Comments on: Reeling in the arguments against retractable leashes http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-105209 Christie Keith Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:18:47 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-105209 <p>Well, whooping cough IS bordetella pertussis, so it kind of is kennel cough! Although I also have pneumonia. I'm pretty sick.</p> <p>Whimper....</p> Well, whooping cough IS bordetella pertussis, so it kind of is kennel cough! Although I also have pneumonia. I’m pretty sick.

Whimper….

]]> By: Laura Bennett http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-105107 Laura Bennett Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:09:27 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-105107 I had my whooping cough vaccination last year after my pediatrician told me that it was on the comeback in adults and that adults are giving it to children (who of course don't do so well at recovering as adults do). Soon we'll all be needing titres for our immunological status! [Now back to current programming on retractable leashes...] I had my whooping cough vaccination last year after my pediatrician told me that it was on the comeback in adults and that adults are giving it to children (who of course don’t do so well at recovering as adults do).

Soon we’ll all be needing titres for our immunological status!

[Now back to current programming on retractable leashes…]

]]> By: Diana Guerrero http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104888 Diana Guerrero Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:30:33 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-104888 Great job on the retractable leash article--I personally hate them for simple reason that people end up hurting themselves, dogs, or other people because they don't monitor the dog and don't know how to train the dog to the tool. I have a colleague in England who trains dogs to the click stimulus for better handling. Also, when a crisis emerges the design makes them hard for many to control the dog. I tested the newer design retractable by Planet Dog. Liked it better but they need to work on the construction and length. Great job on the retractable leash article—I personally hate them for simple reason that people end up hurting themselves, dogs, or other people because they don’t monitor the dog and don’t know how to train the dog to the tool.

I have a colleague in England who trains dogs to the click stimulus for better handling.

Also, when a crisis emerges the design makes them hard for many to control the dog.

I tested the newer design retractable by Planet Dog. Liked it better but they need to work on the construction and length.

]]> By: Nancy Nielsen http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104831 Nancy Nielsen Wed, 08 Aug 2007 12:09:23 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-104831 Oh dear, whooping cough! Had it last year at the ripe old age of 76. It hangs on, so take care, and yes, my vet said, "oh, Bordatella, huh?". Love my flexis. The Papillons love the flexis. No streets, no other dogs, acres of space to go, follow smells, check out stuff. But the brake gives me control just in case there's a porcupine or a skunk around the next tree. I agree that parking lots and streets and traffic and crowds, etc are not good places for them though. And it takes some fancy hand work and two-stepping when two busy little Paps are zipping around. Like anything else, the right tool for the right job is essential. Oh dear, whooping cough! Had it last year at the ripe old age of 76. It hangs on, so take care, and yes, my vet said, “oh, Bordatella, huh?”.

Love my flexis. The Papillons love the flexis. No streets, no other dogs, acres of space to go, follow smells, check out stuff. But the brake gives me control just in case there’s a porcupine or a skunk around the next tree. I agree that parking lots and streets and traffic and crowds, etc are not good places for them though. And it takes some fancy hand work and two-stepping when two busy little Paps are zipping around. Like anything else, the right tool for the right job is essential.

]]> By: Deb http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104829 Deb Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:59:24 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-104829 Nice piece Christie. You cover the major problem areas. Walking one or 2 dogs on a flexi, once you know how to handle the tool, is easy. Walking 6 doesn't work, at least for me. I can't successfully hold on to that many handles. One thing I would suggest in general is, while training yourself and your dog to use the flexi, desensitize your dog to what happens when you accidently drop it, so the dog doesn't panic when the handle bounces noisely on the ground and follows behind her. I have seen dogs take off running with the evil flexi "chasing them", causing panic and fear for everyone. Nice piece Christie. You cover the major problem areas.
Walking one or 2 dogs on a flexi, once you know how to handle the tool, is easy. Walking 6 doesn’t work, at least for me. I can’t successfully hold on to that many handles.
One thing I would suggest in general is, while training yourself and your dog to use the flexi, desensitize your dog to what happens when you accidently drop it, so the dog doesn’t panic when the handle bounces noisely on the ground and follows behind her. I have seen dogs take off running with the evil flexi “chasing them”, causing panic and fear for everyone.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104618 Gina Spadafori Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:03:25 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-104618 Kennel cough! Thank you for my big laugh for the afternoon. Yeah, Christie ... what about it? Are you SURE it's not kennel cough? Hmmmm? Kennel cough! Thank you for my big laugh for the afternoon. Yeah, Christie … what about it? Are you SURE it’s not kennel cough? Hmmmm?

]]> By: shadepuppy http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104593 shadepuppy Tue, 07 Aug 2007 23:20:39 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-104593 Christie, It could be kennel cough. I thought I'd drop that for a laugh, but then I found some citations showing that it can be a zoonotic agent. Either way, make sure you follow the same advice that you would give someone else. Enjoyed your article -- you give a good description of the hand dexterity required when using a Flexi -- I got pretty good at the "behind the back pass" and others, especially when I had 3 dogs. The tape version really is much safer than the cord - at least it doesn't cut skin as easily. Christie,

It could be kennel cough. I thought I’d drop that for a laugh, but then I found some citations showing that it can be a zoonotic agent. Either way, make sure you follow the same advice that you would give someone else.

Enjoyed your article — you give a good description of the hand dexterity required when using a Flexi — I got pretty good at the “behind the back pass” and others, especially when I had 3 dogs. The tape version really is much safer than the cord - at least it doesn’t cut skin as easily.

]]> By: Elaine http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104575 Elaine Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:09:45 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-104575 I had something that sure could have been whooping cough a few years ago at 60+! I am not much for doctoring, and finally got over it, but it was no fun! I had out-of-control coughing for months. I had whooping cough as a small child, probably before immunizations. Take care, Christie, don't overdo, as these viruses seem to hang on longer if you don't lay low for awhile. I had something that sure could have been whooping cough a few years ago at 60+! I am not much for doctoring, and finally got over it, but it was no fun! I had out-of-control coughing for months.

I had whooping cough as a small child, probably before immunizations.

Take care, Christie, don’t overdo, as these viruses seem to hang on longer if you don’t lay low for awhile.

]]> By: JC http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104569 JC Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:52:31 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-104569 I also had whooping cough last year at age 44! My doc actually thought my asthma had just gotten out of control, but tested me for all sorts of things "just in case". By the time the test results came back as whooping cough, I had recovered. No idea who/where I caught it from, as I hadn't been around any children. Apparently those vaccinations we all had as kids can wear off! I also had whooping cough last year at age 44! My doc actually thought my asthma had just gotten out of control, but tested me for all sorts of things “just in case”. By the time the test results came back as whooping cough, I had recovered. No idea who/where I caught it from, as I hadn’t been around any children. Apparently those vaccinations we all had as kids can wear off!

]]> By: VJ http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-104568 VJ Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:34:57 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/07/the-great-flexi-debate/#comment-104568 Christi - how on earth did you get whooping cough?? So sorry, girl. Get better quick. Christi - how on earth did you get whooping cough?? So sorry, girl. Get better quick.

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