Offlead on roads!

Carternm made me think of this.

Now, I don't personally like the idea of letting any dog offlead on a road. Maybe if I had a totally calm, placid, older dog, I may feel different but I don't know if I would.

There are some people who don't walk their dogs on a lead around us, they just let it follow or walk by their side. It makes me cringe in case something was to spook the dog, or they come across a dog that has got out and has no owner with it (yes there a few around us and they're not the friendliest dogs) but I think 'well they know their dog' and leave it. Afterall, it's none of my business really.

However - the other day I saw a man walking a border collie the other day, it only looked like a young dog and it was off a lead. It came walking up past us and Takara pulled on the lead to say hi (a friend and I were stood outside the park chatting).
Takara is not the most boisterous dog I know and she was very gently pulling towards this dog, not like some dogs I know. However, this border collie got really freaked and ran out into the road, the guy called it back and continued to walk it off lead

If Takara could freak this little dog out so much just by looking at it, surely it shouldn't be offlead when walking near roads?! It's not just that, I've seen him with it since and it doesn't seem to have much road sense. I wouldn't even dream of walking that dog near roads without it being on a lead, even if it walks better offlead, what if they came across a dog that actually tried to set it off? Takara and I have come across enough dogs that bark at her.

It drives me mad. The guy surely can't know his dog well enough?!

Phew rant over!

people walking dogs off lead near roads is my BIG pet hate - it's such a stupid thing to do! If your dogs under that much control wheres the harm in putting a lead on it?
Hxx

I was thinking about the same subject just yesterday. Molly gets off lead on the quite out of town bits but never where there is any volume of traffic.
The other thing that really bugs me, and I saw an example of it last night, are the people who chuck their dogs out of the car and then drive along with the dog running behind. I guess its some kind of exercise that doesn't involve the owner getting off their a***e!!! The other thing about this is that or course and poop gets left at the road side!!
Sorry had to join your rant.

I also don't think people who use extending leads - extended - are being sensible. Not long ago a friend of a friend was driving his van down a road, and there was a dog being walked on an extended lead quite a way in front of the owner. Sadly the dog was hit by a rear wheel after going in the road. I don't know about the injuries or anything, the driver was, and is, shaken up.

SHOCKING what goes through these owners minds, I would go frantic if one of mine went anywhere near a road they should be fined

we have a guy round here that walks his dog aggressive dog offlead and he is in one of those disabled buggy things...ive seen hima few times when out n about with my lot but luckily never 2 close up.a friend of mines dog has been attacked by this dog in her own front garden tho....this man cant even walk there is no chance of him being in control in a fight situation

phew! I thought someone would tell me I was overreacting! That's why I tried not to sound too OTT but as you all agree... it drives me mad!

Thing is, people can argue that their dog isn't good onlead, but then you just have to deal with it in my opinion, even if it misbehaves on a lead, offlead it could run into the road.

I actually know someone who lost their dog in the bushes where all the rabbit holes are (I think it's only Takara who doesn't go rabbiting in there!) in the local park and instead of waiting for her to come to him, he just left her and walked home.
Apparently she made her own way back (this includes crossing at least 3 busy roads) This dog is a rescue, they've only had her 6 weeks

It just winds me up so much and worries me, I mean, I drive up and down that road and it's parked up on both sides so you can't see a small dog on the pavement, I'd have no chance of stopping in time if one of these off lead dogs ran in front of me. And of course, I'd feel guiltier than the owner.

Ah, i remember the days when my parents dog used to hold my hand bag and walk cautiously with me down to the shops, there were no cares in the world then. Nowdays however, with the bunch of idiots in their 'done-up' Vauxhall Nova's speeding around their villiage i was scared to let the cats out!

Hence why we've mover to andover outskirts... ahh peace again....

I feel its MORE a shame that we cant have dogs off-lead becuase they turn all fields into industrial estates, all lanes into main roads, all parks into shopping centres. GIVE US OUR LAND BACK!

Not only is it not wise I think it is against the law of the land, talking the UK.

IT irritates me too - firstly due to the dog being freaked and running into the road - also sorry but its an inconvenience to other pedestrians having to dodge round a dog and also for people who dont liek or are scared of dogs its not pleasant havign a dog coming towards you without an owner - or with owner too far away to do anything.

I obviously get irritated by it due to bruno being bad with other dogs - If i see a loose dog - I will immediately cross over as its just not worth the hassle of that dog confrontin bruno with no owner to stop it. There is a guy roudn here who walks a golden retriever who is never on lead along the busy road to the park - he stands at the bottom of the park and just lets his dog do what it likes and then it returns to him and he walks it back to the house - he therefore never picks up after it. POint is though - what is the point in havign a dog if you dont interact with it ??