The Fida Mars Heavy Duty Retractable Dog Leash is the Mars series — a rounded two-tone housing with a soft-covered grip, in four sizes from a small dog up to a large one.

Key Features

• Quick-lock thumb brake that locks, pauses and releases one-handed
• Soft-covered ergonomic grip, which is the part that matters on a long walk
• 360-degree anti-twist inlet, so the tape feeds and retracts without winding up on itself
• Rustproof swivel hook that turns with the dog instead of twisting the tape
• Fida rates the series to 50 kg (110 lb) at the largest size and says the spring is tested past 30,000 retraction cycles
• Fida states the range is UL certified and meets CPSIA and California Proposition 65 requirements
• Available in white, red or blue

Size Guide

• XS — 3 m (10 ft) of tape, dogs up to about 12 kg (26 lb). Housing roughly 9 x 8.5 x 3.5 cm
• S — 5 m (16 ft), dogs up to about 15 kg (33 lb)
• M — 5 m (16 ft), dogs up to about 25 kg (55 lb)
• L — 5 m (16 ft), the largest in the series, rated by Fida to 50 kg (110 lb)
• Size up if your dog pulls. The rating assumes a dog walking rather than hitting the end of the tape at speed

Using A Retractable Lead Safely

• Never grab the tape to reel your dog in. Nylon tape under load gives friction burns, and this is the most common injury associated with retractable leads
• Keep it locked short near roads, car parks and blind corners. A dog can be several metres ahead before your thumb reaches the brake
• Do not let go of the handle. A dropped handle retracts noisily and chases the dog, and a frightened dog then runs
• Clip it to a well-fitted harness rather than a collar. A dog hitting the end of a long lead at speed puts a hard jolt through its neck
• A retractable lead gives a dog freedom. It does not give you recall — that still has to be trained

Good To Know

• The certifications Fida quotes cover materials and labelling. They are not a rating for how hard a dog can pull
• Check the tape and the hook regularly for fraying or cracking, and retire the lead once either shows wear. Retractable leads fail at the tape, not the housing
• Do not let a dog chew the tape. A partly chewed tape can fail under load without warning
• Many UAE communities require dogs to be leashed in public areas. A long lead is not the same as an off-lead dog, but it can look like one
• A white housing shows every mark. Worth knowing before you choose the colour