Riding along on the bonnie this afternoon through a housing estate near home, a couple are walking towards me on the near side footpath with a small dog on a lead. There were no other vehicles around, thankfully. They are chatting away and all seems fine, until I am just a few feet from them. The dog, without warning, launches itself into the road in a startled kind of response to my approach. I instinctively swerve to the right while the equally surprised man holding the lead yanks the dog back on to the footpath. The lead was running out like a fishing line. I'm not a fan of these extending leads which seem to be getting more popular and can be regularly seen in use on the streets They are perhaps more suited to the countryside to busy street use?
I must admit I think they are dangerous, often I've seen folk out with their dogs with one of those leads fully extended they must be 10ft long maybe more?,if a cat or something else gets the dogs attention there is no way they would be able to stop it running out on the road and causing an accident. like what almost happened in Curlys case
They’re sometimes used by people who can’t be arsed to pick up their dogs crap. The dog squats, craps and the owner walks on slowly or stops 10 feet away from the dog and wants people to think the dog isn’t with them.
I use one with my dog. But he is so well trained he won't go into the road till I tell him. So don't ride down my way. But seriously owners should be more careful most leads have a button to shorten or lengthen the dogs run. They should use it when near the roads. Regards Joe
just googled the length of them, they can be as long as 26 feet!! some scary stories online about them
Why would anyone what a lead 26 foot long especially in a built up area. Teach the dog to walk to heel.
I agree with all that has been said, it's just another case of a few inconsiderate owners giving the majority of perfectly sensible dog owners a bad name.
Nothing wrong with the principle of the extending lead if used properly - as usual it's the operator at one end that's at fault! (clue, it's not the one with four legs)
I was doing about 30mph, honestly officer, and was in the approx centre of the lane, it was a normal single carriageway with 1 lane in each direction. I didn't slow down on approach to be honest, although I was well aware of the couple and the dog I was whispering along, as standard Bonnies do and never predicted this event at all. We all got lucky this time but it has marked my card for future reference, for sure. I suppose discussing the matter of dogs was always going to be devisive, it was not intended to be, just highlighting a hazardous situation that I had not properly recognised was my point.
Should I leave the forum as I dare to irresponsibly walk my dogs with extending leads? Maybe join a dog walkers forum where they complain about anti social bikers who scare the dogs so they run out in to the road
Find out where they live, break in and cut 25m off the length of their extendable lead - or fit a ACME Super Spring to it - maybe not, that would be cruel to the dog - unless the dog was a St Bernard and the owner was a midget... In which case it would be hilarious.
Last summer I saw some guy on a bike with his dog happily sitting in a basket on the back... A real dog, four legs and everything - not a minger. Thought I’d clear up that misunderstanding before it happened.
Oh @littleade ! That’s an instant fail, you forgot the life saver over your shoulder, I’d Make an appointment with your observer as soon as possible.
A couple of months ago I read on a local news site about a woman who got fined for walking her dog on a lead "in excess of 2 metres". I don't know if this is just a local bye law but it happened somewhere in Oldham. On a personal note, I've often thought it dangerous to have a dog on such a long lead. If it decides to suddenly go for something in the road, you just can't stop it. As an example, I was once the proud owner of a Weimeraner, she was perfect on the lead but if she saw a cat she became an uncontrollable beast and was hell bent on ripping it to shreds.
It is an unfortunate truth that not all dogs can be trained to any great level. They are either a bit mad to start with or have been on the receiving end of some trauma that makes them very wary or skittish when out of their home, and despite what so many people say you cannot always train that out of them. Our last dog was in the latter camp we soon found (middle aged rescue dog - no idea of background) and we had to avoid all other dogs where possible as she would just attack them. At home she was a placid old softie who slept 95% of the time but outside she was a bristling looney meaning we had to avoid all open spaces where other dogs could be off their leads. The only freedom she got while being walked was in the quieter bits of the estate with wider verges where we could let her wander by a few feet on her extending lead but we would watch for traffic and people/dogs and once back beside an active road the lead was latched back to a controllable length. There is nothing wrong with extending leads when used sensibly. As mentioned above it's the owners that are sometimes the problem.
Something like this may adapt to the smaller dog No doubt I'll be castigated again as l was before when the subject of pets bubbled up, but once a knobhead, always a knobhead. I can't help other people's sense of humour bypass.
They also seem to be getting more popular where councils are restricting where dogs can be let off the lead. So as a compromise, they get one of those leads. But as others have mentioned, the owners need to use them responsibly. Short when walking near roads etc, long when in the park.
Anyone can walk their dogs on any lead they like but if the dog runs into the road.the lead may not be suitable,or the dog not trained properly. So there is nothing wrong with getting peed off with the dog owner because they’ve not protected you or their dog
They're just as bad in the countryside, near bicycle paths. Indeed some owners think it's fine top let the lead run on forever oblivious to cyclists and runners using the same rights of way.
It's what fucked my left hip some years back. Dog on an extended lead chased across me, lead tangled in the sprocket and off I came. So feck off. Edit: not you personally though mate
