# Any recommendations for an extendable lead?



## Tecstar (Apr 17, 2013)

Are they all much of a muchness or is there some specific things I should look out for?


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## susanb (Jan 19, 2012)

My tip......

get one made from tape not "string". The string ones can really cut into things (fingers, dog's legs etc) but the tape one should not. My hubby hates ours, but I like using it for Gisgo.

Other than that, I don't think there is much to choose.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

Do not use a flexi near a road. i hate them they can slip out your hand and the noise can send some sogs bolting away in fear of the clatter they make on the grownd. they also ruen lead training as you can not teach a dog to heal on a flexi, they teach the dog to pull a head, so the alway exspect that freedome. 



use a normal lead. and a long drag line for off lead work. far easier to controle than a flexi.


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## loopyloo (Aug 18, 2012)

I agree with Kendal about Flexi leads, Ours is a halti lead that you can use several different ways by clipping it in different places. We also have a long training lead as Raffi is a devil to recall at the moment


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## Jayded (Apr 5, 2013)

I agree about them dropping out of your hand. I found one with a wrist strap. (it's labeled Kong, don't think they actually make it, got it at petsmart) so I won't have that problem. Having said that I have not even thought about using it yet.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

I much prefer just a regular webbing lead. We had bought an extender lead, I used it once. I had been burned by one when I was a kid, and I just dont like them. I have much more control and comfort from a regular lead.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Please please be careful with flexi leads near roads... Just today outside the school someone's labrador lunged on his flexi lead and broke the break - he ran onto the road and a car swerved to avoid him, but hit a parked car.
I wouldn't use one.


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## Tecstar (Apr 17, 2013)

Marzi said:


> Please please be careful with flexi leads near roads... Just today outside the school someone's labrador lunged on his flexi lead and broke the break - he ran onto the road and a car swerved to avoid him, but hit a parked car.
> I wouldn't use one.


Thanks for that. We have a standard lead for training and walks to the shops etc. We will use an extendable one when we get up to Wimbledon Common and places like that.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Dexter bit brought his brand new tape one in about 10 seconds of putting it on him!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

Tecstar said:


> Thanks for that. We have a standard lead for training and walks to the shops etc. We will use an extendable one when we get up to Wimbledon Common and places like that.





your still better off using a drag line that way you only have to stand on it. it also gives them more rome to move than the flexi.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Do they have to be on lead on the common?
Personally I'd let him off right from the get go - and train, train, train that recall.
Tiny puppies generally stay very close to you - by the time they get to be strong willed little toe rags at about 6-9 months, hopefully your recall will be spot on perfect (well, most of the time )


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## Tecstar (Apr 17, 2013)

Marzi said:


> Do they have to be on lead on the common?
> Personally I'd let him off right from the get go - and train, train, train that recall.
> Tiny puppies generally stay very close to you - by the time they get to be strong willed little toe rags at about 6-9 months, hopefully your recall will be spot on perfect (well, most of the time )


That's what we plan to do, but we may use the extendable as well!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I do use one occasionally but not in the streets, I carry it and swap leads sometimes when I don't want him to have quite as much freedom as being off or on the training line (or when walking through the woods near my parents home), but want him to have a little more freedom than the usual lead. I think the main thing to remember is not to use them along the road.


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## Jack Spaniel (Jul 6, 2012)

We have a 3 car wide space in front of our house. We also have a side gate which opens onto that space. When Jack my spaniel was alive we used to go out of the side gate on his walk using an extending lead.
This particular night I opened the side gate and there was a cat sitting on the drive. The cat took off at 100mph with Jack close behind. He ripped off the 8 metre lead and then yanked the lead body out of my hand. So Jack was at top speed with the added speed of the extender spring recoiling, the lead body went straight through the windscreen of my Volvo Estate and cost me £90.00 to have it replaced.
So they are definitely dangerous items if you have a crazy spaniel. I still use an extender with Oscar the 'Orrible on his late night walk as he gets twice the distance in with his hanging back/catching up tactic. Agree that the tape kind are better than the cord as you can get 'burns' grabbing a moving cord.


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## Jayded (Apr 5, 2013)

Jack Spaniel said:


> Agree that the tape kind are better than the cord as you can get 'burns' grabbing a moving cord.


I wonder are the extendables different over there? Any I've ever had have a button to stop them extending. I can't think of ever having to grab the cord. Not that the button would stop the scenario of racing after the cat, but just curious I guess.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Ours here have a button..but if your dog is too far and you need them back fast, you tend to grab further down the cord..even just out of reflex.


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## mariag (Jun 19, 2011)

Oakley chewed through the tape ones so we changed to a cord one & he doesn't chew on that. I always put it on the shortest it will go near roads & just to be sure wrap my hand around the webbing part so that I have extra control.


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## Kazd (Apr 21, 2013)

I read a blog that stated 10 reasons why she hated flexi leads and I agreed with every one of them. Our breeder said she doesn't like them either.. I think I have made the decision to use a regular lead and train recall for off lead walks.


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

i have a flex lead.it is heavy strap from the dog up about 3 to 4 foot.then it is a thin cable.i like it for my back yard. but would not go on the street with it.it is to hard to controll your pet .you can stop your pet from running with the stop button on it but if you pet takes of in to the street i don't know how fast your reactions would be,i do think not quite fast enough to save your pet from harm ..my opion


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## Jayded (Apr 5, 2013)

sugerlump said:


> i have a flex lead.it is heavy strap from the dog up about 3 to 4 foot.then it is a thin cable.i like it for my back yard. but would not go on the street with it.it is to hard to controll your pet .you can stop your pet from running with the stop button on it but if you pet takes of in to the street i don't know how fast your reactions would be,i do think not quite fast enough to save your pet from harm ..my opion


If people are stupid enough to use it extended on the road, then yeah I can see why they would have problems. Use the button to make it as short as you need it when you need it short. I can't envision using a training line or whatever it is I've seen people talk about on here. What do you do, coil it up as your dog gets closer? All I can see is me and the dog both getting incredibly tangled, but I guess it's all what you're used to, and that's the thing. I do have a retractable lead. I haven't used it yet because Ringo can't go on a regular lead yet, let alone that, but I plan on using it when he's bigger. I can't see a need to use it if I'm walking him along a street though, I'd just use the regular lead for that.


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## Jayded (Apr 5, 2013)

lady amanda said:


> Ours here have a button..but if your dog is too far and you need them back fast, you tend to grab further down the cord..even just out of reflex.


ah. I always had very small dogs on those, and I think they tend to be shorter. I never really had a problem getting them back fast using the button.


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