# Flexi leads and dogs pulling



## Nellybelly (Jul 20, 2009)

Many people talk about how extending leads teach dogs to pull, and I can see the logic behind this.
Yet, I used one on my previous dog, and on Bella, and neither pulled.

so who here uses a flexi lead? and does your dog pull? 
And for those of you who dno't use a flexi, does your dog pull?


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2010)

I don't use a flexi lead! was however daft enuff to try is just once! 
And yep! the dog still pull if I allow her!
DT


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## Hols<3Millie (Sep 2, 2010)

my dog does pull and i do use a flexi, i only usually let her have the lead on extend when she's having a sniff so i don't get dragged through mud.

It also somehow releases pressure off my back, going through puberty with a pulling dog isn't great for the back lol
My dogs fine on the flexi at the moment and i use an ergo harness which isn't much special


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## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

Mine is locked on a short lead when walking by the road and free when appropriate. He walks to heel when asked to, so not made a difference to my puppy.


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Dave pulls like mad on a normal lead, he has done since the 'teenage' stage. He HAS to be at the end of his lead and no matter how many times I correct he pulls and pulls.

BUT- on the flexi he is different! He hardly goes to the end of it, and when I ask him to heel I only need to give one or two corrections and he STAYS there   It is repettetive, heel and ok'ing him so he knows he gets to go ahead as a reward for heeling.



Dixie, she pulls to the end of the flexi as well as her normal lead.
The flexi was the only way I could get her to walk without taking one of the big dogs out too, as I got further infront she raced to catch up. 


I take both dogs out on the flexi at night because I stick to the well lit streets and it just gives them that little bit of freedom.. of course they are told to wait and catch them up and lock leads if a car is coming but its rare here in the dead of the night!


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## Nellybelly (Jul 20, 2009)

I think from the few answers so far, dogs that are walked on flexis will not necessarily turn out to be dogs who pull on the lead. I think you can still train a dog the difference between walking to heal on a short/locked lead, while also allowing the flexi to be used for extra freedom.

I am really lucky that bella is mostly walked off lead. But there are the occasionsw hen the flexi has it's use. When you want to give that bit of extra freedom but are not in a secure area to let dogs off lead. The flexi was a godsend this summer in Greece. We were on holiday, didnt have a car, didnt know the areas where we could walk Bella off-lead, and just for the 3 days we were in Athens it was so useful having the flexi to give her a bit of a run in areas whichw ould eb unsafe to let her off. Then we were at the island, and she had offlead walks in mountains and on beaches!

But back to the point, I think using a flexi lead on your dog is not a guarantee that your dog will not be able to also walk properly on a loose leash.


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

we have Mavis on a flexi lead who does not pull..we also had Ozzy on a flexi lead who pulled like a steam train...

I look back now and wow...how did we manage with two of them running about on flexi leads..boy we got in some tangles...lol


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

i dont trust them, i feel like i have little/no control over my boys when they are on them even tho they are good Both pull slightly zeb more bear only when there is something good to smell lol 

but i use a halti on zeb as he hurts my wrist when walking even when hes not pulling the pressure causes me pain so its easier for me. 

we used a harness for our rescue and she didnt pull very much, and my childhood dog had a choke chain collar (i know!) he was a puller at times


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## kazschow (Oct 23, 2008)

I walk both of mine on flexis and neither pulls, they walk on short fixed lengths on pavements, then are free to roam where safe. We don;t get tangled, even when they decide to play fight, still on flexi's, I should try to video this sometime it's hilarios, but would need an extra arm for the camera


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2010)

Alfie has two leads, a flexi and a slip lead, on the slip lead he knows to walk basically to heal and on flexi he can wander. He does pull occassionally on the flexi but I think it is mainly due to mis judging the length


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

i use a flexi lead with ollie when away from roads and he doesn't pull on it. i use a short lead and a dogmatic headcollar or harness when road walking (depending on where we are walking, eg he'll be more excitable and pull when in new places, so i use the dogmatic). he didn't learn to pull from the flexi, i've only recently started using it with him and he doesn't pull anymore than he does now. i wouldn't use the flexi near roads, i have much less control with it, so i only use it away from roads and in open places.


