Cetacea Mini Coil Jog Leash 3ft to 8ft

I'd had it with traction leashes, most which are 16' long... too long for my 2 small Bichons on city sidewalks. Also, traction leashes (any make) seemed to only last about a year before they'd break in some way... too expensive to replace so often. Didn't want standard 6' leashes either, because I do like to let my dogs wander & sniff a bit when it's safe for them to do so. Shopped around until I found these bungee style leashes that stretch to 8' & don't drag the ground. PERFECT !! ... so I thought. White Dog Bone Co. had the best price, so ordered 2. Having used them a couple weeks now. They seem durable and do what they're advertised to do... stretch & retract 3' to 8', just the right lengths for my 2 small dogs on city sidewalks. I'm sure they'd also be great for jogging... if I were still a jogger. However, for general dog walking, they have one very big drawback... If a dog is getting into something they don't belong in, or worse, bolting off the sidewalk into traffic, there's no convenient, expedient way to pull the dog back. There's no lock like a traction leash, and once the dog is more than about 5' away from me, I'm not as in control as I sometimes need to be. If one simply pulls on the leash to pull the dog back, the leash just stretches to it's max length... It stretches whether the dog is pulling on it or I am. On the occasions I've needed to pull one or both of my dogs back quickly, I've had to lunge forward, grab the leash about 2-3' from the dog's collar, then pull them back. As one of my dogs is a little hyperactive & routinely in need of being redirected or corrected, this reaching in order to pull & avoid further stretching of the leash, or quickly wrapping the leash around my hand to shorten it, has proven to be an annoyance, and occasionally dangerous. I'll continue to use these leashes because of their positive points, but will use them with caution. However, next time I'm in need of new leashes, it's unlikely I'll buy this type again. They're fine for walks in more open spaces... Not so great in areas where one needs to keep the dog relatively close & fairly tightly under control.