Sentence of the year!

 Quote: Sonya Gilmore

Somehow the bullmastiff didn't take to being peed on by a dog the size of a loaf of bread.

Sorry, but that cracked me up. You have a way with descriptions

Re: Flexi-leads.

I wonder how many dogs die on those things. It may seem like a dramatic statement, but I have seen a dog dart out into the street on one when the owner wasn't paying attention. Plus, no matter the quality of the flexi, they always seem a little flimsy.

Recently we have taken a step back in training, so I have started using one for situations that she could basically be off leash and a long line would be a pain in the butt. Like hiking or at the beach. The one that I have is the super heavy one made for giant breeds, but I still always have a regular leash with me just in case.

I can't wait until the day I can throw it in the trash!

Flexi leads I see here often on dogs big and small. I think the major reason I see people use them is dogs pulling on the leash. Of course a dog who pulls on a leash doesn't NEED a flexi lead but the majority of americans don't know how to teach a dog to stop pulling once the problem begins. They just know that everytime they walk their dog it's an upper body workout or my personal favorite the gurgling gasping dog on a drag around the neighborhood..

I dealt with a lady today about the exact same thing. She has a "Flexied" miniature schnauzer (sp?), that is very friendly, but jumps up on everyone/dog. There has never been a problem in the shop, but I've worried a few times. Well, she just acquired a 10 month old Maltese, and insisted on a Flexi for that one, too. She's foreign, and her English is poor, and left with a potentially 25 foot lead against my suggestions. For a hyper five pound puppy! Before she could reel them into her car, there were four little front paws on a 5-6 year old kid walking in. The little boy was thrilled, but I could see the tension in his parents.

I disliked several products (for the average person) upon opening my shop... Long rawhide, bark collars, hot rocks for reptiles, etc. Once I decided to carry some, I keep them behind the counter for a pre-buy discussion, and Flexi's are there now! I see SO little upside to that product. People see others dogs walking with them, and want that "freedom" for their dog, too. My observation is that folks who are committed enough for daily walks at least have good intentions and care about their dogs. I'm happy to hear ANY advice for a succinct way to explain against Flexis... that wouldn't offend the average wealthy, educated, older (often "snooty") clientele who have that exact product in mind.

 Quote: chip bridges

I'm happy to hear ANY advice for a succinct way to explain against Flexis... that wouldn't offend the average wealthy, educated, older (often "snooty") clientele who have that exact product in mind.

Well, I don't know if your customers would find this offensive or not, but Flexis train a dog to pull. Perhaps you could also stock longer leads, like the 12' to 20' ones, as an option.

My guess is you're simply dealing with people who aren't interested in actually training their dogs. I sure don't blame you for trying, but I wouldn't hold my breath, either .

leih

1) a Flexi could trip you
2) the fine cord can get tangled in your ring
3) the fine cord can cut your finger
4)they don't last long-the button quits working
5)they are made in China
6)they are not classy compared to latigo leather, english bridle leather

I hate these leashes. Well, I guess the majority of my angst is towards the operators. Depending on your discussion with the customer, perhaps some of this may help too, in addition to the excellent suggestions already.

They’re not intended to be used it for dogs that are out of control, strong pulls can cause the brake mechanism to fail.

The cord must be extended, cleaned and dried after beach usage to remove dirt and debris. Salt water may harm the mechanical parts.

There is a safety loop you can use but if you don’t use it all the time and the attachment breaks (and they do – no equipment is fool proof) the leash will snap back into your face.

Your dog can wrap himself around people, trees, signs, etc. It is difficult to reel in a dog when you’ve got the leash running 26 ft out.

If you have your hands on the cord or it gets wrapped around your legs when it is moving through the winding mechanism, you can get cuts or rope burn. And until you've had the experience of having a rapidly retracting nylon cord slice across a bare lower leg, you might not believe just how much that hurts. Keep the safety of your walking partner in mind too.

Most city parks won’t allow you to walk a dog with a leash over six feet. As well, retractable leashes aren't suitable in most situations where your dog needs to be on a leash, such as in crowded areas, city streets, and the vet's office.

If the dog gets into a fight with another dog, it will be difficult to separate them at that distance.

You also stand a chance of tripping bicyclists that can’t see the thin line between you and the dog, and this can cause injury to any one of the three of you.