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## ddb (Oct 16, 2010)

charlie is 7 year old retrever x and have him on a slip lead pulls a bit at start of walk, calms down after a while

red is 15 week dogue de bordeaux on slip lead no chance of him pulling(unless it young girls outside costa :lol he is that lazy and slow we end waiting for him :lol::lol:


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## shibby (Oct 3, 2010)

Nellybelly said:


> Many people talk about how extending leads teach dogs to pull, and I can see the logic behind this.
> Yet, I used one on my previous dog, and on Bella, and neither pulled.
> 
> so who here uses a flexi lead? and does your dog pull?
> And for those of you who dno't use a flexi, does your dog pull?


We have Flexi's and they don't pull, well, the puppy will forget he's on lead an yank our arm off the odd time  but he is a young(ish) staffie  but other than that, they're very responsive to the slight resistance our flexi gives and usually stop before it's at full length. We've used corded ones in the past and they broke with our other pooch, snapped it within 5 seconds of setting off. The flexi-tape leads are fantastic though.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

We had to use one on my mongrel because, off the lead, head down stopped for nothing, and gone for the rest of the day! I used one on Ferdie for a long time when I couldn't let him off because he humped all the other dogs. No, it didn't make either of them pull.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Tried one once and didn't realise when it gets to it's fullest extent it can take you by surprise and take you with it. Ended up on the floor  so have never used one since. Also had my dog circle me and got it all wrapped around my legs - the whole thing was a disaster. I'd rather use a long line training lead as I can't operate the blinking Flexi at all, lol. I'd never use a flexi on a collar after what my trainer told me happened to a Greyhound - it was tragic. If I use a harness it just makes them pull.

Now use collar and leads or sometimes a halti, better all round I think and they are better behaved.


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

I use a Flexi lead and my dogs don't pull. I trained them first on fixed leads, now use Flexi's, so they know to walk correctly first 

All the people I know who have gotten Flexi's for puppies, have dogs they cannot now control as adults!


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

happysaz133 said:


> I use a Flexi lead and my dogs don't pull. I trained them first on fixed leads, now use Flexi's, so they know to walk correctly first
> 
> All the people I know who have gotten Flexi's for puppies, have dogs they cannot now control as adults!


Yep I don't think they are very good to use on a potentially pully pup, like our Mals, it doesn't teach them how to walk next to you and if they're allowed too much freedom on the lead they tend to want it all the time. Well, thats what we found with the Mals.


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## Acacia86 (Dec 30, 2008)

Ben has to be on a flexi or a long line. His recall is not 100% reliable when other dogs are around so its for everyones safety! 

He pulls like a train when on a short lead (if not in a headcollar) yet on a flexi he relishes the 'freedom' and is not so bad with pulling. 

Trouble is i need to carry it each walk  because after my friend having her flexi falter when locked on a short lead and the dog ran into the road  (thankfully no cars) i always use a standard lead for road/non safe areas.


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## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

happysaz133 said:


> All the people I know who have gotten Flexi's for puppies, have dogs they cannot now control as adults!


I use a flexi and my puppy walks to heel.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

happysaz133 said:


> I use a Flexi lead and my dogs don't pull. I trained them first on fixed leads,
> now use Flexis, so they [knew how] to walk correctly first


hey, H-S!  good point - 
it's key IME: if the dog **knows** how to walk politely, the Flexi is just a longer leash - 
the only caution is that if they are ONLY walked on a running-Flexi, they can fall into the habit of pulling; 
now + then, if U shorten + lock the Flexi to practice walking closer [passing shrubs, people, bikes, 
traffic, loose dogs...] it maintains leash-manners on a shorter leash, so the dog doesn't forget.


happysaz133 said:


> All the people I know who have gotten Flexis for puppies,
> have dogs they cannot now control as adults!


that's the killer - 
they buy a Flexi the day-before [or day after... ] getting the pup or dog, never walk'em on a 6-ft-leash, 
and the dog has no idea how to match the handler's gait, follow their lead, arrive at the same place 
at the same time, and so on - they're all over the landscape, heedless, self-absorbed, and disconnected.

they get the pup at 7 or 8-WO, clip on the Flexi, everything's OK when the pup is still on the apron-string, 
the pup gets older + more independent, the owner start to struggle, and sometime between 6-MO and 10-MO, 
they're losing their minds, and the dog drags them all over - or just gallops around + ignores the owners.

