[Chewie1]

I think there is a time and place for retractable leads. I have one for Chewie but it's only certain locations that I allow him to have this one on. This is mainly for training reasons. He knows that in certain locations he's only allowed to walk at heel so he gets his regular soft 1M lead, such as on the streets, areas with roads etc. And then we only have two locations where he has the retractable and that's at the nearby field where it's unlocked so he can run ahead if he wants, and we then let him off when we get away from the field entrance but he is always popped back on lead and short locked for walking past other dogs and the other is at work. Chewie comes to work with me, and we're currently working in a film studio, no cars or traffic and he's very well behaved and doesn't stray very far but just gives him that bit of independence to say hello to people who invite him over. I never let him run to anyone who doesn't invite him.

To be honest I have a lot of praise for the retractable in our situation as at the field we only ever used that lead and now we have come to the point where his recall is very good and we have started to have the confidence to let him off, he actually now only goes as far as the lead would have let him prior to that. So he's never too far away so has worked wonders with our training.

In saying that, when I have encountered other dogs on retractable I have often had a wire wrapped around my legs and putting me in an awkward situation and potentially a dangerous one so I think they have to be used with training. I don't think it's something you should just chuck on and let your dog run crazy. But also dogs off lead altogether stresses me out as Chewie is extremely nervous of bigger dogs, and has had way to many bound over to him and trample him. Just makes his nerves worse and his confidence isn't having chance to grow.