There’s a serious downside is dropping it. The handle will retract to approximately 24 inches, meaning you’ll have to get within two feet of the dog to get the leash back. I don’t know about you, but my dog can outrun me if he finds something interesting to chase (might work with the older folks). With a leash that doesn’t retract, you can have a much better chance of getting within 6 ft of him and regaining control.

Sometimes you have to jiggle with the release button to get the locking mechanism to release, like trying to unlock a locked steering wheel in a car. This leads to a point again where there is danger in a lack of control of the dog - you now have a longer line to deal with that won’t retract and the dog can get tangled up in it.

They are very bulky. It probably weighs a pound or two, so after long use it does get rather heavy. It won’t easily fit into a jacket pocket when you’re not using it.

And in the end of your discussion, if they still want it, you might say - I think the downsides seriously outweigh the benefits. A retractable leash is not a basic tool. It's an advanced tool. So before you ever hook one onto your dog's collar, train your dog to walk on a regular leash.However, if you have a “well trained dog” and are in areas where you are LEGALLY allowed to use it, I would recommend model blah, blah, blah and then soak them for all you can.

As well, I want to thank you for being a responsible store owner and discouraging them.

Great stories here...just read the whole thread.

I wasn't aware of my reactions until reading through this, but I now see that when walking with Cali, I am relaxed as can be if a larger size dog is coming the other way--pitty, rotty, golden. It doesn't matter.

OTOH, if it's two Yorkies, or any other tiny dog, I move her away. I'll cross the street, take a corner, move her to the side and do focus work as they pass. If we continue our walk past them, invariably they will start a scene--barking and charge her straining on their leashes. Happens I would say 98% of the time. I'm just sick of it. Who needs it?

My friend has done a great job with her Pom. He is trained, obeys, walks off-leash minding his biz like a champ. She also work agility with him, so he has a nice confidence. Very, very cool dog.

Chip,
That is wonderful you are a responsible pet shop owner and do your best to educate the customers!!

I see so much that just breaks my heart at petnstores, like the little aquatic frogs kept in barely a pint of water with instructions that you never have to change the water, and other stuff that is at best worthless and at worst very harmful.

Tell your customers that Cesar Millan thinks they increase dominance and then sell them a copy of Cesars Way!

(as much as I make fun of Cesar I would actually consider this book a must read for new or struggling dog owners. The only thing I didn't like about it was the section on alpha rolls.)

Another point against the flexis: They are expensive, need to be replaced often and It is only a matter of when, not if, they will fail you.

Dogs are strong! If you have a dog over 40 pounds on a flexi they will either pull away or break it at some point.

Just the other night I was walking my dog when a cat darted in front of us. Two hands, a 3/4 inch leather lead, a prong collar and my heels dug in and I still almost couldn't hang on! It only took a second or two to get her focus back, but in that second if she had been on one of those there would have been a dead cat.

Its not just small dogs people use flexis for anymore, I see several boxers and a husky around my neighborhood who's owners use them.

Another downside when it comes to the nylon cord type: a dog can turn and chew through it in a nanosecond. My neighbors yorkie did chewed through one just a few weeks ago!

Chip,
Also want to say GOOD FOR YOU for discouraging Flexi's. IMHO they are only for well-trained dogs that are able to be controlled verbally off-leash. An advanced tool, like someone else said.

Re: little dogs
The day before yesterday my dog and I were approached by four off-leash little dogs that came at us from out of nowhere in a public park. I can keep one or two dogs away from my dog, not four. Behind this pack came two women pushing strollers who shouted the inevitable "They're friendly!" as they kept walking past, engaged in conversation. I shouted back "He's not!" (he is, but they didn't need to know that) and they stopped, tried unsuccessfully to call their dogs a few times, THEN KEPT WALKING like it was my problem.

I walked to my car and put my dog in with the small dogs jumping on him and barking all the way. This is my formerly reactive dog who really didn't need this onslaught, but tolerated it admirably. I did everything I could to keep them away, but there were four of them, and the two women were completely oblivious. After my dog was safely in the car I told the women that there was a leash ordinance at the park and that what they just did put my dog and theirs at risk. They looked at me like I had three heads and kept going.

I called the police, and they were given a talking to and fined. They said that because their dogs were so small, they didn't think it would hurt anybody to let them run around a little. They didn't put them on leashes because they didn't bring any leashes with them. STUPID!!!!