your toes just in case!!!

Zapperzy

I use one but it's only ever on full extension if were in a big open area like the beach and I always wind it in if we meet a person, car or another dog. I never use it if I'm doing a plain road walk along a footpath.

I have thought about what happens if something inside fails but has anyone ever actually had that happen? I had one once that the cord snapped but I think that with any lead it should be checked regularly for weak spots.

So long as their used responsibly I see no problem with them. My dog cannot be let off lead so it allows him to have some running time in open areas, otherwise he'd either be on a short lead all the time or I could use a lunge line but that I'd find more bulky and awkward than a flexi. Then again he is a small dog so I can see how one for a large dog would be heavy and bulky.

littlebug

I use an 8m flexi but only in the woods with no other people, dogs etc around.
Learned my lesson on the beach when dog suddenly changed direction and it nearly took the feet off my 6 year old :eek:

star-pants

Aye, same as Zapperzy - my two are small so it's ok.
Granted I have been wrapped around, or when one goes one side of a tree and the other goes the other *insert rolleyes here* but that could happen anyway.
I have fibromyalgia, and some days I just find it very hard to hold things, whilst sometimes it's a hindrance, sometimes it's helpful because it can be harder to grasp on thinner/smaller things. I can't always bring them to the park or the beach so the flexi lead lets me let them run when the coast is clear but reign them in when we have to.
I regularly check ours to make sure they're secure / working.

I can very much see how they wouldn't be suitable for some dogs / people though.

ISDW

I don't like them at all, used to use them, won't now. My niece had my old dog on one and the dog ran off after something, jerked the lead out of her hand, it bounced on the ground, and as it retracted, leapt up in the air and hit a woman in the face. Thankfully she wasn't hurt.

Now I use long leads that I buy from some people who make them in the UK, if you check on Facebook for a group called Willows Leads, Sarah will make leads to any lengths you want. There are also other people making the same leads, a lot of them sell on ebay. They don't retract, but I would rather hold it in my hand, than have the retracting ones now. I also use a walking belt, so the lead is attached to that, gives the dogs loads of freedom.

Inexile

Use to have one but got rid. We were out for a walk with 3 dogs and was using it on a new dog who was nervous . It was raining, the handle got wet and slipped to the ground. , it made a noise, frightened the dog who ran, the lead bounced behind her, frightened her even more, she ran further, etc, etc. We were luckly the dog knew where home was and ran under our car. The lead was trapped by the wheel of the car so the dog couldnt move. So while I can see their uses there are disadvantages and you need to be very aware when using them.

LucyBliss

Personally I don't like them. My three are quite young and I don't think a flexi lead would give me the level of control I'd need with them at this moment in time - we're ironing out a few quirks in the walking regime.
I have used one with the smallest of my three when we've been walking on the beach and there's hardly anyone else around and she gets to sniff around more than she might ordinarily. But some owners I've encountered when out and about seem to think that the farther away the dog is on the flexi lead, the less need they have to actually do anything with the dog. One afternoon, in Portumna Forest Park, we were after walking our three on one of the trails and we were having a sit down on the benches there when a dog on a flexi lead came up to us. One of mine was not comfortable with the dog sniffing around him but the dog was let so far on the lead that the owner either didn't notice or care that his dog was setting mine off. He made no attempt to recall the dog or move it away until he was level with it and by then, the more excitable of mine was losing his life and I had to walk away with him to try and redirect him. And the guy just looks at me as if to say "what a bad dog". I nearly gave him the finger but I didn't want to be *that* person. But I really felt that it could have prevented if he'd just moved his bloody dog away from mine!

So while I see their benefits, they bug me because people seem to think that it gives them carte blanche to let their dog do whatever and go wherever.

easyeason3

I can't stand flexi leads. My dog has huge problems learning to walk properly on the lead & both myself & his trainer think this is due to the fact that when he was a puppy that he could wander around as he pleased on walks.
Which was cute when he was a little ball of fur, not so cute when you have a 30kg dog trying to pull you in every direction possible.
Then theres the usual getting caught up in things or wrapping himself around my legs.

Take yourself into your local co-op & buy a lead rope for a horse. It's longer than a standard lead & is good & strong. If you wanted to give a dog more freedom without letting them off the lead you could buy a lunge rope for open spaces.

KatyMac

Take yourself into your local co-op & buy a lead rope for a horse. It's longer than a standard lead & is good & strong. If you wanted to give a dog more freedom without letting them off the lead you could buy a lunge rope for open spaces.[/QUOTE]

That's what I was going to suggest! I have a long lunge lead that's great when out in open spaces with the dog (red setter). He knows the difference at this stage that the short dog lead is for walking beside me and that he can run around alot more when the lunge is attached. My dog suffers from mild epilspy (pardon spelling - has occasionaly fits) so I can't let him free completely in case he has a turn and I can't find him!!

TG1

I had an extendible lead for my border collie cross before he learned proper recall. I never had any problems with it, and found it a great way to let him socialise and burn off a bit of excess energy, but as soon as I could safely let him off, I started only using a short lead.
I have heard stories of them not locking and preventing owners from controlling dogs, but thankfully this never happened with mine. One did snap on me but that's a worry with any lead.

