Posted: 4/20/2014 4:30:17 PM EDT
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I live in a semi-rural area and I recently got a new dog about a year ago. He is a 75lb GSD-Husky mix. He's tried to run off into the woods around our house a few times, so I don't really trust him off the leash; however, I want him to be able to roam. Has anyone used a leash like this one? - http://www.amazon.com/Flexi-Explore-Retractable-Supports-44-Pound/dp/B006MUQQ6Y/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Obligatory Pic: 
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I use one with my 35lb Beagle... on a harness.
But I don't know about using one with a dog heavier than 40lbs or so. Edit - Guess it all depends on how well behaved your dog is. My beagle is ruled by his nose - and sometimes freaks out. That's why I have the harness with a handle (across his shoulders) on him - so I can drop the leash and lift his ass off the ground - can't pull when his front feet are dangling. 
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I have two of these I use on husky and malamute. They are both pulllers. I have had this leash for 4 years. Its been dropped so many times. Held up to crazy abuse. They are heavy. Heavy Duty. And some of the longest leads you can get.
http://www.amazon.com/Explore-Retractable-26-Feet-Supports-110-Pound/dp/B005NK5DEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398040521&sr=8-1&keywords=flexi+long+3 |
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We had a 135lb Newfie and she would go through any retractable leash we had. We finally found one at Harbor Freight! http://t.harborfreight.com/retractable-leash-for-dogs-up-to-110-lbs-94717.html?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
For 10$ we figured we would give it a shot. It lasted longer than the 40$ ones from PetSmart.when it did wear out we just dropped another 10$ for a new one. |
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Dont get the ones with a cord, get the ones with the tape. We bought one from petsmart and had it warrantied out a few times. Keep an eye on the end where the clip is, they fray and will break.
If Im walking at the track or somewhere that she has some open area, I ll hook her tie out to the leash and give her an extra 20'. |
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I have two of these I use on husky and malamute. They are both pulllers. I have had this leash for 4 years. Its been dropped so many times. Held up to crazy abuse. They are heavy. Heavy Duty. And some of the longest leads you can get. http://www.amazon.com/Explore-Retractable-26-Feet-Supports-110-Pound/dp/B005NK5DEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398040521&sr=8-1&keywords=flexi+long+3 Thats the one, I accidentally linked to the medium sized leash. He is also a puller. |
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Use one 3 times a day on a smaller (35lbs) high energy dog.
If you're worried about the strength of the leash, add a pinch training (NOT CHOKE) collar to the equation. They learn real quick and dont get pinched much after the first couple walks. My dog now knows the sound of the button being depressed and pretty much stops on a dime. |
| Ive used both retractable leashes and remote shock collars. The shock collar was great for walks around the neighborhood, but anytime I brought my lab to an unknown place or anywhere near traffic, I used the leash. For open fields a remote shock collar would work great, and also help train the dog to come on command. After my dog got zapped a couple times after not coming back to me, she learned. Now all I have to do is yell her name and she comes running back to me. Good training is key with anything. |
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Thats the one, I accidentally linked to the medium sized leash. He is also a puller. Quoted:
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I have two of these I use on husky and malamute. They are both pulllers. I have had this leash for 4 years. Its been dropped so many times. Held up to crazy abuse. They are heavy. Heavy Duty. And some of the longest leads you can get. http://www.amazon.com/Explore-Retractable-26-Feet-Supports-110-Pound/dp/B005NK5DEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398040521&sr=8-1&keywords=flexi+long+3 Thats the one, I accidentally linked to the medium sized leash. He is also a puller. I recommend it. I've broken others. Notice thats its a 1/2 inch nylon strap the whole way. I've had them run the whole thing out, jerk against the end of it and spin themselves around. This thing doesn't break. Also I hook the hook onto the lead itself to turn it into a choke collar. It doesn't do much to phase them and stop them from pulling. Theres a harness you can get (i forget what its called) that the leash attaches near the chest of the dog. And when they pull it pulls against one of their front legs and prevents them from pulling hardly at all. Thats the only thing I've found that can stop a husky for pulling. |
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I use one on my 60 pound Lab. She's a puller as well. She did break one when she was younger, but it wasn't the 'ribbon'style of lead, it was the older cord style.