*that's when they phone me - "my pup is driving me crazy, s/he never listens, i can call till i'm blue 
in the face, we get dragged to meet other dogs, the barking + pulling are so frustrating...* 
when it's an unlivable crisis, they call  until then, they shrug and say, _"oh, s/he's a pup..."_ 
or later, _"s/he's a teenager, it'll get better..."_ - not unaddressed it won't.


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## EBT (Aug 27, 2010)

My old BT Dede would pull constantly on a extending lead. 10 metres long and she would still try and pull my arm off. If it had been 100 metres she'd have still done the same I reckon.


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## Nellybelly (Jul 20, 2009)

So, it seems *felxi leads only teach your dog to pull if the dog is not taught how to walk properly on a normal lead first*.

I just find many people (including on this forum), are against flexi's because they teach yor dog to pull, but it is not that simple.

Having said that, Bella is barely 6.5 kg. I am not sure I would ever use a flexi on a dog over 10-15 kg. I would definitely want the control of a solid regular leash for that, or a training line for a bit of a run-aroun. But I will admit for Bella who is 6.5 kg, flexi is brilliant. Even though she is usually off lead, it is nice to be able to give her that extra freedom in areas not safe enough to let her off, but that have open areas with no cars for her to explore a little further on her own!

As with crates, I think people tend to over-generalise.

Crates work wonders for MANY dogs, but not for a a few exceptions, where they are indeed not the solution.

Each dog is individual. Yes learning processes are the same, and principles are the same... but it doesnt mean there is just ONE way for every dog. Dog's have different genetics, different experiences, hecne different dogs require different handling techniques.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Agree with you there. I can use a flexi for Britches or Bruce as they will walk by my side with a regular lead or a flexi and if they did pull - well, it wouldn't be the end of the world at 10kgs. However for the Mals at 57kgs I cannot control them comfortably or manage the massive platic handle which is like a mini handbag, lol.

I'm def not a flexi lead person at all, especially with the big dogs.


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## kaisa624 (Mar 5, 2010)

Holly has a flexi, but it's only used if she's coming into season, or if we don't want to let her off, and she can have some freedom, otherwise she is on her harness and 6ft lead, or her slip.


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

Congratulations to those who do manage to avoid young dogs learning to pull on Flexi's and who avoid their dog walking unpredictably at end of the line. Flexi's can be used well, but ...



Nellybelly said:


> So, it seems *felxi leads only teach your dog to pull if the dog is not taught how to walk properly on a normal lead first*.
> 
> I just find many people (including on this forum), are against flexi's because they teach yor dog to pull, but it is not that simple


There's more reasons than that, this web page explains many Why I Hate Flexi-Leads « Smartdogs' Weblog, reasons 2, 4 & 5 and 8 bother me.

Last experience with Flexi I had was a Spinone, which I recovered for Owners and asked them to toss me, my own training leads, but was thrown a rather heavy, clumsy box; which actually meant as I trotted their dog back to loving care of Mum & Dad, exacerbated a wrist sprain I've been carrying last few months.

*I really cannot understand why people think these infernal devices are convenient, sensible and easier than a longish webbing line!* Just because more ppl use them, doesn't really make them the best product.

Here's a few Incidents I've seen in last few months.

A dog run across path suddenly, with trailing line to be hit by a cyclist.

A reactive Westie going nuts back and forth behind their "loving" owner who was busy on something more important like an iphone and didn't notice their dog was now a hazard.

Larger dogs, the locking mechanisms seem to be a weakness, so the dog unexpectedly bolted when it's shortish length was sprung.

Owners trailing many feet behind their dog, pulling back, whilst dog was having a nose-nose greeting encounter, turning towards aggression.

Frustrated owner, sitting her dog down, whilst other dogs passed and then hit it with the Flexi-lead box.

The simple fact is, when I'm weighing up passing dogs with few to precautions, Flexi leads are a hazard factor. Quite often they're a sign of complacent or inexperienced owners, and dogs under poor control.

My parents follow on dog, to the one I trained as young teenager to LLW with normal lead, was taken on Flexi and pulled for years after so vigorously it deterred people from walking him. Despite this being the first dog they took to training classes, to benefit from professional help; this kindly resulted in use of "choke chain" so the poor dog was strangling itself for the first hour or two of on leash walks. Once ingrained and without benefit of something like a front clip harness system, it took me a lot of effort to reduce it to acceptable levels.

