26' Flexi Retractable Tape Dog Leash: Review

Could you imagine how your heart would plummet if while you were walking your dog his leash broke and he went darting straight into traffic!?

Here is my story.
 
About 2 months ago my boyfriend brought home a 26' Flexi Retractable Tape Leash. I knew these leashes all too well. My little dog had one about 2 years ago. It was at the beach when he went running for the water, and I figured, 'haha, my little doggie, the retractable leash shall stop you!'... then it broke. He went running like a maniac, he loves the ocean, he was safe in his surroundings, so I wasn't worried. He also listens when I call him.

I warned my boyfriend about this when he decided he would use the 26' Flexi Retractable Tape Leash on our Bull Terrier, Bully. He claimed he bought the largest leash available, and that he spent a lot of money on it. The retractable leash I bought years earlier was picked up at a dollar store, so this could be the reason as to why it broke the way it did.

We clipped it to Bully and took him for a walk around the block with no issues for the first few weeks. We liked it, we were able to give Bully freedom when there were no cars or people around, and he was able to run ahead of us. We could stop him in his tracks with an easy click of a button which is on the plastic leash handle.

The leash itself seemed durable, and strong seeing how it was able to stop in its tracks a 50 pound pure muscle massed dog.

Small Issues:
 
The issues are not really with the leash, but with the actual dog. However every dog who I have ever walked on retractable leash has the same issues. Walking around trees can become an issue where the leash will get wrapped. If you have a dumb dog (like some of ours) they will also sometimes wrap you up in the chord.

Huge Issue:
 
All was going well with the retractable leash until our most recent close call with doggie death. Our dog LOVES people, it's in his breed. However our dog hates other peoples dogs or animals. If he spots a stray dog walking he will eye it up like a rump roast, and a cat is a mere play toy for him. Cats can run, climb trees, and scurry away...but nothing pisses me off more than seeing a dog walking the streets. This not only poses a threat for children, but also the chances of that dog getting hit by a car...or mauled by another dog are high.

Bully is ALWAYS leashed when walking, but thanks to the 26' Flexi Retractable Tape Leash he was given more freedom then what he was used to (4 foot leash).

We were happily going about our way when Bully spotted him. A Golden Retriever oddly enough (they are considered friendly dogs), grinning his pearly whites at Bully. This was bad. I'm here with a Bull Terrier who is much stronger than me, and a frigging loose Golden who if he comes near the Bully may get his face ripped off. Hell if I'm going to get in the middle of this dog fight.
 
I picked up a rock and threw it at the Golden, thinking it'd scare him off. Sure enough, it worked. As the Golden ran though, so did my stupid dog. But haha...muscle doggie, you go nowhere, thanks to the 26' Flexi Retractable Tape Leash.

I clicked on the magical 'stop' button, and it clicked all right, but do to the force of my dogs pull, the click un-clicked itself. I figured okay, no problem, no big deal. As soon as all 26' of cord have been retracted, he will be stopped.

No such luck. The force of the dog managed to pull the 26' Flexi Retractable Tape Leash right off of its tracks. There I was holding a plastic handle, with no leash, or dog attached to that leash.

You see, the 26' leash was being dragged like a wiggling snake clipped to the neck of a massive Bull Terrier who was running like a maniac after someone else's dog (that should of been on a leash! As if I can complain though... because there was my dog, hot on his tail...he had a leash, but it errr...broke).
 
I first got worried for the Golden's safety...but then when I saw a silver Pontiac heading down the road at a speed that made me shutter, I no longer gave a crap about the dog who no one gave a crap about. I wanted to save my dog, this was NOT his fault, his leash broke, and he certainly shouldn't frigging die over the poorly made leash. I'll be damned.
 
My dog was going to get hit, by some dweeb ass teenager who doesn't know that the 30mph means 30mph, not 55.

Thankfully I was able to get to my dog before an accident or mauling occurred. My heart felt like it was in my throat. I was an inch away from watching my dog get killed.

The 26' Flexi Retractable Tape Leash nearly cost my dog his life, and could of cost some stupid Golden Retriever, his.

Overall:
 
Never ever again will I use a Flexi Retractable Tape Leash. Price makes no difference. This piece broke in the same manner that my small dogs dollar store one broke. I will never again trust a retractable leash. I don't care if it's guaranteed not to break. They cannot be trusted.
 
I was lucky enough to be walking my dog in a low traffic area. If I lived in a high volume area and this were to occur, I guarantee you I would be telling you about how I buried my dog.

My boyfriend spent $30.00 on the Large sized leash. It's now in the trash. I would say that perhaps our dog was too strong for this particular leash. However my little Yorkie managed to defeat the small sized retractable leash in the same manner. I recommend them to no one, no matter what size dog you have.