I have also recently put her in a harness instead of using her collar. She doesn't pull nearly as bad. Course, she is 11 so she might just be more laid back. |
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When walking a dog, a retractable leash just breeds bad behavior. Dogs should walk on the left side, even stride with you (or slightly behind). +1. Not directed at the OP, but people who use these fucking retractable leashes in more populated areas (especially inside stores or along the side of a busy street) need to be run over (the owners, not the dog). |
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We have one of those for our GSD, the extra long one, I like it very well. We have had several over the years, and the Flexi brand seem to be the most durable. He broke all of the others within a year, we have had this Flexi for a couple of years and it is still going strong. We live in a similar environment, semi rural, mixed low density residential and agriculture. We have a lot of trees, once in a while he gets wrapped up in one, but he figured out how to avoid getting stuck pretty quickly. He is a runner and if not on a tether of some sort will bolt and disappear for a couple of hours, which isn't OK in this area. |
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When walking a dog, a retractable leash just breeds bad behavior. Dogs should walk on the left side, even stride with you (or slightly behind). Yep, lots of advise here to use 'crutches' instead of addressing the underlying real problem of being a bad and/or lazy dog owner. 'Pullers'  All of them can be 'rehabilitated' in a few shorts walks with a stout leather lease and cood collar.
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I use one with my 35lb Beagle... on a harness. But I don't know about using one with a dog heavier than 40lbs or so. Edit - Guess it all depends on how well behaved your dog is. My beagle is ruled by his nose - and sometimes freaks out. That's why I have the harness with a handle (across his shoulders) on him - so I can drop the leash and lift his ass off the ground - can't pull when his front feet are dangling. I could not walk my Beagle any other way and he is only 25 pounds. He follows his nose and if I would have to walk everywhere he walks following his nose back and forth across the street our 1-2 mile walks twice a day would turn into about 5 miles each. I get him on the retractable and let him go wherver he wants, we live in a fairly busy neighborhood but I have him under control and he knows what a sharp tug on the leash means. I also use a harness on him because he has slipped out of a collar on more than one occasion. I would make sure to get a size up from what you need as they don't seem to be 100% true to the weight they are rated. My beagle is as I said 25 pounds and I have the 40 pound leash and it works well, I beileve the next one up goes up to 110 pounds so you should be good if your dog is 75. |
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As a Professional Dog Trainer..
please don't get one. teach your dog to heal and come on command. start here retractable leashes are worthless. any dog over 45lbs can overpower one. |
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I'd spend the money on a tri tronics E collar and a traditional leash. hands down this. i had my gsd trained literally within 45min the first time i used it. she now goes with me everywhere and won't get more than 20' away from me even if wrestling with another dog. |
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using one on a small dog is fine. using one on a dog that can put some muscle behind it is bad news. Seen a boxer or three destroy those fucking things and people lose control of their animal.
Dog takes the fuck off and little soccer mom thinks she can stop a 60 pound dog at full speed by pressing a button.. NOPE! Use a real leash or get a long ass lead if you want to train him on a lead. |
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Thats the one I was looking at, the large version. Would it be ok to use this leash with just a collar? Quoted:
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I use one for my dog sometimes and it's OK,but your dog is bigger and you will have to upgrade to the 110 lb one. Thats the one I was looking at, the large version. Would it be ok to use this leash with just a collar? Yes. Just use your arm as a shock absorber so you don't break your arm or your dogs neck. |
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Yes. Just use your arm as a shock absorber so you don't break your arm or your dogs neck. Quoted:
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I use one for my dog sometimes and it's OK,but your dog is bigger and you will have to upgrade to the 110 lb one. Thats the one I was looking at, the large version. Would it be ok to use this leash with just a collar? Yes. Just use your arm as a shock absorber so you don't break your arm or your dogs neck. Or use a harness so instead of grabbing the dog by his neck you grab him around the shoulders. |
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I'd spend the money on a tri tronics E collar and a traditional leash. Word. We used a 3 channel Tri-Tronics with two Airedales. Now are using it on one GSD. Warning -- you have to know how to train with an e-collar or you will hurt your dog with bad training. We have an 11 month old GSD that is just incredible. He sticks around really well. But I've heard "things" about huskies and their running. Your dog is gorgeous but I can tell from the pic that it is looking for a chance to run. 
