Earlier this evening, Brian and i were walking our dogs on the sidewalk of a usually busy, four lane road (George Mason Drive for those NOVAns). About a half block ahead, a woman walks out with two medium to large dogs taking up the sidewalk, so we quickly move into the curb, about a car width away, and start talking to our dogs to keep their attention. There weren't any cars coming behind us, and if it wasn't a four lane road, we would have just crossed.
Of course, when within lunge distance, this woman's dogs who were both on unlocked retractable leashes, go nuts... And because the leashes are unlocked, allowing the cord to extend seemingly endlessly, the woman can not control her dog from dashing out into the street to jump on Bruschi. And because the handles are so thick, she drops one, which enables the other dog to lunge over to Kodi and near pounce on her, had Brian not done some quick thinking and pulled her mid-air then scoop her up (she wears a harness, so no stress on her neck).
And, because I was crazy annoyed at both my dogs getting pummeled on a walk, I yell "You need to lock your leashes with your dogs, or they are going to hurt someone, or get hurt," And she yells back "I can't seem to control them, they keep pulling from me." You don't say?!
The very concept of using a leash is that it keeps your dog with you.... not away from you. A retractable leash allows a dog to take liberties on a walk that some just should not have. Like, in this case, these dogs clearly were not calm when others were passing by, and the woman could not reel them in. A regular leash, she could have just pulled up on, stepped on, or simply not dropped.
I'm sure this woman really loves her dogs-- but fails to realize that her dogs could run into traffic, getting hit by a car if not careful. Or, bitten by another dog it charged.
I have plenty of friends who use retractable leashes responsibly, with dogs who don't run in to traffic, and with dogs who do not lunge at people or other dogs.
I know they are popular, but these leashes generally do not make life easier, if anything, they require an owner to think about one more thing on walks. What if your finger hits the little button, releasing the lock and the cord, and the dog has free reign in to trouble? What if YOUR dog passes another whose owner can't control the leash or the dog?
I don't know about you, but between, keeping my dogs' attention away from squirrels, watching for signs of poop, and stopping every other tree to pee, I've got enough to think about.
That's a 'wuff' for now!
-Colleen
Of course, when within lunge distance, this woman's dogs who were both on unlocked retractable leashes, go nuts... And because the leashes are unlocked, allowing the cord to extend seemingly endlessly, the woman can not control her dog from dashing out into the street to jump on Bruschi. And because the handles are so thick, she drops one, which enables the other dog to lunge over to Kodi and near pounce on her, had Brian not done some quick thinking and pulled her mid-air then scoop her up (she wears a harness, so no stress on her neck).
And, because I was crazy annoyed at both my dogs getting pummeled on a walk, I yell "You need to lock your leashes with your dogs, or they are going to hurt someone, or get hurt," And she yells back "I can't seem to control them, they keep pulling from me." You don't say?!
The very concept of using a leash is that it keeps your dog with you.... not away from you. A retractable leash allows a dog to take liberties on a walk that some just should not have. Like, in this case, these dogs clearly were not calm when others were passing by, and the woman could not reel them in. A regular leash, she could have just pulled up on, stepped on, or simply not dropped.
I'm sure this woman really loves her dogs-- but fails to realize that her dogs could run into traffic, getting hit by a car if not careful. Or, bitten by another dog it charged.
I have plenty of friends who use retractable leashes responsibly, with dogs who don't run in to traffic, and with dogs who do not lunge at people or other dogs.
I know they are popular, but these leashes generally do not make life easier, if anything, they require an owner to think about one more thing on walks. What if your finger hits the little button, releasing the lock and the cord, and the dog has free reign in to trouble? What if YOUR dog passes another whose owner can't control the leash or the dog?
I don't know about you, but between, keeping my dogs' attention away from squirrels, watching for signs of poop, and stopping every other tree to pee, I've got enough to think about.
That's a 'wuff' for now!
-Colleen
1 comment:
I never thought of leashes like this. You are so right! I can understand if you were walking in the country where traffic and other animals are at a great distance but in a congested area, allowing the dog free movement is not appropriate.
On top of that, the woman actually admitted she could not control the dogs? That is amazing! If she cannot control them she needs to take stronger measures. Some people just do not use their brains.
Thanks for the post. I recommend you write this up and get it published in newspapers and such. It is a topic that is not addressed enough.
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