Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

I well believe how you coped with the situation Mups.
It's not happened with a dog with me, but with a friend who cut her leg badly. I cannot handle the sight of blood, to the point where I black out.
The day my friend fell and cut her leg on a broken bottle, I got it wrapped, got her to the hospital, stayed with her while it was cleaned and stitched up. Then when we were finally leaving the hospital, I fainted!!
Ended up on bloomin' hospital bed meself!
Adrenalin is an amazing thing!

I don't know if it's true, but I can also believe that dogs
can feel their mum's emotions while still in the womb.
They can sense our emotions when they're out of it.
It's definitely food for thought!

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

Our walks are so often spoilt by unruly dogs off the lead, it takes away any pleasure for us.

Our dog before this one was attacked on two different occasions by much bigger dogs and both times the owners reckoned their dog was playing and under control. This despite blood oozing from our dogs back.

I’m really fed up with irresponsible dog owners.

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

It's a real shame to be nervous about taking your dog for a walk because of irresponsible dog owners. Not just for other people and their dogs but for the safety of your own dog.

I'm sure most people will remember, a couple of years ago, maybe a little longer, a story that hit the headlines of a German (I think) tourist who jumped into a rough sea to save a little dog that had fallen in. I think it was at Blackpool. What amazed me was the owner of the little dog said he was blind and fell over the edge of the promenade. The woman owner was getting lots of sympathy and quite frankly I couldn't understand why. Who in their right mind would have a small blind dog running off lead on a promenade with a very rough sea right at the side of them? That is not only irresponsible, it is criminal, at least in my view.

Letting dogs meet when on a lead can at least be controlled. Either the dogs are going to be happy to greet each other or they are not, in which case they are kept apart before any damage is done.

Even large friendly dogs can inadvertently cause damage to smaller dogs.

All the new laws that have come in here, and are still coming in, have made a difference. Of course there will always be those who take no notice of any law, but they do seem to be working quite well, at least around here.

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

Being nervous as I have been since our late Mollie was attacked by that staffie mastiff cross has had an effect on Elsie lab and Betty chi, Elsie is far more nervous than she should be I think she feels the nerves down the lead, consequently my husband walks her as he isn't so afraid and gives her his confidence. Betty is a flighty little thing, I taught her before the attack to ignore other dogs and that was great until the attack now she knows I'm nervous so ignores dogs fine but if they approach she would take their noses off given a chance.

When people say to me their monster just wants to play I always think can't they see mine don't they are scared and just want to be left alone ?

The oh he's never done that before idiots annoy me too, if I believe that half the dogs in any area only try to attack my dogs no one else's !

When you ask around they are usually well known as biters. So why do they allow them off lead to harm other dogs ?

Some people shouldn't be allowed a dog if they aren't willing to be responsible for the good and the bad and won't at least try to keep everyone safe.

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

I told my dogs some people said they would have to stay on the lead in future. They were not amused.

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

I think they're pretty happy!
Great shot!

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

At the end of the day, you have to use your loaf, and proceed in a way you know is safe according to where you live.

That is a nice happy picture BoxerBoy, but sadly we don't all live on the coast, and have a beach where dogs are allowed.

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

I agree Mups, I'm sure where you live is an important factor in owners decision making. I am fortunate that dogs running free on the beach and in the countryside is just normal. I'm sure there are many places where this is not wise.

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

We walk mostly between a motorway M3 and the A30 which forms a triangle with a mass of fast roads. A lovely common but very few areas I'd feel it was far enough from traffic to let mine off, or we go to the army land where you have to keep to paths or you could step on abandoned ordinance. One of mine years ago picked up a grenade ! That was scary.

I'd say no one should let dogs off leads in those areas. Your beach looks lovely but I'd have to drive a couple of hours to get to one.

Re: Another good reason to keep your dog on a lead

Dont you see that to a child, or a nervous adult, or a small dog, they look threatening?