This blog was inspired by an unpleasant experience a friend of mine had while walking a rescue dog, whom we now refer to as Kujo. During the walk Kujo encountered a greyhound and lunged at him, trying to attack him. Fortunately neither dog was on a retractable leash and both owners were able to pull the dogs away before contact was made. Nobody was injured, however everyone involved was very shook up. This was a reminder that dogs can be unpredictable at times. I’ve also recently seen a large dog start across my street snarling at a smaller dog on the other side. Fortunately, the big dog’s owner had a strong leather leash to control the dog, and a good thing, too: that lunge across the street would have been right in front of a car.

While researching the pros and cons of using retractable leashes, I came across an excellent article written by Kelly Ryan and Lisa Mullinax of Four Paws University located in Sacramento, CA. They have given me permission to share parts of it in this newsletter. They write:

“Retractable leashes also give a false sense of security. They are sold with indications as to what size dog they are appropriate for. This makes it seem as though they will be able to withstand a good hard tug from a dog of that size. One of our students bought a retractable leash for dogs “up to 50 pounds”; her 30 pound puppy broke it. She bought increasingly sturdier retractable leashes, and her 30 pound puppy broke all of them. The leashes were not frayed or in anyway damaged, her dog just got up enough speed in 20 feet to pop them. After three busted leashes in about two months, she gave them up for good and bought a thin, 6 foot leather leash. Two years later, she is still using the same leather leash.”

The authors summarized their experiences:

“Retractable leashes can be a convenient tool for experienced handlers with well-mannered dogs. However, they are not a substitute for training, they do not give a dog freedom, and there are serious safety concerns for your dog.”

Please read the entire article by clicking on the Four Paws University website below.

www.4pawsu.com
please note that 4 Paws University is not connected to Four Paws Acupuncture

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