The Dangers of Retractor Leads

Retractor leads in the country

If you are out and about in the countryside at the moment, you will see lots of signs asking you to keep your dog on a lead. There’s a couple of reasons for this. One is to protect new born lambs or pregnant ewes from distress and harm. The other is less visible. From April onwards, many birds nest on the ground. These include endangered species like Curlews and game birds on managed moorland like Grouse.

You may think having your dog on a long lead or a retractor lead is sufficient. This is not the case. Your dog on a long lead could stumble over a nest, harming eggs or killing chicks. If you are asked to keep your dog on a lead, it means walking to heel on a short lead.

Retractor leads in town

There’s another reason why retractor leads are a bad idea. Unfortunately, there was a case at the weekend of a Dachshund being run over on a zebra crossing. According to eye witnesses, the owner had crossed and was on the pavement while the dog was only a third of the way across. The driver couldn’t see the dog and sadly, it was killed.

This is by far from the first time I’ve heard of this. Don’t let it be your dog. Extendable leads break your connection with your dog. They allow them to be pulling in front or dragging behind. A slip lead allows you to communicate with your dog and enjoy a nice walk together, without bothering other people, dogs, drivers or wildlife.

Posted: April 21, 2022