I’ve seen them used more and more and I don’t understand it. Yes it is a great way to teach your dog to pull as pulling on the lead is how they extend the length of it therefore rewarding the dog for pulling. But unless you are behavior conditioning a sled dog team, why do people want their dogs to learn to pull on them? What am I missing about the appeal of these contraptions?
Here’s one answer: Some years back, when they were fairly new, I used one for my coonhound mix. He was well trained obedience-wise, and very good off leash. His was used when I was in places that I could not let him run, so he had some room to burn up a few more calories - ie I could walk at steady pace, he could stop and sniff, run a bit to catch up/ go ahead, then rinse repeat. He did not pull at the end.
Later I got him a friend, who was, and still is (at 14), a bit of a puller I did not use it for her for that exact reason.
Also, now that I live “in town” in a climate where everyone walks, both my dogs are kept on 6 ft. leather leads, and truthfully I do not miss the flexi.
I use them on occasion so I’ll tell you why.
There’s a school grounds and a business park where I walk my dog. After hours, so never during school or business hours. There are large mown grassy areas. On a long flexi my dog loves going out and back and if I walk 2 miles, he’s probably done 4 or 5.
So in those conditions they’re great. My dogs pull less on the flexi because they have more room.
I always have a leather lead with me, wearing it like a bandolier (it has a snap at one end and a ring on the leather loop at the other end), so I can always call my dog and switch to that lead if we come across other people either with or without dogs. The dog looks impressive and often people want to talk about him or the kids want to pet him, which he loves, plus we usually do some obedience work on the shorter lead while we’re out.
NEVER would use a flexi-lead at the vet’s office or at a horse show or at a kids’ baseball game or any of the other populated venues we go to.
I think the idea is to give your dog a bit more freedom to run, without them being off leash. Which is fine. Unless you’re somewhere that you might run into another person/dog.
My dog is reactive and when I see someone with a dog on a flexi, I cross the street. I have no interest in meeting your dog, ta verra much!
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/06/11/retractable-dog-leash.aspx
Does nobody realize they have a locking feature on them and you can shorten it? I use flexi leads with my two. I let them burn off energy on a longer lead, then shorten it up to walk with me.
I understand the functionality of a long line on a dog. And all the conditions brought up here could be met with a standard long line. But why use a long line system that rewards a dog for pulling? Do people want thier dogs to pull these days? When I was training my dogs pulling was always a cause for correction not rewarding. So why do people want to teach and reward their dogs for pulling?
[QUOTE=RobinL;7771482]
Does nobody realize they have a locking feature on them and you can shorten it? I use flexi leads with my two. I let them burn off energy on a longer lead, then shorten it up to walk with me.[/QUOTE]
Apparently a lot of people who have them don’t understand this feature 
I don’t take the chance, I see someone with a dog on a Flexi, I get the heck out of dodge. Worst invention ever. And they can be really dangerous too.
[QUOTE=RobinL;7771482]
Does nobody realize they have a locking feature on them and you can shorten it? I use flexi leads with my two. I let them burn off energy on a longer lead, then shorten it up to walk with me.[/QUOTE]So it has a real in feature that will haul a 120 lb dog in? Or does it just shorten as the dog voluntarily returns to you or you run up to the dog?
Still though I thought it was an element of good dog training (unless it was a sled dog or tacking and then a harness is involved) that once the dog feels tension it backs off and creates slack. So a well trained dog wouldn’t pull on the lead to lengthen it, the owner would have to lengthen it by hand. Is that what you are doing?
[QUOTE=Paks;7771528]
So it has a real in feature that will haul a 120 lb dog in? Or does it just shorten as the dog voluntarily returns to you or you run up to the dog?
