Love them or hate them, retractable leashes are everywhere. I tend to hate them because people use them irresponsibly. I have seen a dog bolt into traffic and get hit, I have seen a dog bolt into the woods because the handle was "chasing" her, and I have personally been wound up and gotten cuts on my legs while walking down the street in the summer; a dog popped around the corner of a building, surprising me and wrapping around my legs. Luckly, the dog wasn't aggressive or it

It's no wonder dogs are always forging ahead. We walk too slowly, we don't smell the stinky stuff, and our walks tend to be boring and predictable. Dogs want to run and circle and then stop and sniff, lingering over the latest news left in urine markings and paw print trails by other dogs and wild animals. Walks are really for sniffing, not for exercise, and it's good to let your dog stop and smell all the things he is interested in. However, it's no fun to be dragged around