Retractable Safety

So, I live in New York City where retractable leashes are in use everywhere for every size dog - from small Chihuahuas and Poodles to larger, muscular dogs like Weimaraners and Rottweilers.  I have had dogs in various size groups - from 8lbs up to 75lbs - and will admit I did buy a retractable leash for one of my smaller dogs.  I used it once and discarded it.  Even for my little pup, something just didn't feel safe about it.  One of my biggest objections to them is the lack of a loop through which to put my hand.  This loop is important because it is one of the ways to keep the leash from being yanked right out of ones hand when your dog suddenly takes off for any reason.  I also have a problem with the length that some of these retractable leashes reach - some going up to 26 feet.  The leash laws in NYC are that no dog is to be on a leash longer than 6 feet...so why are these retractable leashes sold in New York?  Just asking.

List of dog breedsImage via Wikipedia
If you haven't been able to tell as yet, I don't like retractable leashes especially after being jumped by a very happy and excited 80lb Weimaraner who was on a retractable leash out about 16 feet with a little old lady at the other end.  Although in this case, the length should have made no difference because as I noticed the dog LONG before the owner (who was around the corner on the other end of the leash) I took my dogs out into the street to put some MORE distance between us and it, but the dog took off from the owner and yanked the leash right out of her hand.  The leash was out so long that the owner couldn't even grab the end of it because it ended up underneath a car.  So there we all are - little old lady on the ground underneath a parked car trying to retrieve the end of the leash, and me, out in the middle of the street with 4 dogs - two 75+ pounders and 2 little 10 pounders - all tangled up around me because the owner had no control over her dog.

Kosoku Retractable Leash 
at Quirky.com
I never thought I would entertain the idea of buying another retractable leash in my life, but one day I was checking out Quirky.com. This is actually a really cool site to shop on, but more about that later. As I perused the site I noticed the pet section and naturally went to check it out. There weren't a lot of products in this section but one item totally caught my attention. It was a retractable leash...but not like any I had ever seen before. The Kosoku Retractable Leash appeared to address every single thing I HATE about retractable leashes and "fixed" them.
  • It has a loop on the end which allows the human to comfortably loop their hand through it thereby diminishing the possibility that the leash will be yanked out of the human's control.
  • It is only 6 feet long which I appreciate because all those folks who THINK they control their dogs will have the appropriate amount of control over their dogs so that they aren't pouncing on me and mine.
  • It also has a side pocket to carry poopy bags
  • The entire leash is flat and is made of reflective 3M tape surface for extra visibility.
  • Good for dogs up to 90lbs.
  • There is nothing clunky about it.
I read through the product description and I was sold. I placed my order and upon hitting "submit" I noticed a  message saying "We’ve sold enough units to move this product into production."  WHAT?

Okay, so I was also new to @QuirkyInc too and didn't realize how they operate.  They basically "make invention accessible".  They are a social product development company, so when I placed my order, the product now had enough orders to move it into production...so I would have to wait for my product.  While this did annoy me just a lil' bit...I still love the concept and encourage everyone to check out Quirky.com. Now back to the Kosoku Retractable Leash.

I am a pretty smart girl as I assume all my readers are (smart, but not necessarily all girls).  Based solely on the images, the story and the description, I KNOW this is going to be the perfect product for all you retractable-loving dog owners out there who firmly believe you have control over your dogs...and for all you retractable-haters out there (Ooo Ooo....That's me!) this leash may yet turn you into a lover...I know it did me...and I haven't even received it yet.
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