Flexi Leads

[Guest Shermanator]

The girls will not pee on leads. We have a fenced in yard with a doggie door, and they don't peek on walks. We want to take day trips with our girls, but they will not pee on their leads.

Echo peed all over bed, and her sister on the way home tonight. After scrubbing the car, the beds, and dreaded baths for the girls, I talked to a friend with greys who suggested a flexi lead. Clip it on when we stop for potty breaks to give her some space. I saw some heavy duty ones, but I'm not sure.

Note... We stopped every hour for pee breaks, and they would not go.

What else can I do to get them to peed on lead?

[Hollis]

I wouldn't flexi. I'd doubler even triple regular leashes together. Or bring an xpen with and set it up for potty breaks.

[kamsmom]

Every hour? I wouldn't stop that often, they don't need to go that much. If you are stopping each time they have no idea what you are wanting from them. Their routine was interrupted. It's not about potty training or even going on lead.

 

I would make sure they went before getting in the car and if it's just a day trip maybe stop at about 4 or 5 hours and then get them out. They may or may not go then but typically if you will have the patience they will. I have been at rest stops close to 30 - 45 minutes to make sure they go before getting back in the car. You have to plan for some extra time when traveling with dogs (or kids).

 

I say no to a flexi lead and especially while traveling. Just get a 6 foot lead and make sure the snap is good on it. Then, start walking so that they can smell around. It takes a while sometimes, but if you will praise, jump around, give cookies, and say "Yay Potty!!" they will eventually get the point and when you say "Lets go potty" they will.

[vjgrey]

How I wish flexi leads had never been invented. I don't think anyone should use them. For anything. Ever.

[OwnedBySummer]

I hate flexi leads. And I'd never ever use one with a grey.

[Hubcitypam]

Work on getting them to potty on a 6 ft. lead in your backyard.

Agree with Beth if you stop every hour they have no idea what to do.

[3greytjoys]

I whole-heartedly agree with other posters to please not use a flexi-lead, especially for Greyhounds. Many Greyhound groups also say no to Flexi-leads.

 

A few reasons:

1. The hard handle can be dropped very easily. Loud noise of handle hitting ground / cement / pavement spooks hound. Hound takes off running becoming more and more freaked because the loud handle is "chasing" after hound. Sadly, it's a recipe for disaster.

 

2. The longer the Flexi-lead, the human loses control of dog more easily. If a sighthound suddenly sees something in the distance and feels more freedom, hound is more likely to bolt towards perceived target / prey.

Likely results: Flexi-lead gets dropped. If not, hound builds speed in 2-3 strides and chokes / breaks his/her fragile neck when reaching end of lead. (The latter is the same reason a sighthound should never be tethered to any object, besides a human.)

 

3. Flexi-lead cords can be difficult to see. Common scenario: Dog's Flexi-lead is extended, alert bike rider doesn't see a dog near a human. Bike rider rides directly into path of Flexi-lead cord and crashes causing serious injury to him/herself, dog's owner, and the dog. (Instead of bike rider, a skate boarder, roller skater, or jogger could have same result.)

 

Other side of coin: Two other dog owners (different breed) dropped their own dogs' Flexi-lead handles. Those dogs charged and attacked our Greyhounds.

 

If using a longer lead while teaching leash pottying, a wider cotton or nylon webbed lead would be safer than a Flexi-lead. A dog dragging any leash while running can kill him/herself by stepping / tripping on the leash, breaking their neck, but at least fabric material leashes are quiet if dropped. Good to work in a quiet fenced enclosure without public recreation and without any other dogs while doing long lead training. (If other loose dogs in the fenced enclosure started running, the Greyhound's reaction is to take off running with the pack.)

 

This link's webbed adjustable leashes are made to any custom length, and can be made with a safer trigger snap: www.fancyk9s.com

[Guest KennelMom]

We have a couple and I've used them with certain dogs and/or under certain circumstances...ie, recovering from a surgery or teaching them to go potty on a leash...put in some time teaching them at home and it'll be easier for them to learn in other places. For dogs I travel with, I usually teach them "take a break" when they need to go potty....it can take a while, but they'll learn. Generally speaking, I'd not use a flexi while in the "general public" like a rest area or gas station...too many things you can't control. In a quiet area behind a hotel or at a field trial, with the right dog I would (I always have one in my coursing bag...can't recall ever using it though). It's about knowing your dog and the situation. 9.5 times out 10, a flexi + a greyhound is a bad idea. Most come with a safety strap to prevent you from dropping the handle. Also make sure you have one rated for your size/weight dog...a long training lead would be more inconvenient, but safer.

 

eta: with dogs hesitant to pee on a trip, but I KNOW they have to go, I've found that standing in place and only giving them the circumference of the leash around me will encourage them to potty. A lot of dogs can be so distracted walking in a new area with all the new smells and sights, they "forget" to pee. You usually just have to out-wait them, which is hard to do if you're traveling/driving and trying to get somewhere or get home.

