Every now and then I wonder if I'm just a little too outspoken for my own good. This is one of those times. I'll ask your forgiveness in advance, because some of my readers undoubtedly use the product in this article. If so, please know that I'm just the messenger!

The subject at hand: retractable leashes. These leashes extend far longer than traditional leashes – up to 26 feet! The mechanism by which they operate allows the person walking the dog to let the leash out to a desired length and then bring it back in as needed. They are absolutely everywhere these days. Sometimes it seems that good old 4- or 6-foot leashes are the exception rather than the rule. Why should I care about such a seemingly innocuous device? Well, I'll tell you why.

First of all, retractable leashes pose a very real risk to the people who use them. In 2007 there were 16,564 hospital-treated injuries associated with leashes, according to Consumer Union's analysis of statistics collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of those, about 10.5 percent involved children 10 and younger; 23.5 percent involved injuries to the finger. Some of these injuries included amputation and many, many more involved serious rope burns. A great majority of those accidents involved retractable leashes.

One of the most popular retractable leash brands has this warning on their website: "To avoid the risk of eye or face injury and cuts, burns, and amputations to your body or the body of another person from the leash … read and follow these warnings and directions for use before using." Additional warnings on the site go on for a couple of pages and include a note to never use the leash in or around infants or children.

In addition to the threats that these leashes pose to people, they also present risks for pets. Dogs can sustain many of the same injuries as people when they are tangled in the cords of the leash or when the leash snaps back too quickly. Of course, there is also the constant threat of losing control of a dog in a dangerous area. This could mean that the dog darts into the path of an on-coming car, gets entangled with another dog's leash, or wraps the cord around a passer-by on a busy sidewalk. There are also too many instances in which these leashes break because of incorrect use.

Another interesting note about these products is that they are absolutely detrimental when trying to instill good leash manners in a new puppy. They give far too much freedom and send the wrong message about who is in control at the other end of the leash. If walking a new puppy is still a bit of a struggle after attempting to train with a regular leash, I highly recommend the Easy Walk Harness, which is sold in most pet stores. This is a great product for training and for discouraging pulling for younger and older dogs.

So are these leashes out of the question for caring pet owners? Not necessarily. They should simply be viewed as a specific tool that can be used by an adult walking a dog to allow greater roaming in areas that are free of distraction, other dogs and traffic. In other words, they are best for use in open fields or are for wide, empty spaces. Otherwise, it's a good idea to stick with traditional leashes.

For those of you who rely on retractable leashes for your daily walks, please know that I'm not here to judge! It's just that warmer weather is on the way and many of you will be walking more frequently. What better time to put safety first?

Albert, a Jack Russell Terrier, is Chairman of the Board of Wylie Wagg, a shop for dogs, cats, and their people, in Middleburg, Fairfax and Falls Church.