My 3 1/2 month gsd pup and I were out in the park yesterday when she spotted a bird and jetted off at full pelt. On reaching the end of the lead she yellped in pain at the jolt on her neck. I am now very hesitant to carry on using the lead in case it damages her neck. She realy enjoys her free time in the park but as yet I am not confident enough to let her off the lead as her recall is still not perfected (she does not hear my voice when exited). What does everyone think of these extending leads.

When my daughter was helping out at an animal sanctuary the dog she was walking on a flexi ran at full pelt towards something, it's collar snapped and it flew back and hit my daughter in the face, narrowly missing her eye.

The longer you keep your pup on lead the less likely she is to be reliable off lead.  Why don't you find somewhere enclosed or safe, well away from roads, take a favourite toy, only give her half her breakfast before you go and take the rest with you and/or something really delicious like liver, cheese, garlic sausage, attach a long trailing line to give you confidence and then go for it.  Try not to follow her but walk briskly in the other direction and if she is a typical shepherd she will not let you get very far before turning round and catching you up.  Keep her behind you, keep changing direction, play briefly, give food treats and send her off again and only call her when she is heading towards you and intending to come anyway.
Sally

Our GSD was off the lead on his first walk! They really won't go far - you are the centre of their world at this age :) I let Khanu off in a safe place with quite a few trees to play hide and seek in. Now whenever he sees a clump of trees and me heading towards them he keeps me well in sight, it takes a lot to shake off a GSD believe me :D Just keep calling her back every now and then - if she even goes that far - and reward her with fuss/treats/game. You won't be walking for that long at this age anyway.
Enjoy her littleness, they get so big so fast, can't believe the puppy photos now and Khanu is not even 10mths :D

My husband took her to a disused tennis court at the weekend and let her off the lead and she did not move from his side to be able to call her back. The next day we both took her out to the same spot and then armed with bits of cheese called her to us in turn at quite a distance apart. This was very successful so we moved closer to some children that were playing football at the other end of the courts she went over to say hello and then my husband called her. She did not respond immediateley. As the children were quite happy with her attentions we left her a few moments intending to try calling her again but she ran over to him herself so he gave the command anyway as she was returning. I know I'm probably just a scaredy cat but just afraid of losing my baby. I am 60years old and could not run after her if she got into trouble. She is sooo friendly with everyone that I'm sure she would just walk off with anyone that she met. 

If you are really that scared then a long trailing line would ensure that anyone that she wanted to wander off with could easily pick it up and wait for you to come and get her or bring her back to you.  I really doubt however that she would.  If you want her to be trustworthy then you'll have to trust her. ;)

I really don't like those leads.  I had Molly on one on the beach one time and she dashed off so suddenly that she surprised me and I dropped the lead.  It went flying off and the handle landed a couple of centimeters away from her, making her jump out of her skin.  It could have actually hit her and as she was only a little pup at the time, could have been quite nasty.  I also found the locking mechanism a bit erratic, and felt like I was using a fishing line rather than walking a dog :D:  I wouldn't use one again - I only used it that particular day because there were people wearing suits (yes, really) on the beach and I didn't trust her at that stage not to go and jump all over them, all dripping wet.  But she is now completely reliable, initially we used treats to get her back, but now she has a ball which she is fixated on.

I don't like extending leads; i would rather use a long line if i needed one :)

Lindsay
X

It's been a long time since I've needed to use one - but knowing what I do now, if I had to use one it would ONLY be with a body harness (and not a 'stop pulling' type)  Personnally I've always got on with them, and my old dog seemed to know how far he could go (I used the word command 'steady' as he got to the furthest extent and used the ratchet action to prevent any sudden jarring)

Thanks for all the advice. We have just come back from the park. I let her off her lead and no problems atall. I was impressed and would never have tried it without all your encouragement. Thanks again.

Gaby,

You really do need to teach her to come back when called before you give her a lot of off lead freedom.  Puppies tend to want to stick close to "mom", but they as they get braver they can run into trouble.  Not every dog is friendly or likes the attention of a puppy - you need to stay in control of her so that you make sure the experiences she has early on are as positive as possible.  Not to mention some people resent unwanted attention, or panic, or whatever. 

With respect to a dog's neck the length of a lead does not matter if you've got a grip on the handle and your dog takes off like a rocket.  It's either you arm or the dog's neck that will give in the end - and a mature GSD's neck is a lot stronger than your arm.   So teaching her to stay by your side, to heel, or to stop whenever your dog feels tension on the lead (whatever it's length) whilst on lead should start now.

Stacey

I think you'll find the length of lead does matter - if your dog goes off like a rocket with a normal 'road' lead it's barely got to speed before the human on the end slows it down (OK, it might pull your shouldar out, but little damage to the dog)  IF, however it's on an extending lead, then it's got every chance to get to a full gallop (and relaxed at that) before coming to a sudden and abrupt halt (bit like the difference between a minor bump in a car park and 30mph..........)

Digger,

Ah, I see what you mean.   I was not thinking of the flexi lead being longer than a standard lead.  I use a flexi, but also have 40 foot cloth leads that I used to use for dog training, so was only thinking about the "flex" part of the flexi, not the longer length.

Stacey

Buying a horse lunge line from a Saddlery shop is the answer - I agree with everyone else. I'm always advising against these - and your story and the others just confirm all my warnings about these leads - and that's without mentioning the person i know who used a flexi lead walking by the road and nearly got their dog run over as they couldnt press the button quickly enough when he jumped in front of the traffic.! 
After all, what's the point in having a lead that controls its own momentum and direction!
Good luck with your shopping! 

Flexi's are fantastic, I would not give mine up for anyone.  As with anything, if you don't pay attention to what your dog is doing, you should not have a dog.  Anyone that would have a dog on a long lead (or off lead) walking by a busy road is not paying attention.  Flexi's do have a lock mechanism that keeps the lead at any length required, but you have to be smart enough to use it, of course.

Stacey

Agree with you Stacey flexi leads are brilliant if used with your full attention on your dog and your surroundings. I wouldn't be without mine but use an ordinary lead for walking in town. It makes sense really.
A

I agree with Stacey & Andi, but I wouldn't put a dog on a Flexi until it was properly "ordinary" lead trained.

Personally it either on or off for me!!!  on lead is a short lead wher the dog just has enought leght on the full lead to sniff the groud a fot or so away from me, I also get the leads I can half so can be shorter while walking where its very busy and I want to make sure the dog is close.  once we are in a sucure area the dog goes off the lead.  I have only used a long line in obedience training at a training day and if needed would buy one.  If i had a flexiit wouldn't be used for its purpose, only as another lead!

Rox