Retractable Leashes? SHARE YOUR REVIEWS PLEASE!
 

Ok...I also posted this in the Yorkie Products & Reviews section, but then figured that I would probably get more responses here - so here goes :p

I just bought the babies their Retractable Leashes and was wondering if I got good ones as I know nothing about these things (I haven't used them as of yet).

I bought them the Flexi (brand) Standard. I was going to get the Tiny one (or whatever the smallest size is called - I can't remember) but instead I got the size Small which says it is for dogs up to 26 lbs....and the only reason I got this size is because the handle part that you hold on to had a bigger opening on this size...and I thought that it would be more comfortable for my hubby and I (he has BIG hands!!) and we will be able to fit all 4 fingers through the handle on this one comfortably...whereas the Tiny size or whatever it was called, I figured that I would probably only be able to get 3 fingers in (which didn't seem comfy or secure to me IMO) and my hubby I doubt would even be able to use it because his hands are so big lol. And of course...I needed 2 of them, one for each baby - so I had to make sure that these would work for when my hubby uses them as well.

Anyway, these expand out to 16 FT in length and of course have the stop-and-lock feature on them as well :dogwalk:

So...I was wondering, have any of you used this brand (Flexi) Standard....in this size for your babies?? And if so, are they any good? Just kind of wanting some reviews on these if possible. Thanks guys! ;)

I've been thinking of getting some also, now that I have two Yorkies to walk.
Looking frward to comments from owners who use them as well.
Do they still wrap around each other and you while walking?

I use one on Bailey when we go for walks.. he leads and it helps cause on a regular leash he pulls so much to be " lead dog" :rolleyes: and I hated that. The one I have does not pull at all on his neck.
Alot of people don't like it cause they can get out to far, but you can lock it so they don't or.. pay attention at streets and crossings or if other dogs are coming.

One problem I've experienced.. twice.. I dropped the handle thing and it bounced on the street and scared him and he kept running to get away from it..:eek: I thought it was never gonna end but I caught him. SO keep a good grip on it or put a velcro strap to it and your wrist..that is what I did.

Thanks for sharing that.
I'd hate to scare them by dropping it.

We have 2 different ones. The bigger one (for the Border Collie) has "Standard 2" written on it. The smaller one has "Classic 1" written on it. I much prefer the "classic 1" for my Yorkies because it is plenty big for them and it is comfortable for my hand. I do not have a problem fitting 4 fingers into it. It also feels lighter, which I preferred. Betty (Miss 9 1/2 lb Teapot :rolleyes: ) runs and pulls when it reaches it's full 16 ft. Sometimes it's a jolt, but it handles her fine. Little Juju is like a feather on the end of it :p If you are both more comfy with the larger one, then I'd get that one. But if you feel comfy with the smaller handle, I'd get one of each. The smaller one feels a lot lighter but is ample for your babies!

We have two of those retractable leashes as well and have used them with all of our dogs. We also purchased the small instead of the tiny size for comfort. I attach it to their harness, and we're good to go!
I like the fact that I can choose how far they can walk ahead of me or beside me. For example, if they're on the grass where there are obviously no cars, I let it out to as long as it will go and we run together. The only thing you have to get used to (if you have only been using regular leashes) is the little button. I usually hold down the little button at the length that I want(I don't usually use the lock feature), and release the button as I see fit to let them go a little further.

Thank you so much girl :) The ones I got actually say "Standard 1" on them - so I think it will be good :thumbup: The smaller one down from this was VERY SMALL....it could literally fit in your pocket :eek: And the handle part on it that you hold on to and put your fingers in was very very small - which is the ONLY reason I didn't choose it. If the handle part was bigger for your hands/fingers - I would have went with that one (I think it only expanded to 10 FT, but that would have been ok for my babies). I just knew that my hubby wouldn't be able to walk them with that thing because the handle on it was sooo small.

Ive got the very same one for Chachi. I want to get another one for Jewels. I love it for Chachi because he used to pull on a regular leash. I give him a little more leash with the retactable. Ive had mine for close to 3 yrs and have never had any troubles with it and I use it alot like every day once or twice a day for walks

OH NO! :eek: Thank you for mentioning this...very good info :thumbup: I will make sure that I hold on to them for dear life LOL.

