# 50 ft leash - need advise



## Ciscley

I personally only do tethering to an immovable object like a tree when I'm NOT encouraging the dog to run and play. I just think playing fetch while attached to a static object has more of a potential for an injury. 

When I do long line work, the leash either always stays attached to me or just drags on the ground but always within easy distance of me grabbing it (well, actually usually stepping on it) and only on surfaces that the leash can't easily get snagged on and pull the dog up short with no warning.


----------



## Joelly

Yes, I did think about that. It could've injured him. But Charlie is a smart dog. He knows things without being trained, it's weird. Just like my hubby said he is like human. 

I did try to tether it to me and I injured my back last May so that's out of the questions. I tried to tether it to the tree today, it seems to be working, only some people were staring at us and said that I am hurting the tree. As far as I can see, Charlie wasn't even tugging the leash therefore the tree was fine. Anyway, Charlie was having a blast for about 15 min and he pooped out. We didn't play fetch though. I thought one thing at a time. He didn't run far enough to finish the 50-ft, there are some leash still left behind.

Now I'm afraid I won't do this again though.

The only reason why I'm doing this is because the fenced-park is closed so it means his once-a-week routine is disturbed. He likes his routine so I'm thinking this could be an alternative.


----------



## JudyD

I tried a 50-foot line with Jazz a few times, but she doesn't have a harness, so I attached it to her collar. Bad idea. She ran so hard, all the way out to the end of the line, that it looked to me as if she might break her neck. We stopped using it.


----------



## My babies

I used it before in the yard but didn't attach it to anything. I would just step on the line if Miu Miu was going into my neighbors yard. It's great to teach recalls too


----------



## JudyD

Maybe the lighter-weight toys are safer on a long line. Even as a six month old standard, Jazz was so fast and weighed so much that she was a bullet by the time she hit the 50 foot mark.


----------



## My babies

JudyD said:


> Maybe the lighter-weight toys are safer on a long line. Even as a six month old standard, Jazz was so fast and weighed so much that she was a bullet by the time she hit the 50 foot mark.


Oh yeah that's true


----------



## JudyD

I'd guess the toys aren't strong enough to haul a 50 foot line behind them and build up much speed. Jazz, on the other hand...


----------



## CT Girl

I have a 50 foot long lightweight line to teach recall. Swizzle has no trouble building up speed. Some toys are small but mighty!


----------



## Pluto

I wouldn't tie him to anything. I would hang on to the end of that 50-ft lead and work on your recall. Once he is doing pretty good, and if you have a safe/partially fenced/no traffic location, I would consider letting the 50-ft lead drag while you have him fetch, play, and frequent recall. You can often see when you lose their attention and get close enough to the end of the lead to give a correction before it gets too out of hand.


----------



## lily cd re

If the leash is attached to a collar, definitely don't tie it to anything. Your dog could break its neck at the end of the line if it is running full speed. It is all proportionate to the size of the dog. I don't think it matters that your dog is small.

As Pluto suggests use the long line as a way to work on reinforcing your recall so that you can let Charlie play fetch off leash. In the meantime I would let him drag it. If you think you need to control where he is going step on the leash before he gets up too much speed and call him while you are doing it. This way he will slow down to look back at you or start back to you before he runs out of leash.


----------



## My babies

I only use harnesses on my toys and when I step on the line I step on it lightly till they are slowing down. I usually don't have to step hard on it. I think it would be unsafe if using a collar. I also got the super light leash figuring it would be hard for a 6 lb dog to drag around a heavy leash. Miu Miu didn't seem to mind the leash that much. All she cared about were the training treats in my hand. Lol


----------



## powertothepoodle

You can use a tie out stake or just let him drag the leash.


----------



## liljaker

*30 foot lead*

Joelly: Your post reminded me when I purchased a 30' lead for Sunny recall training. I got a bright orange one so it would be easy to see. He is a Velcro poodle to me, so it took a bit for him to understand the goal was to move AWAY from me, with the long line, and then I worked recall. Anyway, we finally got it and he is very good. I took a pic of when I first attached it to him and walked away. Hilarious!!! 

The second pic (staged of course) I sent to his breeder with a quote, "are you SURE this is how I learn recall?????" -- she loved it!!!

Honestly, after a few weeks of consistently using the long line and recall (I use "front") he has it down pat. He now has off leash privileges in some of the more enclosed areas and I can whisper FRONT and he comes barreling to me.

