Walking your dog is a really great way to provide him with physical exercise, social interactions and a nice way to strengthen your bond with your dog. Walking is indeed important for the overall health of your dog. So choosing the right type of leash for your dog is also crucial for your dog’s needs.
Retractable leashes may sound convenient at first, but there have been many reports of these leashes being harmful to dogs. These retractable leashes can hurt your dog and even the pet owners using it. Complicated controls make it hard to use the leash and can lead to some accidents.
Here are some reasons why you should get rid of those unreliable retractable dog leashes.
1. Handles are too large and hard to grasp
Regular dog leashes are designed to have a very basic ring that is used mainly for kids and elders that are having trouble grasping the handles of the leash. But because of the design and function of the retractable leashes, they have overly large handles that would make it rather difficult to hold and get a grip on.
If your dog would suddenly run to chase something they saw, you would not have a chance to have a grip at the handle. This will cause you to have higher chances of letting go of the leash and setting your dog free to run away. Your dog might get lost or worse they might be at risk of getting into an accident.
2. Retractable leashes are fragile and may hurt pet owners
There have been various reports of pet owners getting hurt from retractable leashes when they break apart. Retractable leashes have much thinner ropes compared to regular leashes, and this might cause different injuries to the pet owner that is unfortunate enough to have their hand wrap around the leash.
Retractable leashes are also really easy to break. A sudden pull from an excited dog that’s strong enough can break this leash and cause the debris from the plastic parts can hurt not just you but also your beloved dog. The flying debris can even reach your eye that can lead to some serious eye damage.
3. Retractable leashes offer you less control to your walking dog
Retractable leashes can be very long; this causes your dog to be farther away from you than you want them to be. And so they will have higher risks of getting into unwanted accidents.
With this added freedom during walks, you may not be able to watch your dog. They may be on the risk of eating some hazardous food on the street, being dangerously close to the road, or even get into a fight with other dogs.
Retractable leashes aren’t all that bad. But sometimes you should do some research and weigh in the risks and rewards of a particular item that you are going to buy. With this, you will reduce the risk of having accidents because of that particular item you bought.
