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Location: Essex UK
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,424
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Dog walk dilemma. What would you do?
Walking yesterday I encountered a dog walk dilemma and as it has been bothering me all night, I thought I'd share... Long story, bear with me...
A young Jack Russell came running over the field to join with our pack and have a good romp and play. It was lovely really even Selkie seemed to get on with this feisty little boy. All my dogs are friendly and it's usually nice when Kismet gets to play with a dog closer to her own age. I kept looking up the path, but there was no sign of his owner. We were at the end of our walk and I began to head back to the car park, the little dog followed us. He was clearly in very good health and the tag on his sparkly red collar told me his name but nothing more. I hesitated and stayed on the field for a while longer but still no owner. I asked the other dog walkers on the field and they said he belonged to a man they had seen before, but none of us could see him.
We began to head back to the car, but still the dog stayed with us. The closer we got to the car park and the main road the more nervous I felt. All of mine were on leads by this point. The little dog was still bouncing around us. On to the field then came a woman with a couple of Lahsas the little dog ran over and began to play, but this time one of the Lhasas took offence and a dog fight ensued. The woman screamed at me to get my dog away and I tried to explain he was not mine. She was too scared to get into the fight, so in the end I did wade in and managed to break up the fight and this time when I let him go the little dog looked more warily at me and ran off up the field. Heading for his owner I assumed who by this time I could just about see at the top of the path, not looking worried, just wandering our way.
I got to the car and put the dogs in when suddenly I saw the little dog run straight across the carpark and out into the main road! A car had to screech to a halt. I screamed and had my heart in my mouth, the little dog just carried on running about in the road. I called his name, but he wouldn't listen. I grabbed Kismet out of the car and Pharaoh's lead and brought her to the edge of the road then ran away into the carpark with her. As I predicted he saw his erstwhile play mate and ran over. I grabbed him and put Pharaoh's lead on him. I waited in the car park for his owner who sauntered over as happy as you like and clearly thought the whole thing was a funny joke!
"Has he been naughty?" He asked? I explained the dog fight, the road, his almost accident, the man just laughed. "He never listens to me" He said cheerily. "I park my van over the road and he always just meets me there. He'll get himself killed one of these days!" It was clear he didn't care at all, that it was all a joke to him and that this was a regular thing for this little dog.
I saw him again today. There was almost a repeat, but this time I could see the owner and walked back to him and asked him to put him on his lead while I took mine back to the car. He didn't have a lead with im, but picked him up until I was about halfway down the path, then put him down again.
I can't think what to do. The dog is in good health and fit and the owner clearly loves him, just doesn't care about him. I keep thinking that next time I see him, if I can't see the owner. I'm not going to look for him. I'm going to take that little dog and put him in my car. Take him home, take his collar off and call the dog warden. Say I found him wandering in the road around the field. Maybe if he had to pay to pick him up from the pound he'll think twice and if he doesn't, well i know just the home for him. my aunt is looking for a little dog at the moment...
Too extreme?
What would you do?