I often argue with some trainer friends over the merits of the retractable leash. Many argue it is the safe, fun way to go to the park with your pet. They can go several feet away from you and YOU are still in control. If the dog needs to be pulled closer, you can bring them in. Everyone stays safe. Great in theory. However, like most other dog related things, it is the owner I am concerned about.
The next time you are out somewhere people are walking dogs, watch them use one of these leashes. It’s funny, more often dangerous, but still comical from time to time. The dogs go far away from their human. We humans are really bad at paying attention to our dogs at all times. We just assume because they are tethered to us, they are safe and well behaved or we would know. You know what they say about people who assume things…
The dogs on these leashes more often than not have the following happen to them:
1. They get tangled around trees, posts or poles.
2. They run to the end of the leash, only to jerk their necks harder than they imagined.
3. They run after other animals or things suddenly catching you off guard.
4. The run into an unsafe place (like traffic).
Here is what happens to humans:
1. They don’t notice their dog is about to chase a car/bird/plastic bag/shiny object and the dog runs with all of their might to the end of the leash. The person tries to use the “brake” and can’t manage to use it correctly to stop the dog.
2. The dog is heading somewhere dangerous and you can’t reel the dog back in. They you chase after the dog, trying to reel them in manually. This is where it is funny.
3. The leash gets tangled around your fingers/arm/leg/whatever and the dog runs. As the leash grows longer, it can actually remove what is caught between it’s nylon tangle. Yup. That means your body parts can come off. Or get a really bad leash burn. It has happened more than 20 times since 2002. While that doesn’t seem like a lot, that only refers to accidental amputations.
A leash is a simple concept. It shouldn’t come with a WARNING. Please be careful. They seem like a good idea, but they are very dangerous. In fact, just yesterday, I witnessed a Father with two children, one on a bike and one walking a small dog on a retractable leash. The little girl almost fell off of the bike. As the Dad lunged to get her, the boy and dog turned to see what was going on. The dog ran into rush hour traffic on Loch Raven Blvd and was narrowly missed. It happens all of the time. Read the story of my pal John and his dog Ace about their mishap with a retractable leash. Take the danger out of the equation and be safe. (Then check out Ace’s new blog, www.ohmidog.com)
