Is it a bad idea to have my dog on a 16ft. Retarctable leash at the beach, should I have him on a standard leash? I like the retractable because it gives him more freedom, and he doesn't pay attention to or bother the people around us.

No problem as long as someone is there to watch him. You know those types of leashes can amputate a digit if the leash gets wraped around it... humans or the animal itself. So just do not leave him alone while he is hooked up to this leash.

You need to check with the town the beach you are visiting is in, some don't allow retractable leashes or leashes over six feet. Aside from that, if your dog is accustomed to that sort of leash and you ensure he won't be bothering other beachgoers, there shouldn't be a problem. FYI, though, sand tends to jam up the retracting mechanism, the life of the leash might be significantly shortened.

We do have a lot of piping plover(a bird that is mostly extinct) but on the signs that say the rules it says have your dog on a leash at all times. There is nothing
Concerning the length of the lead.

If it is a busy beach, I doubt that they will permit a 16 foot leash because of the tripping hazard but I could be wrong.

We do have a lot of piping plover(a bird that is mostly extinct) but on the signs that say the rules it says have your dog on a leash at all times. There is nothing
concerning the length of the lead.

This does change things. The idea of having the dog on a leash is to be in control of its actions. So, you can have a 16-foot leash, but only if you stay at least 17 feet from the piping plover nests. And since those are ground nesters, it's going to be hard for you to see where they are at that length. So I'd go with a shorter leash, especially when in the nesting area.

Thanks, if I do let him on the long leash I'll try to stay close to the water.

A lot of times the signs don't publish the leash length restrictions; the town we vacation in doesn't. You'd have to check with the Chamber of Commerce for exact rules (you can probably read it on the web).

If it's an especially dog friendly place, you'll probably be OK keeping him on the long leash close to the water, but remember if you let him swim he might get tangled up. This can be dangerous not only for the dog, but also for you if you have to go play lifeguard! The place we go they are pretty lax on the leash laws, especially if your dog is well behaved and sticks close to you. Unless the beach is empty we keep ours on leash unless she's swimming, and when she's in the water we make sure to stick close to her so she won't bother anyone. Most people get a kick out of watching a dog ride the waves; we've never had a problem. Even the lifeguards have smiled and waved on their way past!

You sound like a pretty reasonable pet owner, I'm sure you'll do the right thing based on the number of people around and your dog's personality! :) Enjoy your trip!

Thanks