for those of you with pets...

[perelaar]

Keep them inside, or on a leash when out walking in the fields/forests!

Double story from yesterday: while out deerstalking I saw a little group of roe deer running wild, with a barking dog in pursuit. Owner shouting a few hundred yeards behind that... No way (most) pet dogs can catch any of them, but chances are the deer are chased onto a road. In a few weeks the does give birth, and the little ones stay put all the time. So easy prey for a roving dog...

Then, on the way home, I found a dead cat on the road, in front of a house. Rang at the door, it was indeed their cat. Poor woman started crying even. Luckily they could see the cat was clean, and my T2 was very muddy, so it was clear I didn't do it. I alerted them because I know they have kids, and I wouldn't want a kid to see their dead kitty first thing in the morning on the way to school.

So, morale of the story: keep your cats inside, and your dogs on a leash.

[AlexD333]

Thats a shame

Still you did the right thing.

[firebobby]

I know a farmer who will shoot dogs if the owners let it off the lead and the dog worries his live stock.
We have a field of sheep opposite our house and there are signs up asking owners to keep dogs on the lead, most do...

[perelaar]

Shooting a dog here in Belgium will land in you in lots of unpleasant trouble! In Germany though the law allows shooting dogs chasing wildlife or cattle, owner present or not.
Not my cup of cake, if I see the owners next time I'll have a quiet word with them, works out far better in the long term. Anyway, they were out walking their dogs in the rain, so they must be good folks

[Fez_uk]

The amount of dogs escaping from peoples gardens or on walks around here really pisses me off. Everyday on facebook I see, "Just found this dog running free on the road, any idea who's it is?" etc .

Can't people be responsible for their dogs!?

Farmers around here will shoot them too.

[elty001]

Some people just think the rules don't apply to them.
Last weekend we where walking with the dog along cromford canal and it clearly states dogs to be on a lead.
Two posh ladies come along the other way with their dog running wild,jumping around and barking like mad at ours. I told them it clearly states dogs are to be on a lead and one of them pipes up oh we don't need to do that.
So I got on my high horse and gave her a piece of my mind.
if I hadn't got the kids with me I could have quite happily have pushed her in the canal
Just because she was upper class,snobby cow.

[perelaar]

My dogs behave better off leash than most other (small) breeds on a leash
Makes for some funny meetings with other dog owners!

[clivvy]

wish someone would tell this to the dipstick who lives down my road. He thinks he is some sort of king, strolls along, dogs in tow, no leads. In fact, he such a prick, he actually ran over his dog (because he drives up and down the road with the dogs following, so sure enough one day he run one over.

I took photos and videos of him doing it once, next time im reporting him though I haven't seen him with any dogs recently.

[johnb5177]

When I was working in UK, and managing a big estate, with sheep and cattle, it was a nightmare. We had so much public access, and not all of it controlled. Stock worrying was a daily episode.
We had to deal with dog walkers, that should not have been in charge of an ice cream.......and often, sadly the destructive effects of their uncontrolled dogs.
I have always had dogs and cats, as pets, friends and co workers, I had the most beautiful friendly.........and totally obedient, working collie, so I do not dislike dogs........just bad owners.........

[don simon]

As a cyclist i've had some very interesting conversations with irresponsible dog owners who have the ability to twist their understanding of the cyclepath rules. All dogs must either be on a lead or under control. A dog that runs infront of a moving cycle is NOT under control! Yet the owner will argue that they are and that I'm a selfish so and so for daring to ride on the cycle path. I often wonder how they'd react if I took the Terrano down the same paths.

[perelaar]

Totally agree with you! And for me, my dogs "under control, off leash" means both sitting (and remaining like that!) at heel, without whining or barking or straining to go.
On the leash does not equal under control though, for most people. To us, on the leash, there should be no pulling, no veering off the line I'm walking, no whining etc.
Basically, there should be no difference between on or off leash. Until I release them to roam free.

All that being said, I have to admit we're not perfect, and dogs remain living creatures with their own mind, not robots

[bry]

Our last dog was a Kennel registered full pedigree Rottvieller. That i trained.he would sit stay heel,leave.In fact he would obey any command i gave him ,apart from going to bed,lol.This was at the time when this breed of dog got the media name of a devil dog.
Any dog can be nasty and out of control.No such thing as a bad dog,just lazy owners.Oh and those drug dealers that train their dogs to attack..Rant over...

[Blocky10]

Originally Posted by perelaar

All that being said, I have to admit we're not perfect, and dogs remain living creatures with their own mind, not robots

I bike a fair amount of miles on marriotts way, which used to be a train line, and see plenty of dogs sometimes with their owners . 1 in particular is an old boy with 2 walking sticks and a whistle in his mouth. He has a lovely looking collie but it may as well be a robot cos as soon as he blows the whistle it drops to the floor watching and waiting for the next command. I asked if I could make a fuss of him and he said " e wunt eve no ya there boy"
At least that's what I thought he said cos he still had his whistle in his mouth..