Extendable Leads, thoughts?

I was in Lidl yesterday doing food shopping and saw they had a retractable lead for dogs weighing up to 35kg.
I have never considered getting one for Rio as i've read horror stories of them breaking/ pinging back and i worry about the amount of control i could actually have of it and Rio.

But this was only £6 and i thought why not, give it a go and see how we get on.

Well, it took a bit of getting used to, but we both got on so well with it. We went to the dog park where we go around the outside and to the field at the back, he was so relaxed on it and i was as well knowing he had the freedom to go 8m away but i still had a hold of him. He walked as if not on a lead and his recall was lovely.

It hasn't been dog/ cat tested yet, we passed a dog yesterday but he didn't care about that one.

My one concern is if it's not locked and he sees something and runs for it near a road, so I'm always having it locked and a short lead near roads, or if we're in a open area and he happens to see a dog he doesn't like and runs towards it. I carry his normal lead with me just in case.

What's everyone's thoughts/ experiences with them?

I don't like them for a few reasons. The main one is that (I personally think) they are not very easy to control. Because you are relying on the retraction working the second you hit the button, you can be floored if it doesn't. Sometimes they can be very slow to retract, which isn't what you want in one of 'those' situations!

The thin cord ones can be dangerous. With no weight to the line they waft about. I had a horrid situation where another dog's thin line got stuck round Millie's neck. The other dog was pulling one way, the idiot owner was fumbling and pulling the other way, and Millie was starting to get strangled and because the cord was thin it was cutting into her neck.

I much prefer a long line. The difference for me is that you have a decent weight line that you learn how to use yourself. Your reliance is on you, not on the retraction mechanism. I have these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262225706542?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=560980220455&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Mine are 5m long which I find is plenty. Width depends on preference, I like the thinner one, my husband likes the thicker one. And only £8 inc p&p.

no a fan of retractable leads either you dnt have as much control with the handle and no good in an emergency situation as liz says the long lines much better with the long line as will be winter the one with the reflecter is a good idea too

We like using a flexi lead we have a giant flexi which is strong and sturdy. We use a long line down the feilds and flexi on the cycle path, we taught harley to sit when we see a dog so i can catch up so we can have full control. Also when approaching a corner were always mindfull and pull him in then let him go when we can see. It also lets him have freedom as its 12 metres.

To me, they are for very specific situations and places - i.e. parks/fields with minimal dogs/cats/squirrels when you are working on recall.

I think you are leaving yourself open for accidents if you use it on pavements. Have another lead as backup and switch to it on roads.

The stringy ones are a complete menace - my grandma used a wide extendable lead for her dog-aggressive corgi/beagle cross in parks.

I know this is an old post but ...

A neighbour got us a retractable lead suitable for up to 60kg for £1 at a boot sale.

I've used it once at the beach where he couldn't get caught in anything just to test it out and took it with us at the weekend to the in-laws.

I clip it to the very back clip of his harness (halfway down his back)
He is very good on the retractable, doesn't go to the end at all (5 metres) and just wants to walk up ahead beside the children!

He met other dogs and people while using it and it wasn't a problem and down the country lanes it was kept short so he was walking beside me.

I used it at the in-laws cos he couldn't go off the lead for zoomies as there were farm animals in every field so gave him his freedom a little bit.

I definitely won't be using it everyday. It's really a lead for certain places!
Oh and I recommend taking a normal lead with you when using it too just in case it does snap for some reason!

I'm not keen on the flexi leads either, but I think they can be useful in a park/field situation if you're not too sure if it's safe to let them off. I would never trust one near roads or strange dogs. I like the halti training lead as you can change the length, but still be in control.

i have two problems with extendables. one is that if the lead is at its fullest, you have no control over your dog whatsoever! and two, with ordinary leads you can grab the lead itself, but with extendables you can't without seriously damaging your hands!

We have both, extendeable and non extendeable leashes. I think it is better to spend a bit more in a good quality one. The mechanisms are not the same, get one that is ergonomic grip, that does not tangle, and that does not slip. One that has the locking button so you can trust the lock is on when you need to have a closer control.
The majority of dog leashes have a maximum weight limit of 110 pounds.

I have nothing against them if the dog/owner is well prepared and trained to them. A dog that lunges is nevr going to be good on it.. We used them in kennels, cause it gave the dogs more freedom in the walking field, better exercise than just a short leash but the more boistrous ones had just a normal lead. I always used one for lexi when i went to the beach etc until it was stolen ( have my suspects!!) cause she was never a runner/lunger but i never wanted her to go too far away cause she was DA if approached. At those locations i could see well in advance. I prefer the tape ones to the rope ones, they cant be chewed through as fast and dont cut into skin as much as the rope ones as my friend found out one time when her dog ran circles around her and cut her to shreds! The long training leads are great too as long as you follow the rules and get used to them which i am lunging horses. i.e. never wrap it around your hand/neck/arm anything !