A$$ Hole With Foxy In Spearwood

[raz]

If someone is going to abuse you....and you feel that threat is real, then smack them in the head...after that simply run away (you will have had to have knocked them out to insure a stealthy escape).

Aint that the truth. Go for a fatal strike and run like hell because no Beak is ever going to listen to some idiot saying they were verbally abused and decided to smack someone in the head as a self defence excuse

[grumpette]

OMG Willow that is awful and truly tragic. Thank you all for your replies.

I guess I am lucky that I walk predominantly in low traffic, low population areas. This is when I use the extenda lead. I use a 1.2m leather lead for crowded situations like markets, when in suburbia and for obedience training. I like the extenda lead as it will retract when there is slack in the line. This is a lot easier to cope with than trying to gather up a long line or tracking lead, especially in a hurry.

[Sheridan]

The other thing with those extension leads is that if you grab the lead as your dog is running off, you can rip your hand to shreds.

[poodlefan]

Biggest problems with extender leads are:

* Many are poor quality

* They get used by folk who don't understand their limitations. I hate it when people give their dog the length of the lead amongst other dogs - result is often entanglement/nylon line burns. I prefer the ones with tape.

* Attached to halti's they are just plain wrong.

I've heard of a dog on an ORDINARY lead who was killed by a car because the owner wasn't paying attention.

And I'm sure most of us have heard of a well trained dog that died because the owner thought the training would ALWAYS be enough.

[whiskedaway]

The other thing with those extension leads is that if you grab the lead as your dog is running off, you can rip your hand to shreds.

Yep, my boss did that the other day. It was the first time he'd ever used one and he swore never again.

I have one, but I only use it at the beach or in the park when I know there's NO WAY the dog could get anywhere near a car.

[Andisa]

The other thing with those extension leads is that if you grab the lead as your dog is running off, you can rip your hand to shreds.

Yes - I learnt that the hard way when Pink was on crate rest. She was being toileted out the front lawn on an extender lead when a bloody cat ran out of the hedge and without thinking I grabbed the lead - nasty rope burn. I was more concerned about her having a set back than hurting my hand until I got inside and saw what it looked like. She was fine, but it took a while for my hand to come good again. Now I only use the extender for quiet areas (even though I thought I was ok on the front lawn, apparently not) or for the pugs.

Edited April 8, 2011 by Andisa

[hortfurball]

May I ask what people think of the option of having your dogs on extenda leads as a solution for people who want their dogs to be able to roam while on their walk?

I'm another who hates extenda leads with a vengeance. The problem with them is that they are like a part time leash. If your dog takes you by surprise and runs, they have no effectiveness whatsoever until you click the lock, and I have heard so many reports from people of the locking mechanism not working.

There is an elderly gentleman who walks his grumpy little sh!t of a dog every day at our local park, on an extenda leash. The first time I saw him (from a distance) IElla and I were walking with another park regular who warned me that his dog was not friendly. The first time we actually encountered him, Ella and I were jogging on the path and he was sitting on a bench with his dog on the extenda leash. I presumed he'd lock it when he saw us coming...silly me His dog lunged, Ella veered left, yanking me sideways and jarring my back, I gave the man a filthy look and we continued on our way. Second lap I slowed to a walk as we approached the old man on his bench and we did a VERY wide arc around him (giving him a filthy look the whole time.) Since then when he sees us coming he gathers in his dog if they are on a bench close to the path but I'm still always wary and never go past him at a jog, only a walk.

[Maddy]

I wouldn't use an extendable leash at all for walking but for off-lead areas, I have a tracking lead.

The tracking lead I use (bought it here) is actually slightly thicker and heavier than Kiff's regular lead (so there's no chance of it breaking) and it only gets used in the off-lead area so that he can sniff around away from me without actually being off-lead. It also means I can get him back near me quickly if someone comes in with other dogs.

That said, even with the tracking lead, he only gets a few metres of it. His safety is my first priority on walks and this includes making sure he can't harm another dog accidentally or be harmed by another dog unless that dog happens to be right near me (in which case, there's not much more I can do to protect him, besides carrying a large stick).

Edited April 11, 2011 by Hardy's Angel