If you look around, whilst walking your dogs, you'll see plenty of dogs that surge forward or dash about oblivious to their handler, walked on Flexi leads; these people are however very unlikely to post in this forum thread.


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## Nellybelly (Jul 20, 2009)

RobD-BCactive said:


> Congratulations to those who do manage to avoid young dogs learning to pull on Flexi's and who avoid their dog walking unpredictably at end of the line. Flexi's can be used well, but ...
> 
> There's more reasons than that, this web page explains many Why I Hate Flexi-Leads « Smartdogs' Weblog, reasons 2, 4 & 5 and 8 bother me.
> 
> ...


I do see the point you are trying to make.

But having just used the flexi again this morning on our walk, I really find it very useful. We did also go to some fields for proper off lead dashing, but some areas were very near the road so we used the 8m flexi. don't think they suit all dogs and/ or owners, but worked perfectly for us. Bella could sniff without me having to stop, she could go a bit ahead if something interested her, on the road walking part the flexi was locked and she walked perfectly to heal, and off lead was off lead which is always great and most fun. We could have done the walk without the flexi, but it did make some parts of it a little more fun where there was no need for a short lead, but a little too near main roads for off lead.

And in defense of the flexi, a few friends of mine use them very successfully with their dogs, and they are especially useful for dogs that can't go off lead. A long line is heavier, bulkier and messier (albeit safer) and is actually a turn off for a few people (rightly or wrongly)...so the flexi gives that tiny bit more freedom for dogs which dont get to go offlead (belonging owners reluctant to use long lines)


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## Fleur (Jul 19, 2008)

My dogs pull unless they are wearing slip leads.
I use flexi leads with their harnesses to give them some freedom to explore when I am on a walk that is not suitable to let them off lead.
I am always watching them - if we see another dog, cyclist, family etc they are bought in to a short lead until we pass.
I've never tried teaching them to walk on a loose lead on a flexi as there is resistance and they constantly need to put some pressure on the lead to extend it.


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

Nellybelly said:


> But having just used the flexi again this morning on our walk, I really find it very useful. We did also go to some fields for proper off lead dashing


I'm sure and I'm happy with all that. I see plenty of appropriate uses to, it's just perhaps unfortunate, that so many puppy owners start out with them, and then find they have an issue. Mainly effects medium & large, high energy breeds with a lot of go, I guess as few ppl seem to worry about small dogs pulling.

I just hope you understand, why they frustrate me; they're often misused. I am seeing rescue dog initially dog friendly, due to passivity and a flexi lead, gradually get more dog aggressive. The handlers just are not in a position to turn the dog round, began by yelling and pulling back when they were nervous, and they're using it to "manage" a situation, rather than really work on recall and training with a perceptive strategy. The dog's been set up to fail, I could see it a few weeks after first meeting it and over period of months, see the slow (and uncessary) escalation.

And your taking into account of environment is great, last week away, I saw lots of Westies & JRTs, and they were mostly off leash, and behaving great. Where I walk, those kinds of dogs are diverted by squirrels, rats and such, so most owners haven't a solid recall and use (mostly) Flexi-leads as a result. Actually most of the users of them, just seem on auto-pilot, and give very little thought to the situation around them, seemingly suprised by problems which were totally foreseable.

I don't agree with convenience factor, I can have hands free umbilical round my waist, and *because* we trained our dog, he's actually safe on the cheapo thin "puppy training lead" used as an extension. It gives plenty of freedom, for semi-confined situations and most of time with dog off leash, I am simply wearing the lead, which means I *never* lose it or fumble hurrying to get it out of pack. I also use same lead for a Sheepdog style game of tug which I can entertain (and train) the dog whilst riding a cycle. Flexi lead big fail for me and I'm not looking forward to handling the GR on damn thing over the next week helping Owner whilst away, last time we found it clumsy, dodgy locking mechanism and less practical. If I don't use it, it's still dead weight that I'm likely going to have to drop off somewhere, though perhaps my wrist problem might work as an excuse, after first trip


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## Statler (Jan 3, 2011)

flexi leads like most things can be either useful additions or can be a problem.

i dont believe they teach a dog to pull, but i would never use one for the simple reason that if a dog is a puller and you are trying to teach loose lead work, why confuse the issue of saying to the dog, sometimes i want you at heel but sometimes its ok to walk in front, it just blurs the area. if my dog is on a lead it needs to know that it should be at heel.


