09/14/2026
This photo may be triggering. Honestly, good. I hope it triggers you to do something about it.
This is blood on a harness after a retractable leash caused an injury.
Retractable leashes may feel convenient because they give dogs more “freedom” but that freedom comes with very real risks.
A retractable leash can allow a dog to get 10, 15, even 20+ feet away from the person responsible for keeping them safe. By the time you see the car backing out, the loose dog approaching, or your dog suddenly lunging toward something, you may not have enough time, or control for that matter, to prevent an accident.
And the thin cord itself can become dangerous.
It can wrap around a dog’s leg.
It can wrap around your leg.
It can cause burns, cuts, and serious injuries when pulled tight.
It can easily be dropped when a dog suddenly takes off, leaving the plastic handle bouncing behind and potentially scaring the dog into running even farther.
There’s also a behavioral problem we see all the time: retractable leashes can teach dogs that pulling works.
The dog pulls → the leash extends → the dog gets where they wanted to go.
That is literally rewarding tension on the leash- the OPPOSITE of what we’re trying to teach when working on polite leash walking.
Imagine two dogs approaching each other. One is 15 feet ahead on a retractable leash. The dogs react, circle one another, and suddenly that thin cord is wrapped around a leg or the person trying to separate them.
More leash does not always mean more freedom. Sometimes it simply means less control when control matters most.
When choosing Sweet Paws & Pads, we want our walkers to have immediate, reliable control of the dogs you trust us to care for. A sturdy, fixed-length leash gives us that and is a requirement.
If this picture makes you uncomfortable, please don’t just scroll past it.
Check your dog’s walking equipment.
Replace the retractable leash.
And choose equipment that keeps both ends of the leash safer ❤️
