I taught basic dog obedience when I was younger. I’ve owned 9 big dogs and never, never took them in public without a chain (choke style) collar and 6 foot heavy web lead. Dog training is an ongoing effort.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Morons with the retractable leashes. It's bad enough when some yutz lets his yipper tangle its leash in my dog's legs, but having not having the means to control your large dog is, and I'm repeating myself, moronic.

I hope your dog recovers both physically and mentally.

I believe this is the first post in this thread that addresses the mental aspect of a dog attack on a dog that’s under control. My wife and daughter were attacked by a loose pit bull while walking our first working line GSD. He put himself between the pit bull and my wife and daughter and protected them until the worthless owner showed up. Our dog was never the same. He became reactive and downright dangerous. Fukkin’ people!

quote:

Originally posted by mrapteam666:
Why the heck is a GSD on a retractable leash??


We have had big dogs: shepherds, husky mix, etc.. and we never, ever thought of using a retractable leash. Even when the nearest person was miles away.

Well the few times she's on leash it's a heavy duty retractable one to the choker on my boxer-pit mix, including at the vet, and have not had any problem with the leash.... and she's a strong dog. When I put it on her for the first time and walked her out to my truck to take her to the vet she fought like crazy trying to go the other way but I just held it at about 4-5' and pulled her along to the truck. Once in the truck she was fine.

At the vet parking lot she fought me again when out of the truck but settled down. I had the leash only out 3' or so since we'd soon be around other dogs (and cats) in the waiting room. Interestingly once inside she settled down and sat right beside me before hopping up into Barb's lap! Strafie is anything BUT a lap dog. The point being is the retractable leash functioned fine, no way she was going to break the mechanism, line, or choker.

OTOH there was a lady with a dog smaller than Strafie on a short leash (I don't think it was retractable) and when her dog lunged at a cat that was in a carrier it pulled the lady along who was yelling but not strong enough, or forceful enough, to stop her dog from lunging at the cat carrier. After 15 seconds or so she got her dog calmed down enough to pull it back to her chair. Thank goodness the cat was in a carrier.