3rd time the charm?

So I'm onto my third very expensive retractable leash. I'm actually shocked at how much these things cost and I'm going through them nothing.... I've owned my dog for less than 4 months. She loves walking on the retractable and having that room to roam when I can let her - but really, $74 for a leash??

Leash #1 was a $14 Superstore special... they only had a medium (max dog weight 60lbs) and it was one of the ones with the narrow chord, rather than the wide ribbon. I knew nothing about leashes at the time. I did know that she would be bigger than "medium" at some point, but she was a 30lb puppy at the time so it did the job.

I bought leash #2 off the clearance table at our local pet store in July. It was regularly $59 but marked down to $34 and I got it for 50% of that.... so heluva bargain! I loved that leash - it was a large (up to 110lbs) and the ribbon type... save the chord burn on the legs or hands! But less than 2 months after purchase it stopped retracting. WTF? My, now 60lb, dog is no where near the maximum weight so her pulling on the end shouldn't have sprung it? I was so disappointed. But also too cheap to replace it when leash #1 was still around and serviceable.....

So leash #1 it's been for a while.

Until I figured out that one really does need to pay attention to pesky little details.... like "maximum weight" limits on things like retractable leashes. Maybe my dog actually weighs 62lbs now?

There I was, peacefully walking down the sidewalk, near dusk, with my happy-go-lucky chocolate puppy on the line... happily sniffing back and forth, exploring as far as the limits of the leash would allow...

And then came the squirrel.

Or maybe it was a cat.... or maybe just a wind-blown leaf - I really have no clue because I saw nothing before the STREAK of my dog bolting side-ways towards someone's back yard....

And felt nothing but the stinging pain of the lash as the chord snapped, whipped back and cut me across my ribcage.

I have new sympathy for all those people who've endured 40 lashes as punishment. Or 20. Or one. Hell, it's a really good thing we did away with the lash....

I squealed. Really loud. Or maybe it was more of a shriek. The pain took my breath away and almost made me cry.... and had it not been for the presence of my oldest boy pushing his sister in the stroller, I'm sure a few choice words would have passed my lips. (please forgive if some did, I have no recollection, I was in too much pain).

Owwww.

I will NEVER buy a chord retractable again.

The dog did not get to go for a walk for a couple of days after that.

And I couldn't put my arm down against my side for a day.

So, back to the leashes..... I took leash #2 back to the local pet store. They credited me towards a new RIBBON retractable. Made in Germany. Industrial strength. Maximum weight 130lbs. (who the hell would be brave enough to own a 130lb dog?? Yikes.) It was regularly $74 (and who the hell would pay $74 for a LEASH??), but it was on sale and with my credit for the defective leash #2, I got this bad-boy for $31. Sweet.

Here's hoping the third time's the charm.

(I almost typed "let's see the bitch break this one" but thought that would be tempting fate just a wee bit too much ;)