Edited February 12, 2012 by KennelMom

[Guest june]

Flexi leashes are difficult to use. I have a nice scar on my finger from where I forgot and grabbed the cord. Ouch!

 

If I'm not mistaken Nancy B. will make custom leashes if you ask nice. I needed short leashes to use as tethers in my van and she accommodated me.

[Guest verthib]

I would hook several leashes together just for training. It takes a lot of walking and patience. At rest stops, find a stop that isn't a McDonalds or something, where the distractions are limited and a place to WALK. Mine can't get out of the car and just pee right away. I don't agree with waiting 5 hours though. If they werent peeing, I certainly understand why you stopped every hour. They did obviously have to go because they peed on their beds. Start with your yard and then move to the neighborhood. Have treats in your pocket and give lots of praise when they do go. Gracie came to us not wanting to potty on lead. Sometimes it took an hour or more but we used a key word 'go potty' and when she did go it was party time. We made a big deal and gave her a treat. Good luck! Patience is the key. If they sense youre tense and frustrated they won't go.

[Sighthounds4me]

Unlike other people, I don't have a huge problem with flexis, if used properly and responsibly. That means training, teaching the dog that dropping the handle is not the end of the world, etc. All this should be done in a fenced enclosure, of course. I also prefer the ones that do not employ the "piano wire" cord, rather are all nylon belt. This prevents injuries.

 

I have one. I bought it several years ago when Manero injured his foot, and had to be leash-walked for three weeks. He WOULD NOT potty on lead, and I had to do something. I only used it in our fenced backyard, in case I dropped it. After that, I'd take it to dog shows, especially those that required hotel stays, so he could potty on lead. I also worked with him so he would go on a regular 6' lead, and he now does.

 

In regard to the day trips - we do this often. Cooper WOULD NOT go on lead, but we never had any problems, as long as we gave him the opportunity once we got home. We'd often go places where we'd hike, so he could have "walked it out," or sniffed enough to entice him to go, but unless he was VERY uncomfortable, he would not. His choice, since we gave him plenty of opportunity.

 

But I agree that stopping every hour is overkill. When we travel, unless we are planning to hike somewhere, we stop about every 3-4 hours. That seems to be plenty.

[jetcitywoman]

 

2. The longer the Flexi-lead, the human loses control of dog more easily. If a sighthound suddenly sees something in the distance and feels more freedom, hound is more likely to bolt towards perceived target / prey.

Likely results: Flexi-lead gets dropped. If not, hound builds speed in 2-3 strides and chokes / breaks his/her fragile neck when reaching end of lead. (The latter is the same reason a sighthound should never be tethered to any object, besides a human.)

 

This is seriously good advice. I never use a flexilead, just nylon 6-foot leads. Let me describe something that I did not too long ago that taught me a lesson about greyhounds, bolting, and just how fricking fast and STRONG they are. We were at the end of our evening walk and approaching our front yard. I had both Ajax and Capri, each on his/her own nylon 6-foot leash. I always wrap the first two or so feet of leash around my wrist because I've found that I can keep my hand relaxed but still if they bolt after a squirrel the leash still won't come off my hand. (You can call me crazy if you want, but I'd rather they ripped my hand off than lose my dogs. So...)

 

There was a squirrel in our yard, digging in the grass and not paying attention to the two large predators and a noisy human coming directly at it. I've always appreciated predatory instincts and figured if this squirrel wasn't going to pay attention it deserved what it was about to get. I let us walk quietly closer, the dogs were in full on stalking mode at the end of the leashes which were wrapped around my wrist so many times they only really had about 2 feet of slack. However since they were in stalking mode there was no slack - this is an important detail, they were pulling me a little in their excitement. When they got to about 1 foot from the squirrel they lunged. Because they had no slack in the leash and were anchored by their fat momma, the squirrel got lucky. But two greyhounds bolting suddenly in the same direction are strong enough to pull me fully face down in the grass with my leash arm extended - I lost a couple wraps of the leash off my hand, but managed to not lose either one.

 

I was fine, and the dogs were also fine (they were harnessed, not leashed to their martingale collars, fortunately). They were a bit confused why I was suddenly laying face down in the grass, though. I got up laughing but also silently chastising myself that it was a stupid thing to do. I really honestly wouldn't have liked it if they got the squirrel - that would have been nasty. And I put them at risk of hurting themselves. I won't be doing that again. But it was quite impressive - the sheer suddenness of their bolt when they were already at the end of the leash, and their sheer power to yank me right off my feet.

 

So coming back to the quoted person, imagine this with a dog who DOES have slack in the leash and you're just holding a handle instead of having the leash wrapped five times around your hand. You'll probably be making a call to the Greyhound Amber Alert.