As for the lunge line, they seem a great way to go, but I'd advise practising handling them before venturing out in public! I always thought they were a great idea until I witnessed a woman allowing her (adorable!) beagle puppy the length of it on a walkway, and not gathering it in on time before a cyclist hit the line... the line was black and the path was tarmac so the cyclist didn't see the it. The puppy got an awful wrench on her neck and the cyclist ended up injuring their nose... But this was down to the woman's carelessness not the lead itself and probably would have happened had she had her dog on any type of long lead.

Cherry Blossom

Well I love my flex-lead but it has its specific uses. I use it when the dog needs to go out to the loo as it means she has a bit more room to pick her spot very fussy about where she pees and the incline and texture of the ground must be thoroughly inspected first, just in case there's a chance she might end up standing in it by mistake.

I also use it for recall when she's been off-lead, I call her back and put her on the flexi so she doesn't go from total freedom to zero freedom, it has actually made a big difference in how often she comes back when called.

kylith

TG1 wrote: »

I had an extendible lead for my border collie cross before he learned proper recall. I never had any problems with it, and found it a great way to let him socialise and burn off a bit of excess energy, but as soon as I could safely let him off, I started only using a short lead.
I have heard stories of them not locking and preventing owners from controlling dogs, but thankfully this never happened with mine. One did snap on me but that's a worry with any lead.

As for the lunge line, they seem a great way to go, but I'd advise practising handling them before venturing out in public! I always thought they were a great idea until I witnessed a woman allowing her (adorable!) beagle puppy the length of it on a walkway, and not gathering it in on time before a cyclist hit the line... the line was black and the path was tarmac so the cyclist didn't see the it. The puppy got an awful wrench on her neck and the cyclist ended up injuring their nose... But this was down to the woman's carelessness not the lead itself and probably would have happened had she had her dog on any type of long lead.

That's my problem with lunge lines; you have to be quick to haul them in, and they need two hands, which is no use if you have two dogs.

Kashkai

I'm just over a week back into the dog walking life but I found the short traditional leather lead to be annoying for both my dog and myself while out for a walk. I live in the countryside so have access to lots of open spaces but that also means livestock about and roads with no footpaths. The short lead really annoyed my (yet to be properly trained 8 month old collie I'll admit) dog and he pulled and jerked non stop on this short lead to the point he was practically choking. I soon bought a giant flexi lead and while he still pulls while I have it short on the road, I can let him wander up to 8 metres away when in fields and he quite happily potters about on this long lead and he seems quite aware of this and doesn't get tangled in anything. As he's still a pup, and we're still getting used to one another, I won't let him off the lead even in open farmland away from roads in case he starts chasing livestock or refuses to come back when called.

I have ordered a front attachment harness to use with a short leash so perhaps I'll be able to move away from the extendable leash in a few weeks as I'm a bit wary of it especially after reading the manufacturer's comments about using the supplied "collar" (which is just a thin piece of nylon cord) in addition to the dog's regular collar in case my dog's own leather collar snaps and then the retractable leash might retract unexpectantly and injure me. If teh manufacturer is pointing this out, then there must have been some nasty injuries in the past.

Discodog

I have just received a long email from Flexi in Germany as I wrote to complain about their declining quality.

I use two flexi leads every day. But I do not walk along roads or near traffic.

The new design of the Flexi Compact Classic has a dangerous design flaw. They have made the lock button much bigger. It's now so big that it can easily be released by catching on clothing etc & you might not realise that it is unlocked. These leads need a positive foolproof lock before I would risk them near a road.

Regarding the problem with the lead pulling out of your hand I use a soft cord lead that I attach to the Flexi handle & put over my wrist. This is useful because I can't drop the lead & I can let go of the handle knowing that I won't lose the dog. I asked Flexi to put an attachment point for a wrist strap but they came up with an unusual argument. They say that there is a risk that if you dog is hit by a car that you might be dragged under it if the handle is attached to your wrist. To me this seem possible but incredibly unlikely.

Avoid the cord Flexis. I know a girl that still has the scars from a corded flexi wrapping around her legs. Countless people have dropped a corded Flexi & then, by instinct, grabbed the lead to stop the dog & ending up with a nasty rope burn. The Tape Flexis don't last as long but they are much better & safer.

I would also avoid the 8 metre maxi that uses a thin tape. The tape is too thin & it twists so that you end up with the last few feet not retracting. Apart from the button issue the new Compact Classic 3, a 5 metre - wide tape lead, is good. If you want to go to 8 metres then I prefer the Flexi Giant. It's a big handle because it uses the wider tape which tends not to tangle.

In conclusion I would never use a Flexi near traffic but there are useful on paths, beaches etc where you want to allow the dog some space but need control. Walking my three on long, non retracting leads, would be impossible.

kylith

Discodog wrote: »

Avoid the cord Flexis. I know a girl that still has the scars from a corded flexi wrapping around her legs. Countless people have dropped a corded Flexi & then, by instinct, grabbed the lead to stop the dog & ending up with a nasty rope burn. The Tape Flexis don't last as long but they are much better & safer.

