Would you say anything..or mind your own business???

[Tizzy01]

A young couple in my village have a beagle (young one I think) and they walk it around the village without a lead. Whenever I see them they are on the side of the main road that runs through the village and the dog doesn't pay a blind bit of notice to them. More than once it as crossed the road alone, with them just pathetically calling it to come back.
I have visions of the poor thing getting squashed on that road. Would you say anything, or should I just mind my own business??

 

[mattilda]

I'm afraid I would have to say something. Maybe something along the lines of... be careful he doesn't get run over this road is so busy. He might be better on a lead.

 

[Tizzy01]

Yep, I was thinking something along those lines. People are usually friendly in my village so hopefully I won't get a mouthful of abuse

My dog always comes back to me but I still don't have her off the lead on a road. All it takes is a cat or rabbit on the other side and most dogs would be off!

 

[Booboos]

Maybe if you start a conversation by saying what a lovely dog he is, people are always pleased when you praise their dogs and then slip in something about how busy the road is getting and then mention the lead!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yes, I would say something, just like 'watch out for that car!' or something. Booboos is much more diplomatic than me...

I have been known to wave my arms like a lunatic yelling 'CALL YOUR DOG!!!' to random people on the beach when their dog is charging towards mine off lead.
(I don't want theirs to get hurt by mine, which is still highly likely ATM

)

 

[Oneofthepack]

I would be even less diplomatic and say 'that dog will cause an accident that could kill someone, and him, if you don't put it on a lead or train it properly'! Assuming you don't ever want to bestest buddies with these people of course

 

[GinaB]

I would be less kind and say something along the lines of 'Are you bl**dy f**kwits?! Your damn dog is gonig to get run over or cause an accident'

But then I do like to be straight to the point

 

[Booboos]

I think the problem with being direct to the point of being rude is that you might put these people's backs up and then they will just ignore you and keep on letting their dog of the lead. The most important thing is to persuade them to walk their dog safely and they are probably more likely to listen if you try to make friends with them first.

 

[Oneofthepack]

[ QUOTE ]
and they are probably more likely to listen if you try to make friends with them first.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd find it much harder to criticise a friend about the dog than a random person I don't care about. In fact have seriously fallen out with someone I thought of as a friend because I did exactly that

 

[samstar]

I lost my beautifull collie when I was 16, she'd been taught to heel off the lead when walking up our high street.
She was brilliant, would not leave my heel when other dogs were walking by, until one evening she saw a friend(dog) who she loved on opposite side of road, well you can guess what happened. I have never had a dog of mine off a lead since then, it can happen to even the most well trained dogs.

R.I.P jay x