Still though I thought it was an element of good dog training (unless it was a sled dog or tacking and then a harness is involved) that once the dog feels tension it backs off and creates slack. So a well trained dog wouldn’t pull on the lead to lengthen it, the owner would have to lengthen it by hand. Is that what you are doing?[/QUOTE]
Yes, they have a lock; in theory strong enough for the dog weight recommended on the packaging. No, it doesn’t “haul” the dog in - that’s the handler’s job. Easier to avoid having to “haul” a dog in general, so a smart handler locks it shorter before the dog encounters trouble.
There is no tension on a flexi until you hit the end or the lock, so it doesn’t teach them to pull. If you use them a lot, a dog will learn how much lead they have (e.g. 16 feet) and learn not to hit the end like a freight train.
But, I do agree that they are not designed for sidewalk usage or to teach a dog to heel. I love them for certain things - exercising a dog that cannot be let off leash. But, I use a short leash as well, depending on the circumstances.
Unfortunately, there are stupid people in all walks of life, and you can’t assume they know how to use a flexi (or a short leash), or if they are capable of owning a dog, period. 
I also despise the things. When I first held one years ago, I found it uncomfortable. The only reason I’d ever have one would be travelling with one of our girls who came to us as an adult and is shy about pooping near us. Everybody else was raised to potty on a regular leash when travelling, even if it doesn’t apply at home.
[QUOTE=S1969;7771536]
There is no tension on a flexi until you hit the end or the lock, so it doesn’t teach them to pull. If you use them a lot, a dog will learn how much lead they have (e.g. 16 feet) and learn not to hit the end like a freight train.
[/QUOTE] The flexi lead is not slack when the dog is extending it therefore there is tension. The dog is being rewarded for pulling against that tension.
Is the appeal of the flexi lead that people are too lazy to deal with a real long line and coil it properly as you would a lung line?
[QUOTE=S1969;7771536]
There is no tension on a flexi until you hit the end or the lock, so it doesn’t teach them to pull. If you use them a lot, a dog will learn how much lead they have (e.g. 16 feet) and learn not to hit the end like a freight train.
[/QUOTE] The flexi lead is not slack when the dog is extending it therefore there is tension. The dog is being rewarded for pulling against that tension.
Is the appeal of the flexi lead that people are too lazy to deal with a real long line and coil it properly as you would a lung line?
Why does it matter so much to you? Not everyone is “teaching their dog to pull.” Some people, like my mother, have mobility issues. She couldn’t handle coiling and letting out a 15ft lead. But the dog likes to roam around a bit to find the perfect spot to do his business. The flexi lead does a fine job for this. Not everyone is a dog training purist. You seem kinda angry over something, in the general scheme of things, that is so small…
[QUOTE=Mosey_2003;7771603]
Why does it matter so much to you? Not everyone is “teaching their dog to pull.” Some people, like my mother, have mobility issues. She couldn’t handle coiling and letting out a 15ft lead. But the dog likes to roam around a bit to find the perfect spot to do his business. The flexi lead does a fine job for this. Not everyone is a dog training purist. You seem kinda angry over something, in the general scheme of things, that is so small…[/QUOTE]
Because I’m sick of seeing stories like the one on this board about the problems flexi leads called. I’m sick of seeing the dog on one side of the road and the owner on the other and thinking they have control. I sick of irresponsible dog owners who see don’t have the ability to control there dogs and consider teaching it basic training to be some kind of excessive training purist idiocy. It’s dead easy to teach your dog not to pull but not if you are then going to turn around and reward it for pulling.
If your mother has mobility problems I would think she would want a dog that hasn’t been trained to pull as it could one day pull her off balance.
[QUOTE=Paks;7771546]
The flexi lead is not slack when the dog is extending it therefore there is tension. The dog is being rewarded for pulling against that tension.
Is the appeal of the flexi lead that people are too lazy to deal with a real long line and coil it properly as you would a lung line?[/QUOTE]
My 40lb dog would have to try very hard to feel the “tension” on a flexi-lead. Have you ever used one? Most dogs are not so sensitive to leash tension that this tiny bit would be enough to signal it to stop. Maybe you walk your dogs on a piece of yarn, but most people don’t expect 110% heeling perfection (otherwise, it wouldn’t matter what kind of leash you use).
