Max tipped the scales at about 110 pounds when we got him from his first family. At his vet’s recommendation, we began walking to help him lose a little weight. Some breeders and trainers advise against retractable leashes because they don’t afford as much control as standard, shorter leashes. I didn’t know that at the time, and with Max on a 16-foot leash, when he stopped to sniff and mark territory in his new neighborhood, I could just keep walking. By the time I got to the end of the leash, he would trot ahead, and start the process all over again.
We were about 100 yards from our house one morning when a Dalmation and a Shih Tzu came dashing around a corner barking and yapping like they wanted to tear us apart. Max had just trotted past and was as far in front of me as he could be. He had been with us only two weeks and I had no idea how he would react. Visions of two badly mangled attackers flashed through my mind, as I threw my leash hand as far forward as I could reach, to begin drawing him back closer to me where I hoped to have better control.
The leash never even got tight. Max stood there calmly and let loose a big WHOOF! (Perhaps a canine expletive?) The two would-be doggy thugs screeched to an immediate and silent halt. Max and I continued our walk uneventfully without so much as even a backward glance. Top dogs don’t need to look over their shoulder.
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from Jim, North Carolina