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## keirk (Aug 9, 2010)

IMO there are couple of reasons they are so popular - but mainly they 'allow' pulling (I'm sure they dont 'teach' pulling - all dogs will pull if not shown otherwise but they do a good job of reinforcing it on a variable reinforcement schedule) while making being towed along a little more comfortable for the human. 

I'd never use one - not least because they cost like 40 quid. Teach a dog walk on a loose lead and come back and you'll probably never need one.


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## Colette (Jan 2, 2010)

Our first bichon Tilly was always walked on a flexi with a normal harness - kept locked short when road walking, and extending in the park etc.

We never had a problem with her pulling - she walked to the end opf the lead and stopped there - whether that was 3 foot of lead or 20, once she realised how long it was she remained within that limit so it stayed slack (as slack as it can if that makes sense, but totally slack when locked).

Admittedly Tilly had appalling recal until she was an oldie, which is why we used the flexi - but it certainly never caused or encouraged her to pull.


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## 912142 (Mar 28, 2011)

My two have loads of free walking mainly in the countryside but they are on leads going back to the vehicle and obviously when we are in town and only ocassionally will they pull. I just stop for a moment and then walk on - seems to work. 

Don't use a flexi (2 Great Danes) - I use a clip on lead and have a spare slip over lead as a standby. I am currently introducing haltis to them.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

I dont tolerate a dog pulling on the lead. You have to teach them not to which usually only takes a few consistent lessons. Because I live on a farm my dogs are not walked much and Toffee is a bit of a pest on the lead but if she was walked a couple of times a day she would be walking well within a few days.
Candy never pulls and she is on a flexi lead on walks where Toffee is loose because she can be bad at coming back. I would much rather use a flexi lead on her than a long lead because it can retract so there is never a lot of loose lead around to trip over.
I would never use a flexi lead to train a dog to walk to heel and I would never use it to walk the dog 'on the lead'. I feel its only use is what it was designed for, to let a dog that is not safe off the lead have a bit more freedom on walks.


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## Guest (May 5, 2011)

I use a flexi-lead and my dog doesn't pull, except when she sees a dog which we are working on. I use it along with a normal short lead and a long line, depending on what suits the circumstances best - road walking on the short lead, long line for when she's on a long walk and can't be off lead for whatever reason, and flexi for quick walks and toilet stops.

The flexi has actually helped her to walk better - I used to just use a short lead when I now use a flexi, and she would get very frustrated that she couldn't go at her own pace and move around where she wanted. The flexi gives her a bit of freedom and so no longer has 'tantrums' where she'll refuse to move!

She knows how to heel and does when asked, but her general walking on a short lead is much better due to the use of the flexi.


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## Irish Setter Gal (Mar 17, 2011)

Whether they are likely to encourage a dog to pull or not, they are simply not safe enough to consider using (IMHO).

I have heard too many stories of them snapping under a sudden 'run' by the dog and yes have heard, separate instances, of two dogs being hit and killed by cars as they took their owners by surprise and ran/walked (yes one did as owner was distracted) across roads.

I believe they only serve to encourage pulling as the dog doesn't learn to walk properly to heel , better off using a long line if you need to let them run 'free but tethered'.


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## arlow (Apr 20, 2011)

Irish Setter Gal said:


> Whether they are likely to encourage a dog to pull or not, they are simply not safe enough to consider using (IMHO).


Not for the faint of heart:
Retractable leashes pose problems for people and their pets


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## Irish Setter Gal (Mar 17, 2011)

arlow said:


> Not for the feint of heart:
> Retractable leashes pose problems for people and their pets


Reads like a horror story  Have had the painful experience of having one wrapped round the back of my legs by somebody else's dog that had determined that he was going to greet my dogs regardless of what his owner thought - ouch


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

So the cord ones are positively dangerous. Some are like thin tape or light webbing and are more graspable, the problem is though, the animal's guardians (heheh) seem conditioned to passivity, they just hold the box and tend to be too far away to intervene in a timely manner.

For example, I noticed some not right non-greeting behaviour in place of greeting (Flexi leaded dog on bank, with my dog off leash in water). I peered over edge and spotted some food floating in the water, which both dogs were likely aware of long before I was.


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