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The one you posted is only rated for a 45lb dog.
Yes, I use them but I also have a fixed leash. The retractable ones work fine if your dog doesn't take off at intercept warp speed... They make them usually in cable or tape form - I prefer the cable. But your dog should be short leash trained if you are walking him/her around other dogs. |
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Left side is the heeling side. Quoted:
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When walking a dog, a retractable leash just breeds bad behavior. Dogs should walk on the left side, even stride with you (or slightly behind). Why not the right side?  Left side is the heeling side. Any particular reason why? Seems silly to me. |
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My wife loves them.
I despise them. Give me a standard flat leather leash. I will be calling Sportdog this week for a warranty replacement on my dog's e-collar. With a collar properly conditioned as a positive reinforcement, it is like remote control for your dog. |
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Quoted: +1. Not directed at the OP, but people who use these fucking retractable leashes in more populated areas (especially inside stores or along the side of a busy street) need to be run over (the owners, not the dog). Quoted: Quoted: When walking a dog, a retractable leash just breeds bad behavior. Dogs should walk on the left side, even stride with you (or slightly behind). +1. Not directed at the OP, but people who use these fucking retractable leashes in more populated areas (especially inside stores or along the side of a busy street) need to be run over (the owners, not the dog). My previous Rott and my current Rottie / GSD mix is on a 6' leash and walks at my pace. I NEVER take my dog for a walk (in his mind). I go for a walk 2x a day and he is merely allowed to go with me. Its not his walk. When no one else is around he doesn't even need a leash. He will walk beside me and sit when I stop. |
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+2 Every single person I know and see who has a dog on one of those, has a highly disrespectful dog the wont listen for shit. My previous Rott and my current Rottie / GSD mix is on a 6' leash and walks at my pace. I NEVER take my dog for a walk. I go for a walk 2x a day and he is merely allowed to go with me. Its not his walk. When no one else is around he doesn't even need a leash. He will walk beside me and sit when I stop. If I tell him to go ahead, he can freely roam within 20 feet max. Quoted:
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When walking a dog, a retractable leash just breeds bad behavior. Dogs should walk on the left side, even stride with you (or slightly behind). +1. Not directed at the OP, but people who use these fucking retractable leashes in more populated areas (especially inside stores or along the side of a busy street) need to be run over (the owners, not the dog). My previous Rott and my current Rottie / GSD mix is on a 6' leash and walks at my pace. I NEVER take my dog for a walk. I go for a walk 2x a day and he is merely allowed to go with me. Its not his walk. When no one else is around he doesn't even need a leash. He will walk beside me and sit when I stop. If I tell him to go ahead, he can freely roam within 20 feet max. I'll allow loose leash meandering within a few feet with a "let's go," but can't understand why people want a device that doesn't allow immediate control by grabbing a handful of leash. |
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Quoted: I'll allow loose leash meandering within a few feet with a "let's go," but can't understand why people want a device that doesn't allow immediate control by grabbing a handful of leash. |
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First of all, just train your dog. It ain't rocket science.
Second, let me say that I use a retractable leash. My dog is off-leash trained, but there's a leash law and I find this is the best of both worlds. That said, retractable leashes are bad news with a strong, untrained dog. If your dog is prone to bolting or even just pulling, then see my first sentence. These fucking leashes will burn the shit out of you in a flash. They'll cut you, they'll even cut your damn finger off, and if you're real unlucky, they'll slice open your throat like hot butter (it's happened more than once). The leash material itself is strong as hell, but the mechanisms inside are prone to breaking, especially if a strong dog is running full-speed when it hits the end of the line. Then you're chasing your dog around with nothing to grab onto except...that damn line which is about to tear you hands a new asshole in 3-2-1... So again, I like the freedom the retractable give both me and my dog over a 6-ft leash. But I spent a lot of time in the yard working him on a 20-ft cotton lead line before he graduated to the retractable. |
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I have 3 GSDs (110lb, 97lb-and growing-, and 76lb) and they all rock the retractable leash, depending when and where we walk. They have never broken, damaged, whatever their leash and I've had to pull them short a couple times. If your dog is going to pull, they're going to pull on any leash - retractable or not. Training is key, as is constantly working with them.
For your dog, if you're going to go this route, get the 110lb leash. Just keep in mind that you need to work and train him. |