Margaret Davis posted on January 31, 2009 15:01
Retractable leashes need to come with a warning: ‘Avoid use on un-trained dogs’!
Every activity you do with your dog is a dog training exercise. Think about what using a retractable leash trains your dog to do. The use of this leash encourages your dog to move away from you!
You take your dog outside and allow him to run to the end of the leash. You ‘click’ and then ‘lock’ the leash. You stand in one spot and encourage him to run in circles around you. He is allowed to interactive with his environment while ignoring you.
This is repeated many times so your dog learns to run as far and as fast from you as he can outdoors. Then he slips out of the house when a guest comes in – what do you suppose he is going to do? You guessed it: run as far and as fast as he can from you ONLY this time he can’t be stopped by clicking the leash!
Follow this rule when using retractable leashes – never ‘click’ or ‘lock’ the leash. Use voice control and interact with your dog outdoors. Impossible? Switch to a flat twenty-foot long line. Control your dog by stepping on the line as he moves away from you. Call him back to you and reward him for coming.
Your dog is not capable of measuring the long line – but you are. Make sure the line is long enough that you can get to the end of it before he gets to the street. Now you are training!
The retractable leash is a wonderful invention! Consider putting this device away until you have reliable verbal control with your dog!