I kind of agree with Mosey - why is this such a big deal to you? I use all kinds of different leashes, including a 20’ check cord that needs coiling, depending on what I’m doing with my dog. I don’t use a flexi out of laziness for either myself or my dog, but there are times when it serves a useful purpose for me.
I realize that there are lazy dog owners out there, but will say that you probably won’t find any on this board.
[QUOTE=Paks;7771631]
Because I’m sick of seeing stories like the one on this board about the problems flexi leads called. I’m sick of seeing the dog on one side of the road and the owner on the other and thinking they have control. I sick of irresponsible dog owners who see don’t have the ability to control there dogs and consider teaching it basic training to be some kind of excessive training purist idiocy. It’s dead easy to teach your dog not to pull but not if you are then going to turn around and reward it for pulling.
If your mother has mobility problems I would think she would want a dog that hasn’t been trained to pull as it could one day pull her off balance.[/QUOTE]
He hasn’t been trained to pull. He has been trained to know where he can go for potty time and that he should walk nicely at heel to the end of our sidewalk and then he can free-range across our driveway.
It is not impossible to train a dog using a flexi, just takes time the same as any training. Not every person that chooses to use one is an idiot deserving of your vitriol.
Maybe you shouldn’t read the stories if they get you this worked up? I’m not trying to be snarky, but really you seem awfully, well, pissy about something that doesn’t have to affect you.
I like them.
I don’t use them at the vet’s, but do when we take them out and about to somewhere that needs the dogs to be leashed.
The tension isn’t much more than say, dragging a leash or the weight of a heavier line, so not sure that it teaches them to pull…and neither of our dogs pull when on a normal leash.
I like that they allow the dogs to snorful (how is that not a word?!?) around while I can stay on the path.
I think you are blaming the tool, when you should be blaming the user.
[QUOTE=S1969;7771645]
My 40lb dog would have to try very hard to feel the “tension” on a flexi-lead. Have you ever used one? Most dogs are not so sensitive to leash tension that this tiny bit would be enough to signal it to stop. Maybe you walk your dogs on a piece of yarn, but most people don’t expect 110% heeling perfection (otherwise, it wouldn’t matter what kind of leash you use).
I kind of agree with Mosey - why is this such a big deal to you? I use all kinds of different leashes, including a 20’ check cord that needs coiling, depending on what I’m doing with my dog. I don’t use a flexi out of laziness for either myself or my dog, but there are times when it serves a useful purpose for me.
I realize that there are lazy dog owners out there, but will say that you probably won’t find any on this board.[/QUOTE]
Unless you have a coated dog it can feel a fly on it. Do you think the fly weighs more than the tension it takes to elongate a flexi lead.
I walk my dogs with slack as should every one. Yeah yeah I know training dogs is so stupid only idiots don’t want to jerked on by their dogs or have them obey. Know what the number one cause of death of dogs is in this country. Lack of training. Don’t believe me check out your local humane society.
Since at a fair number of horse functions I’ve been jumped on by someone’s dog that was on a flexi leash I believe you are wrong in that last statement. Of course every single one of those dog owner tells me how well behaved their dog is. If it was, it would have come back to them the first time they called not after they called repeatedly and I had to block it with my knee and they grabbed it by the collar.
Flexi’s make my dogs happy, that is why I use them.
I must be an awful person.
My dogs also understand that when we walk by other dogs, they are to “walk on” and to pay the other dog no attention. They may socialize when I tell them they can, and that is generally not when we are walking. When we are walking, we are taking care of business.
Like anything else, they are a tool. Some people use them correctly, some people don’t. I don’t see the need to get your panties in a wad over what other people use or don’t use.
It’s not the leash causing the problems you see, it’s the owner. If a dog is well-trained to walk on a leash, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a flexi leash or a coiled long line, it will respond the way it should.
