Walkydog Hands Free Bicycle Dog Leash

Rating: Two Paws

The Walkydog Hands Free Bicycle Dog Leash is a small clamp assembly that stays on your bike, consisting of a metal rod with a grip and an internal spring with a short leash and snap hook.

This product is very easy to use, looks pretty classy, and is very convenient. It seems to work on many bicycles that the Springer won't fit on. But I've had a few problems with it.

The first one broke after the first ride with my dog-who-pulls. The brass coupling (the company calls it the insert) at the bike end of the rod snapped off. After finding an email address that the company would respond to (the Contact us form on their page got no response) the company was prompt in supplying a replacement Walkydog....which broke in the same manner as the first. This time they sent me a "heavy duty" insert, and that one has been just fine, though the whole process took around three to four weeks to resolve.

They also indicated that this was a very unusual situation...but as it happened twice to me, with the same part breaking in the same place under normal usage (I explained to them exactly the circumstances involved, and they did not find user error.)

The only problem I'm having now is that the whole assembly will twist on my bike when the dogs pull forward. I ended up attatching it to the seat tube instead of the seat post. When anchored to the seat post, the whole seat would turn, making for some uncomfortable riding. With only two small-ish screws to hold the clamp on the bike, I can't tighten it further, so I just push it back into place.

I have also heard from another Walkydog user that theirs was broken upon arrival. They contacted me in hopes of getting a way to contact the company, because the company was not responding to the one found on their page.

Bottome line - it's a very good idea, very well designed, mostly well constructed, but I wouldn't really recommend it until they actually respond to messages sent from their own "Contact Us" form and other email addresses found on their site. If you need a product of this type, and the Springer won't work on your bike, this might be worth a shot.

This product should also be used only with a harness, and not with a collar, to avoid choking if something goes wrong.

(Reviewed by Amy)

Flexi Leash Review 1

Rating: 2 paws


The Flexi-Leash is made by Flexi USA. Flexi is the most well-known brand of retractable leash on the market and if you haven't used one you have probably at least seen them in use. The Flexi model reviewed here is the Flexi 3-8, 26 ft. leash.

These leashes can be hard to get used to. They are not for everyone/everydog. The first time I took my dog out using the large flexi-lead, the dog had more control than I did. One of the problems with these leashes is that your dog feels like he or she is off-leash and may start running around like a maniac (don't all dogs do that off-leash?)

If they get to the end of the leash, and you're not ready for that, the leash may leap out of your hand, and the dog really will be off-leash. Although it says it won't tangle, your dog can probably find a way to tangle you up with it, and it can be a tripping hazard for people.

This leash is not really good for training or walking most dogs. However, it can be good if you're taking your dogs somewhere like the beach and want to give them more freedom without letting them off leash completely.
Use with caution.

(Reviewed by dog owner Kerri K.)

The Flexi can be purchased from most chain pet stores or online at Amazon.com

IndestructaBALL

Rating: 1/2

The IndestructaBALL is a nearly indestructable hard plastic ball made by Canine Capers. This ball comes in three sizes. The claim that this is nearly indestructable seems to be pretty solid. The larger, red ball has been used in zoos for wild animals and even held up well in those sitations from what I can tell.

Unfortunately, many dogs may not enjoy this toy because it is made of a very hard, unyielding plastic. This is the main "down side" to the toy. It cannot be chewed up, but it is not fun to chew either, which turns many dogs off. It is also very noisy on hard floors and can cause damage if used indoors. My terrier enjoyed the medium-sized blue ball as a toy to bat around with his paws, but I was only able to let him play with it outside. The large-sized red ball includes a "plug" which you can remove and add sand or water to the inside so that the ball will move in an odd way, which some dogs enjoy.