Retractable leashes (often called by their brand name, Flexi) are very popular with the general public, but most trainers are not fans and ban them from classes. Why? We’ve learned the hard way of all the problems these leashes can cause.

Injuries: Cuts, rope burns, and scarily amputations. Imagine what would happen if your finger was caught up in the cord when your dog took off after a squirrel. There is also potential for the snap to break, releasing your dog and then whipping back into your face as the spring recoils. This has led to eye injuries and broken teeth.

Here is an ABC news report on injuries. And here is a link to a long list of warnings on the Flexi website:

Bolting dogs: If the plastic box is pulled out of the owner’s hand, now the dog is being chased by a scary, noisy object. A trainer friend of mine had a client who dropped her Golden’s retractable–the dog panicked, bolted into traffic, and was killed by a car.

Tangled dogs: If two dogs start to play, they are quite likely to get tangled in the cord, which can lead to fights and injuries.

Broken and dropped retractable leashes: It is darn hard to hold onto that plastic box if even a medium sized dog hits the end of the leash full tilt. Even if you do hold on, the cord is held to the handle inside by plastic components that will break under stress.

Lack of control: If your dog is 16 feet in front of you and a squirrel runs in front of him and into the street, you can’t stop him from running into traffic. There is also no way to easily bring your dog closer if he is trying to pull toward something. 

So, would I ever use a retractable? Sure. I’ve used one when potty training a young puppy when I didn’t have a fenced yard. It’s convenient to be able to sit on the back steps and drink my tea while the puppy wanders around and finds a spot to go. And I will use one on hiking trails with a well trained adult dog who I would otherwise have off leash if the law allowed it (note that most NJ parks require a 6 foot leash).