Oh good - I'm glad to see that I am not the only one who bought this size for the comfort factor :) I did like the smaller one, and it would have been good for my babies because they are so small (especially Tatum) BUT - I just wouldn't of felt safe not being able to hold on to the handle with a full grip - and my hubby as well...I don't even think he would have been able to use the small one - handle was just way too tiny.

I did practice with it out in the backyard (I want to get used to it before I take them for walks with it on the sidewalk, near the streets) and I just LOVED it! I am so glad that I bought them. I will probably do the same as you and not use the lock feature on it a whole lot, but rather just press the button myself :thumbup:

Well, I wanted a Lime Green one for Steddy (I saw one on eBay but had never heard of the brand :rolleyes: and I like to really LOOK them over before I buy them as I want to make sure they are super safe for my babies) - but of course I couldn't find a Lime Green one here...so Steddy has a blue, and Tate has pink of course lol :p So glad I went when I did - I bought the LAST pink one!

I don't have any, just the regular leash that hooks onto the halter, but I think I'll look into it.

That's what I have been using for all of my babies...all of my life - but I see SO many owners that use these retractable dog leashes, I mean...just about every dog owner I see has their babies on one of these things (at least here they do) - and so I thought....well, I MUST be missing SOMETHING good lol.

Then yesterday when we were out of town and in Petsmart, I was talking to a lady who had her little Yorkie there with her (a total cutie pie by the way!! :D) and he too was on a retractable dog leash...so I was talking to her about them and she said that she just loved them. So today I decided that I had better go look at them and ended up buying one :p

So glad I did! For the short time that I used it in the backyard just a little while ago, I just loved it!

I love the ease of the retractable leash, but I have found one problem.

I don't think mine is the Flexi brand. I adopted my dogs and the leashes came with them, so I'm not sure where they were bought.

And I'm still at work:( so I can't check the brand name. But anyway the ones I have are just a thin cord and one time I had gone to pick my daughter up from a big state park where she was with a bunch of kids from youth group.

So, of course I took the dogs out to walk around the park & then some boys were chasing each other & they couldn't/didn't see the thin cord hooked to Bubba. One boy tripped on it - he was fine - but Bubba went flying through the air.

Somehow, thank God, my little angel was unhurt. He was a little heavier (okay maybe 6 -7pounds, instead of the almost 4.5 he is now) then - all I could think "what if it had been little 3 1/2 pound Roxie that went thru the air & down again?"

So now I'm really careful if there are very many people around. I don't want anyone to miss seeing that thin cord again!!

:aimeeyork :) yorkiesmiles

I used to have one for Cody. I had him outside with it on and my husband called to him, Cody ran to him and pulled the handle out of my hand, WELL,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, poor Cody ran as fast as his little legs could take him, yelling and growling at this "thing" that was chasing him and attacking his butt, I couldn't catch him 'cause he was running like crazy. He ran up on the front porch where that "thing" was banging on the porch and bouncing everywhere! I felt so bad for him but I couldn't help crying (and almost wetting myself). So needless to say, we don't use the retractable leash anymore, Cody runs and hides when he sees the "thing".

Please be careful. I used to use the Flexi leashes and having two monkeys can sometimes be crazy outside. Needless to say Simon had somehow wrapped the leash around my ankle and took off at a squirrel or chipmunk. The leash cut my ankle open and I ended up with stitiches. I still have the scar and am very careful with leashes!

I have 2 of the Flexi - Comfort 1 size and love them.

When I'm getting the puppies ready for their walk I hook them up and set the lock. I let them drag it around in the x-pen I have set up by my front door while I grab my keys and stuff. It freaked them out the first time or two (they kept trying to get away from it) but now they're used to it and I don't worry that they will freak outside should I happen to drop it:)

They have also learned to listen for the click of the lock unlocking because they know that means we're coming to a grassy area where they will be allowed to run. Believe me, we have gotten tangled many times but I've gotten the hang of it by pretending I'm flying one of those tandem kites - LOL!

OUCH! Poor baby!!! :( So glad that the little guy wasn't hurt! Thank you so much for pointing this out and it is something that I will most definitely watch and pay close attention to!

