What a Fright! Near Miss with a Flexi Lead

Discussion in 'Labrador Chat' started by edzbird, Jun 18, 2017.

  1. edzbird

    edzbird Registered Users

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    I nearly ran a Cocker Spaniel over this afternoon. It walking along a pavement on a flexi-lead, at full stretch - it darted into the road in front of me. There was pure panic in the owners, the lead-holder tried to pull it back - not happening with all that length. Luckily there was nothing coming the other way as I swerved across the road to avoid the dog! I wish people would use them properly if they have to use them. I was quite shaken up by it.
     
  2. bbrown

    bbrown Moderator Forum Supporter

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    You poor thing! What a fright!

    I really can't understand why people let dogs have the full length of them by roads. There really is very little more simple than locking them off short. If you're not going to flex your flexible lead you might as well have a long line! :facepalm:
     
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  3. Boogie

    Boogie Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Terrifying - I hope you are OK. The same happened with my husband, without hid serve there would have been awful consequences.


    :(
     
  4. Beanwood

    Beanwood Registered Users

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    How awful! The thought of what could have happened just doesn't bear thinking about...what is wrong with people??? And a spaniel...sigh..
     
  5. Kelsey&Axel

    Kelsey&Axel Registered Users

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    How scary!! I always worry about this happening.
     
  6. kateincornwall

    kateincornwall Registered Users

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    How horrible for you , they terrify me for this very reason .
     
  7. SwampDonkey

    SwampDonkey Registered Users

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    Gulp glad everyone's ok
     
  8. Stacia

    Stacia Registered Users

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    People don't seem to understand that there is a locking device and lock the lead to a short length when on pavements!
     
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  9. Emily

    Emily Registered Users

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    I always have both leads with me. If it's near a road or very busy then I just use the normal short lead. It's just not work the risk.

    If we hit nice wide open spaces where I'd like Ella to have more freedom (but the annoying lead laws pre enter off-lead) then the flexi lead goes on but I always call her back and have her walk at heel past people.
     
  10. Snowshoe

    Snowshoe Registered Users

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    Oh my gosh. Might as well not even have a leash on at all if they're going to let it full out along a road. Plus YOU could get into an accident by reflexively trying to avoid their dog.
     
  11. Xena Dog Princess

    Xena Dog Princess Registered Users

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    Phew, close call. I always cringe when I drive past a dog on a Flexi at full length - what are the owners thinking? I'm like Emily - I walk Xena on her "pavement lead" and only switch to the Flexi when we're away from the road.
     
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  12. Granca

    Granca Registered Users

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    Hope you're ok. I can't think why anyone would extend a flexi lead when walking along a road or allow a dog to do anything other than walk to heal.

    As I was driving up to the town yesterday I passed an owner walking her Vizsla (I think) completely off its lead and no lead visible. It wasn't even walking to heal, although it stayed on the pavement. Another accident waiting to happen.
     
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  13. 20180815

    20180815 Guest

    Oh gosh what a near miss! Very scary for everyone involved. I haven't seen anyone doing that but I do see people walking their dogs off lead walking down the road. Even if the dog is 99.999% reliable, there's always that chance that something out of the ordinary might catch its attention and cause it to dart into the road. Just not worth it at all.
     
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  14. FayRose

    FayRose Registered Users

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    I'm not surprised you were shaken up, very frightening incident. Not a huge fan of flexi leads myself and have assumed they were only used in 'off road' situations with dogs learning recall or with poor recall. Never thought anyone would use one near a road :confused:
    Thank goodness you were able to swerve, it doesn't bear thinking about what would have happened had there been a car coming in the other direction.
     
  15. UncleBob

    UncleBob Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Have to say, I'm not a fan of this type of lead. In my experience they are often used by people that find it too much trouble to train their dog to walk nicely on a normal lead or have something else that they want to focus on (mobile, book, person walking with them).

    Glad you are ok Sue.
     
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  16. charlie

    charlie Registered Users

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    Good grief Sue how awful, I really hope you are OK. They deserved a piece of your mind but you must have been too shaken up. xxx
     
  17. edzbird

    edzbird Registered Users

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    I wish I had stopped now :( but I think I would have been a gibbering mess. Hopefully the fright will be enough for them to lock the lead short when near roads in future.
     
  18. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Glad you are OK.
    Sincerely hope THEY have learned from this :(
     

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