Advantages and Disadvantages of Extendable Dog Leashes

You should keep in mind that these types of leashes present serious risks when used on the street. It's true that they allow for the dog to feel more free, but that's possible with a regular leash and proper training.

There are many types of leashes on the market that adapt to the needs and anatomy of your pet. In fact, the increasing popularity of extendable dog leashes may make you think that this is the best option for your dog. However, there are also a number of risks that might make you change your mind.

The freedom of extendable dog leashes

Convention leashes may seem uncomfortable and not very ergonomic for neither the owner nor the animal. On the other hand, the design of extendable dog leashes is better adjusted to the owner’s hand. They also have a button to control the length.

If you’ve properly trained your dog so that it doesn’t go crazy when it sees external stimulus, this leash is usually useful for your dog, as it can have a sense of control and freedom. Also, they can move more comfortably.

Extendable leashes can be up to 25 feet long. They allow dogs to sniff around and explore their environment more freely. For a large dog, however, these leashes are usually not a very good option. The internal mechanism can be easily broken by sudden pulls.

Risks you didn’t know about

The sense of control and false freedom can actually have serious consequences that can endanger the physical well-being of your dog. Next, we’ll take a look at the most common problems that this type of leash can cause:

• If your dog lacks basic self-control, you can’t use this type of leash. The 25 feet in length means that an owner will have little control over an unpredictable animal. Before you know it, your dog may cause fights with other dogs and annoy their owners.
• The strap on this type of leash can cause different problems. One of the most common is that it can wrap around the owner’s or someone else’s legs. This can make them lose their balance and fall. Also, even if it just catches your hand or comes into contact with another animal’s body, it can cause friction burns that can be quite painful.
• You shouldn’t use this type of leash if your dog still hasn’t learned to come when called. It’s easy to think that pulling your pet’s leash is the best solution to make them listen. However, this gives your dog a false sense of authority. They will constantly pull, which can actually harm the dog. Neither does it teach them to respect their owners.
• It’s difficult to distinguish where the strap is from afar. This can be dangerous for cyclists or people who might trip over it. Tripping over the leash can be especially dangerous when walking where there are usually more cyclists.
• Extendable dog leashes depend on a plastic mechanism. However, this isn’t usually very durable. The value for money isn’t very good compared to more conventional leashes.

Despite the fact that extendable leashes might seem uncomfortable or have issues, the truth is that the main problem is that owners don’t tend to properly train their animals. You’ll end up spending more time fighting with your dog and trying to make them stay close to you.