FLEXIAutomatic Leash New Comfort M Cable 8 m Gray

I am a new dog owner and noted that a lot of people use these extendable leads. I purchased this lead for my dog. Everything was ok for the first 3 months however recently I was walking my dog, he was on the lead which was fully extended, was attacked by another dog (off lead). In the ensuing struggle the lead cut across the fingers of both of my hands, resulting in the inside of my fingers being cut to shreds. Luckily my dog was ok, however I sustained severe cuts to 7 fingers and my thumb. As I write this review my fingers are bandaged up. Do not use these leads. I have since researched many reasons why they are considered dangerous.

Apart from a hitch with one lead not retracting and jamming up on its first use, the three I have work perfectly. Nice firm retracting mechanism, strong enough for a pulling Saluki almost adult pup. Comfy to hold. Not really used the handle adjustment as I have big hands. (Amazon sorted the duff lead pronto - thanks). Great price - worth the extra few quid over a cheaper one I bought elsewhere.

After a few weeks the button to lock and release the leader tape became stiff and unresponsive, so much so that we did not want to risk using it in case it jammed when we were near traffic. We have gone back to using our older flexi leader. The sliding lock switch on this Flexi leader is far too small, its stiff to use and appears to be of a poor quality compared to other Flexi leaders that we have had in the past. I may look at other brands in the future as Flexi are more expensive than other brands but the quality does not match the price.

I wanted to wait a good few month before reviewing this product as some of the other reviews report it is of poor quality. It was a bit tricky to get used to initially as I have small hands and it was heavier and larger than the previous extendable lead. However, once I got used to it, I felt that it was a well made product, very comfortable to use and I particularly liked that it extends much further than my previous lead as I have a very energetic dog. I also purchased the poop bag container for this lead. I would definitely purchase again once this one becomes scuffed and worn with use. Excellent value for money! Cheapest that I’ve seen on the market.

We’ve had several of these leads, and only buy new ones as our dog likes to chew through them. They are easy to hold, feel nice and sturdy in your hand. My only niggle with this one is that the cord sometimes doesn’t retract, so it’s left dragging along the road - however, this has improved with use, and doesn’t bother me enough to get another one.