Thank you! :thumbup:

LOL I just read your reply to the other thread girl...poor little Cody!! I can definitely see why he would be terrified of "the thing" now lol :p

OMG!!! :eek: Girl, that is awful!! Stitches??? Geez, you poor thing!! I was reading the warning label on them earlier while I was taking them out of the packages - and it did mention that you should be very careful with the cords - not to get them wrapped around you (fingers, etc.) as it can, in extreme cases, even cause amputation :eek: Geez, maybe I should "gear up" when using these things and wear pants and gloves LOL :eek:

Seriously though - thank you so much for mentioning this. I don't think the cord cutting my ankle open would have even crossed my mind. I am definitely going to wear pants when using these leashes as with my luck the same thing would probably happen to me! :eek:

Thanks for your review girl! ;) I think they are going to take a little getting used to for me since I have always used a regular leash for my babies, but I'm sure I will get the hang of it :thumbup: I just really have to be careful and watch for things like Kimberly mentioned above (about the leash getting wrapped around you and causing bodily harm!) - and about letting them get too far on the leash...especially around streets. I seriously am thinking that I maybe should just save these leashes for places like the park, beach, etc. - and I could also use them for taking my babies into stores (which is not very often because there aren't that many that allow pets around here).

Also I wanted to add - that is so neat that your babies got used to the "click" of the lock/unlock feature...maybe I can train mine to do the same! lol :p

I have one, the very small one...yes, you can only get about 3 fingers through it, but that's not a problem at all. And your thumb rests on the lock, so you can lock and unlock the length intermittenly as you need, like if you are walking past someone, or need to have her close for some reason. If she is like Lillybelle and likes to run when you are walking, this gives lots of slack for running, stopping and sniffing, then running again, but you can continue to walk at the same pace........I LOVE LOVE LOVE it...dont know the brand...bought the one they sell at Walmart, it's black and the smallest less than 10.00. Ive had it about a year. Same as Hokule'a...if she hears the click of the lock she pauses....I havent walked two doggies with it though.
LOVE IT!!! Dont ever want to use the other ones again.

I do love the fact that it gives them lots of slack for running and sniffing - because oh my goodness....Stedman goes SO nuts with the sniffing :rolleyes: Gotta get these babies trained to the clicking noise as well...that is just too cool ;)

Thanks for your review girl :)

Oh I had to laugh, cause I have been there. I dropped it once in an alley and he took off and ran under a parked car and the cord got all wrapped around the tire.. IN THE DARK I was trying to calm him and get it undone just waiting for the car alarm to go off,, that would have been all he and I needed:eek: Thankfully that didn't happen.

Like I said above I got a velcro strap for my wrist to hook it on me so it NEVER happens again. :rolleyes:

I bought one for my Cody. We got the Flexi Standard Small. Its comfortable to hold. and i like it because i can stop and lock it only so far. but when it is unlocked i do have to watch out when he gets zoomies he wraps around me (which im always wearing pants) so it doesnt hurt me but it does others who dont have pants on.... or he wraps around a small tree. but he has only done that 2 times.... i keep a good eye on him.

but i think its a great product!!
hope this is of some help to you

I have the Flexi tiny one - just got it !! I am leash training - want to teach him to walk next to me, and with this I can keep the length small......
I like the weight , but he does get tangled with my other dog - but I figure this would happen even with a regular leash.......

Just checked and mine are Flexi - with a very thin cord.

That happened to us to.

I had posted in the other section and figured I'd post here also....

I got the small one (I think it's called the Mini) for my lil one....and have to agree with the others here .....it is very small for an adult hand and you can loose grip of it quite easily...which happened to me once, then another time (and I still don't know how) but the latch came undone from her collar and luckily she was preoccupied sniffing the grass and I was able to snatch her up before she knew it was undone...otherwise she would have taken off like a bolt of lightening. I have since then purchased a silk harness/leash from Chattiesmom here on YT and I love it....no more worrying about my baby getting loose and taking off....

Sorry, don't use those things. The only time Tatum is on a leash is when I need total control of her (like at the ballpark). There have been a couple times when I had to actually pull her up out of harm's way in a quick emergency by pulling the leash up (attached to a harness, of course). A retractable leash is not going to allow you to do that if you're not prepared. Of course, our situation is different in that we hardly ever leash her since we're out in the country and she has free run everywhere. Only need the leash in public which is not real often for us. Good luck in your search!