Hope you find your solution.


----------



## Countryboy

Tonka used to run to the end of his Flexi leash... generally chasing after Squirrels. A few sudden stops and he learned not to do it any more.


----------



## lily cd re

I hear you about sudden stops at the end of the flexi leash. I use a flexi leash as a way to play ball with Lily when we are at trials. The first time I put it on her for this purpose we were fine (with me just giving little short soft throws) until she kicked the ball away as she was chasing it. She went full speed out to the end and almost pulled my shoulder out of the socket. She went flying with all four feet out in front of her and landed unceremoniously on her back. She was attached to the flexi by a collar not a harness and I was very afraid in that split second waiting to see if she would get up ok or whether she had just broken her neck. Thankfully she was fine, but I went right back into the vendor area and bought a harness.


----------



## DebofAmber

I would let her explore while using the long line for a while so she isn't running full tilt. That gives her a chance to learn the boundariesof the new line.

As for her getting a jolt or two while learning - sorry, but better a healthy young poodle gets a jolt than you do, with an already injured back. 

I had to teach a Rottweiler to use several lengths of lead, but I had no back injury. I would yell 'easy' when she got close to the end of a new length and tighten my grip so the line fed out slower. She figured this out very quickly and I was able to walk her while pregnant. She was 90lbs of dog.


----------



## JudyD

On the advice of the trainer I'm working with, I got a 30 foot tracking lead to use with Jazz. I attach it and let her drag it behind her. I walk her in a fairly isolated, big meadow, so she can run as far and as fast as she wants and still be safe. She's generally very good to come when she's called, but if she doesn't, I can get within thirty feet of her and pick up the line quickly. This works much better than when I was holding the end of that 50 foot line I mentioned earlier, but I couldn't do it in a less isolated area.


----------



## Countryboy

I do admit that it's a little disconcerting to see yr dog with all four feet off the ground, completely airborne. And probably not good for the dog's spine. But I did take him regularly to a veterinary chiro at the time.

On the Flexi, I used to bend my leash hand right up to my shoulder when I saw a sudden stop coming. And let the bend of my forearm become the shock preventer.

Now??? A slight depression of the 'lock button' on the Flexi emits a few 'clicks' that warn him to slow down... and he does. With a straight line, I would use Deb's idea of a gradual brake on the line to alert the dog to a coming stop.


----------



## Fluffyspoos

If anyone is tying dogs up (I used to have to for a few minutes at a time) then I suggest getting a line with a spring on it, that way the dog doesn't get a full, solid snap of lead at the end of the line, it'll make the impact less harsh.

Amazon.com: Boss Pet - Prestige 15ft Large Dog Tie Out with Spring: Pet Supplies


----------



## liljaker

The nice thing about a mini (as opposed to a spoo) is that the flexi is no issue. A heavier, stronger dog would, of course, be problematic on a flexi. I am lucky, as Sunny is so well behaved on a leash (even with squirrels, etc.) that I could probably walk him with a piece of yarn.......not that I would, mind you, but he respects the leash, and knows not to run/pull. I am sure that is the exception though, as most of my neighbors comment on all the time. Rather than walk him with a 4' lead, for instance, I just lock the flexi at 4' and it's perfect.


----------



## Howard

I would use a training lead and teach recall.. is there a reason why he needs to be on a tether? Does he run away? I walk mine in a huge park and I have done a lot of work on recall training, Howard's 10 months old now and he responds to "come here" when I want him to come back to me and "wait" when I want him to stay where he is. I'm also working on "get on" so I can tell him when to move forward, a handy command if your dog needs to move away from danger


----------



## poodlecrazy51

Howard, you are one very very cute little puppy!!!


----------



## Howard

Haha he says thank you! 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Joelly

I don't realized that there are lots of going on in this thread. I wont be getting 50ft leash for Charlie. Dear hubby is totally against it. He took the responsibility of walking Charlie. I used to do that and other stuff but not anymore. Lol.


----------



## Lplummer52

I don't have a yard....we live in a condo on the ocean. So I take Lena out with just a 6-foot leash and throw the frisbee for her in our condo back yard. If someone comes along (she's LOVES people and other dogs), I just step on the leash. She wears the Easy Walk harness for these activities, so it doesn't hurt her neck to come to an abrupt stop.


----------