I would also avoid the 8 metre maxi that uses a thin tape. The tape is too thin & it twists so that you end up with the last few feet not retracting.

The problem with retracting is the reason I'd never use a cord lead, only the tape ones.

**Vai**

Nothing wrong with a flexi lead in the right hands/situation. I use one for my terrier sometimes. She walks by my side anyway so I just use it for letting her off on toilet breaks or letting her explore when shes been good on the walk. I wouldnt use it for bigger dogs though, I can see how that could get messy.

mosi

My family has used Flexis for years without any major hassle. I did get a rope burn as a kid once, but then maybe they are not suitable for children. My parents always had them on the collies and they never had any trouble. They're in the country though, while the two dogs were well trained enough to walk properly on their leads.
I use them now myself. My boy can't be off lead much so it is good for giving him a bit of freedom. My little girl's one did break, but that was a result of her chewing at the tape, an issue that could occur with many leads. She is on a regular lead at the moment as she doesn't really need a Flexi. Once we're in the park she can be allowed off lead. Now, I didn't use the Flexi to train her. She was terrified of leads when I got her, so I just used a regular lead. The one I'm using on her now is a bit lightweight so I will get either another Flexi or just a strong regular lead. I found that the current lead is a bit too easy to drop, it's so light.
I would never let them have the Flexi extended unless it is in a place that I would be otherwise happy to let them off lead. Having them extended on roads, footpaths etc is pretty daft. I ouldn't be keen on using a lunge line in the local park, as I like to be able to rein in the lead quickly if need be. Also, with two dogs it would be awkward. For anyone using a lunge, I would recommend a good pair of gloves. I learned that the hard way once when a horse I was grazing decided to take off.
I've seen a lot of other versions of the extendable leads, such as cheap supermarket or pound shop versions that I wouldn't touch. I also had an RSPCA extendable lead from Argos. It was longer than the convention Flexi and was similarly priced. However, I never used it as it was incredibly difficult to lock.
Like others have said here, if you know how and when to use them, then they can be very useful. The problem, as with so many things:rolleyes:, is when people don't use them correctly.

Discodog

kylith wrote: »

The problem with retracting is the reason I'd never use a cord lead, only the tape ones.

So do you think that the tape leads retract better than the cord ? I would of imagined it to be the other way round as the tape tends to roll up twisted.

kylith

Discodog wrote: »

So do you think that the tape leads retract better than the cord ? I would of imagined it to be the other way round as the tape tends to roll up twisted.

I find that, on my ones anyway, the way the tape goes back into the housing means that the tape untwists via the swivel at the hook end, meaning that it doesn't get twisted.

JustAThought

Interesting points!! : )
I've used a few types of leads but love the flexi. I've bought tgirdled one and the tape one ; having used the cord one for over 8 months the tape one compared badly and I ended up bringing it back. My experience was that it didn't react as well, didn't roll up as quickly, was slower and more diddly to lock and unlock and also wasn't double stitched as well as the cord one so began to snag almost immediately; after less than 10 days I brought it back, complained and swapped it for the cord flexi instead... Happily ever after!!!

IM now on my second cord flexi dog ate thru first one on long trip in crate( live & learn) and never had a problem and am in the " flexi fan club!" long when I need, short on paths, allows the dog some freedom while I keep control... Happy days... Flexi cord rocks!!!

I also have used one of thosethick choke leads ( hate) and have a long (20 ft) " training" lead which has caused me more problems, tanglements and rope burns than I care to admit to. I still have ( it was expensive!) but the flexi wins everyday even as a trainer cos the dos can't get tied up in it as she runs cos it retracts as the dog runs .... So much handier!

piperh

I have numerous leads and i swear my dogs know where we're going by which one i put on. I use the gentle leader if we're walking around the town as my little girl can get a bit skittish walking past butchers and i find it gives me a little more control, i have long lunges that i use if we are doing what we call the cattle walk. Its on a fenced path around fields that they can run free on but we have to walk across a play area and i like to give them freedom on the grass but still leashed. I have normal leads if we're just going to the shops and i have shorter leads if we're going in the car :rolleyes:.

I don't use flexi's cus i think i'd need lessons in how to use them properly, i really struggle walking my moms tiny little terrier on it

aisher

I love the freedom flexi lead allows especially in a park where you dont want to let the dog off leash. I use mine a lot but plan to use the standard lead more as I am trying to train our dog to walk on a loose lead and this is just not possible with a flexi lead since the dog is able to go where it wants. I wont be retiring the flexi by any means - love them.

Discodog

kylith wrote: »

I find that, on my ones anyway, the way the tape goes back into the housing means that the tape untwists via the swivel at the hook end, meaning that it doesn't get twisted.

My new 5 metre tape is pretty good so far but it is new. My 8 metre Maxi uses a much narrower tape & it's this one that gives the problems.