[Guest OMGiluvgreys]

You can get a 20'-0 or longer leather training lead. I think would be much safer.

[Feisty49]

Honestly, I can't imagine using any leash but the typical 4 to 6 foot ones I have. No matter how calm and docile a Grey may be, at some time there is bound to be something that makes her bolt. I've been pulled flat to my knees and/or face 3 times in the past 6 months, not because Annie Bella saw a potential meal but because she gets excited. Snow, yeah!!!! Wind, yeah!!!! She's feeling frisky, yeah!!! She can be walking calmly by my side and then jump and take off! I am so careful about not losing her that I make a loop through the loop on the leash, put my hand through that and put my thumb in the bit of space created between the first and second loops. I have the leash wrapped at least one time around my hand and because I have her walk on my left side, I also have a grip on the excess leash with my left hand. I don't let her wander far from me, partly because it's good manners but also the closer she is, the more control I hope I have, which has proven true because she's never gotten away from me.

[MaryJane]

No one mentioned (at least that I saw) that a flexi-lead teaches a dog to pull against the leash which is not usually what you want a well-trained dog to do. As others suggested, it's safer to just use a longer leash or two leashes together.

 

Another thing about leashes, since they have some weight to them, dogs do sense that they have the attachment on them whereas with a flexi-lead - they are taught to move against the tension which eventually leads to them not distinguishing that they are on a restraint anymore.

 

When I walk my dogs and if they see something, they might go into prey mode but, they usually don't fight the leash and pull to the maximum because I taught them to have a "loose lead". If I see this occurring, I can tighten up on the lead so they don't have as much traction to pull me down just in case they bolt. With a flexi-lead, they are out at the maximum because it automatically lets out and retracts so you are not able to easily pull your dog back.

[Guest JustGreyt05]

I too hate retractable leashes and wish they weren't sold anymore. Dangerous.

[Gryffenne]

When Sammi first came home, I had to double lead and it was awkward. When I was out at my parents' showing her off, my dad observed the double lead and went out to the horse barn and grabbed the nylon "lunge line" that we used to use with the horses. I also used a harness with Sammi at that time.

[racindog]

I have heard so many horror stories of tragedies resulting from flexi-leads....for me they are comlpetely out of the question. A horse lunge line or even a rope maybe if no other way, but NEVER a flexi-lead.

[JoJo207]

Flexi article Please don't use a flexi. A long lead you can firmly strap to yourself would be a much better option.

[Guest Snazzy_Chloe]

When you drop the Flexi- or the handle gets pulled out of your hand as the hound takes off, if the Flexi line does not get caught on trees, rocks or what-not it will be bouncing on the ground and retracting which the hound will hear sounds like something is chasing him causing him to run faster. Then when the handle finally fully retracts hitting him in the side or legs and then he will feel the weight of it bouncing from his neck or back - this will only further spook him into thinking that he is under attack. I had a small and a large one which I gave away after two unpleasant incidents. I feel that the handle is too big in diameter so your hand really can't relax, and if you try to - its goodby dog. When you get the line extended 15-20 feet it is too easy for the dog to get the line wrapped around anything- which if going slow is a pain but if going fast could be critical.

Like MaryJane said- the dogs purpose on a walk is not to go exploring on its own and doing whatever it wants to - its purpose is to accompany you on your walk - they still get to sniff and mark their territory which keeps them plenty busy.

Double your leashes up and turn your back to give the hound some privacy and they will go.

[greytlucy]

Not a fan of flexis and woudln't want to use a lunge or any other long lead in the situation described by the OP. If the dog spooks and takes off a long lead will allow it get to enough speed to hurt itself when it hits the end of the line. I use long leads for training but only in very controlled situations.

 

The described situation is one reason I really prefer the umbilical method for houstraining...the dog stays attached to me in the house and goes out on lead with me until it relieves itself. Then it gets free time in the yard. I don't take my dogs out on leash in the yard for the rest of their lives but starting this way on training means I can then have them take care of business on leash in the future.

 

For the OP, I'd recommend taking some time and training the dogs at home to go on leash in the yard. Since you konw their schedules it should be easy to train. Even if you just start with the last turnout of the night before bed...take them out on lead, wait them out until the pee, give a treat and praise lots. Keep repeating and try during other times during hte day when you know they will pee quickly(First one in the morning for example).

 

Good luck!

[Guest dee]

When we got our first greyhound. Many years ago no one at our rescue group told us not to use the flexilead leash so we used to use it until one day while walking I dropped the leash, terrified my dog and lucky, lucky us he bolted for HOME! We live in the country and he turned and ran straight home and waited at our back door for me to catch up. I never used that leash again and then found out how bad they were. We have a longer canvas training leash that we use in the fenced area of our yard but when we go out I use the six foot and that's what he's used to. Our current grey, Micah doesn't care where he is or if he's on lead or off, he just goes.