Retractable Leashes ……..……….…. Michele Czaja, with reference to Celebrating Greyhounds Magazine
If you are a GFFL adopter, you know that GFFL has a no-retractable-leash policy for greyhounds. Aside from offering little control over your dog, retractable leashes are dangerous for greyhounds. We have previously printed an article in the newsletter about greyhounds hanging themselves when they took off after something that caught their sight. Greyhounds have died or have been paralyzed as a result of running full tilt to the end of the retractable lead. The Spring 2009 issue of Celebrating Greyhounds magazine offered another take on the dangers of retractable leashes.
An experience dog owner was walking her golden retriever and her 18-month old greyhound in a park. The greyhound was on a retractable leash when the owner accidentally dropped the leash. The greyhound was spooked by the noise of the reel box and bolted. The reel box kept hitting the dog as he was running, resulting in further panic. When the owner finally caught the greyhound, he had a torn toe, a cut on his leg, and other bumps and bruises. The dog was in shock and was rushed to an emergency vet, followed by orthopedic surgeries. No doubt the owner spent several thousand dollars for the multiple surgeries required to repair the greyhound’s injuries.
In addition to the dangers, retractable leashes offer adopters very little control over their dogs. In an emergency, you cannot reel in the dog quickly enough to avoid a dangerous situation. Trying to grab the line to pull in the dog can result in serious injury to an adopter’s hand if the dog is pulling forward.
If you have a retractable leash, throw it out! Replace it with a good 4-to 6-foot lead. A 4- to 6-foot lead allows you to give your greyhound a leisurely walk, but enables you to easily rein in the greyhound when needed. A good leather lead will last forever – I still use the first leather leash I bought more than 30 years ago.
Now that you’ve thrown out your retractable leash (AND you can read on if you’ve never had a retractable leash), we always need to be attentive to our greyhound’s behavior while on a walk. Dogs out on a walk are highly stimulated by new sights, new smells, and movement. A greyhound living with cats, small dogs, or a greyhound with regularly met animal friends, views those animals as part of their pack. Cats and dogs met on a walk are not part of the greyhound’s pack and may be viewed as “prey”. It is important to watch for animals or for a change in the dog’s behavior – my greyhounds usually alert me to an animal off in the distance long before I’ve seen it by pricking their ears, an unwavering stare, or a rigid stance. If your dog sees something or exhibits alert behavior, it’s time to rein in your greyhound to a short lead – 12 inches. If the greyhound is overly attentive or shows fear or aggression, cross the street or reverse your direction. Taking a new path or direction will break your greyhound’s attention and will enable you both to resume a pleasant walk.
Unfortunately, we live in a litigious society. If your greyhound tangles with another pet, you could be sued and held responsible for veterinarian and other costs – – – even if you and your greyhound were not at fault. If your greyhound kills or injures a small animal on its own property, even if your dog was on leash, the dog may be impounded, labeled as a vicious dog, and euthanized. Animal control laws and owner liability differs from county to county. A quick web search of your county’s Animal Control or Health Department website will inform you about the laws and responsibilities of pet ownership.
Enjoy your walks with greyhounds – with the right equipment and attentiveness that your greyhound deserves!
