Numpties are out in force today!

I usualy take my dogs out separately as I can do a little bit of training when out with them. This morning, I took out Yiannis and Jenzi together only to be accosted (well I wasn't but the dogs were) by 2 young children.

It was a normal, "boring" street walk as I'm off to my Mom's soon and I wanted to make sure they all got to go out but couldn't let them have the usual couple of hours in the park.

I turned a corner to see 2 children playing outside on the other side of the road. Nothing wrong with that (other than when I was little I wasn't allowed out on Xmas Day). Both of them ran across the road in front of me (fortunately there's weren't any cars about) and came running towards me. I shouted to them to stop but they carried on until they were right up against the dogs. Jenzi was up on her back legs by this point trying to lick them to death and Yiannis was pulling in the other direction trying to get away. So whilst attempting to not have my shoulder joints puled out of place I told the kids who were about 10 years old I think that they could easily have been bitten badly by one or both of the dogs.

The one cheeky little sod decided to point out that Jenzi was kissing him. I told him he was very lucky and had it been a different dog it could have been a taste before a bite rather than a "kiss". They weren't rude in any way but I don't expect to be answered back by a child and certainly not where my dogs are concerned.

I told them that was enough and I had to get them home. So we carried on with our walk, without further problems.

I then took Zane out on his own without any incidents.

Lastly I took Koda out and down the street I saw a man walking with a large long haired GSD off lead (on the street ). Dogs walking off lead on the street is a bugbear of mine, partly because of the potential for an accident to happen, for the dog to get hurt and is illegal anyway.

Koda could easily see the dog and owner as they were in front of us, even though he still has the buster collar on.
The other dog started to run towards us and the owner called it back, without success. I did think for a few seconds that it was the dog that had attacked Koda. Fortunately it wasn't and he did only want to play. God only knows what would have happened if it had been.

When I first brought Koda home he would lunge at other dogs up on his back feet, barking. With a little bit of work he now sits until I release him whenthe other dog has passed.

It was only a few seconds but seemed like ages before the owner caught up with his dog. At least he apologised too. Asked what had happened to Koda and after I told him I asked that he put his dog on lead which he did do.

Surely if you have a dog off lead and see that another dog has clearly been hurt in some way you would restrain your own dog somehow? Or am I being overly protective or just a nasty bitch? Or is this a numpty who is clearly thoughtless ona good day and thought nothing would happen as nobody would be out and about as it's Christmas?

Stll, all the dogs have had a short walk, without anything too bad happening and I'll take them out later to make up for them missing out.

I don't often have numpties approach me but maybe today it was my turn!

We only had the one - a silly woman with a small dog on a flexi. I saw her coming so turned into a space in front of a house (there were roadworks barriers making the pavement very narrow).
I put my 3 in a sit and watch me, because Prince has been getting a bit anxious when other dogs approach when he`s on lead so we`re working on it.
I held the Watch till she passed then released the sit - at which point the small dog shot back and started snarling on the end of its flexi as the silly woman strolled on.
But everyone else we met was lovely.
So I have learned not to release the sit until the dozy bint is well away.

we met NO-ONE, :

btw, why were you not allowed out on xmas day when you were young?

We were right out!

No you're defintely not a silly bitch! (or grumpy).

I hate dogs off-lead near roads too. We always cross over to put distance in between us and the off-lead dog as Izzy is fine and dandy off-lead with other dogs as is Parker but they can be a bit grumpy if another off-lead dog ran up to them when they are on a lead.

We saw the same scenario this morning. A man was walking an off-lead Springer spaniel on the main road through where we live. It is not a busy main road but still is the main road for the area.

Another man was talking to him and asked him about the dog as he didn't think he owned a dog to which he replied; "it's not mine it's my Son's and I'm looking after him for a few days"

I thought well I wouldn't want you looking after my dogs then if you let it off-lead near a road and it isn't even your dog! When we had paid dog and house-sitters they wouldn't let the dogs off-lead at all even on the heath near us as they were worried even though I said Parker was fine and very obedient. Fair enough-it's their responsibility and I just bought another long lead for whilst they had him to walk.

One of my neighbours has 2 collies they would follow him to the ends of earth if thats where he was headed without question and would never run off, they are from what I see 100% obediant and this dude is 81!!

They go on the same walk twice a day and have never had a lead on and they cross a busy road both times.

The dogs do the same for the wife and they certainly arnt numpties.

They have done this since I can remember he never raises his voice and has never had slap them about either to get them to follow ^__^

We always played out on Christmas day....same as they do here, I've even had one knocking my door today to show me his bike................bless him

As for no leads ....Bruce and Skye walk with no leads, they follow and don't care about other dogs either. Tess and Mojo stay on their leads as they are still learning about cars etc

If we all did the same I suppose we would be a boring lot

Personally I don't like to see dogs off lead on busy roads, however well trained/behaved they are. There is always that "first time" they may decide to dash across in front of a car to see a dog/cat/person or they might spook at something and end up in the road. It just really isn't worth it imo.

I have walked various of my dogs off lead on very quiet country lanes, but keep them just a couple of paces in front of me the whole time and recall immediately if traffic or other people come along.

I think especially after the incident with Koda you had every right to be concerned about the off-lead dog approaching you.

Totally agree about the kids too. Unfortunately when I was young, I would probably have been one of the children approaching your dogs as I always loved dogs, but would never have just charged up as these children did. Glad to hear your dogs were too traumatised.

Oh but, as usual up here, we saw no-one I was really tempted to blast off down to the beach at Dunbar again this afternoon, but the kids were too interested in playing with their new toys - boo!!!

My Mum and I went out with the boys, we saw 2 people with dogs in the distance, but didn't meet anyone

I went out with my Mum and our six dogs this morning on the beach and again a lead walk this afternoon. Saw loads of people this morning - all ours went off lead except big Dan and no issues with anyone or their dogs. The only person we met this afternoon was a tipsy young man who was a bit scared of the dogs but was very chatty and ended up stroking Keiko and Rio.

I wouldn't ever have a dog off lead near a road. It's against the law and not worth the risk IMO for the sake of a lead.