Dog Lead Injuries – and how to avoid them

I frequently advise my clients against repeatedly wrapping their dog lead around their hand. Unfortunately, I have seen many dog lead injuries, including a broken wrist. Just this week a young client of mine kept wrapping the lead around their small hand. I explained each time she did it why it was a bad idea. If the dog bolts, the lead can cause serious damage to the handler.

The article I am sharing here is a graphic example of what can happen when a dog bolts. It also reinforces my views on retractor leads. The lady in this BBC news piece lost part of her finger as a result of her Retriever bolting whilst she had the retractor cord wrapped around her hand. Of course, a powerful dog like that should never have been on that type of lead. I’ve blogged before on my sister site Dog Training 4u about the dangers to the dog, here we see an extreme example of the dangers to the owner.

The best solution, of course, is to have your dog fully under control on the lead. If they can walk to heel and wait next to you, even when there are distractions, no dog lead injuries will occur. I always recommend the use of a simple slip lead. This allows you to correct your dog when necessary, without giving them enough lead to bolt or built up speed.

Read the full BBC article here. 

Posted: May 28, 2019