damon

I am currently working really hard to recall train my dog. I am confident he would not harm anyone and is therefore not a risk off lead. He also does not behave in a remotely threatening manner (he tends to bounce towards people/ dogs when excited rather than run). I do have to let him off in order to train him (he has 100% recall on a long line/ in garden already) so it is the only way to progress. He has come on massively just this week with recalling when other dogs are around (I’m very proud of him).

I work hard to try to be aware of my surroundings, but it really doesn’t help when runners and cyclists come right up behind me without any effort to make their presence known, and thus startling me and the dog, and giving me no time to recall him. We all have to share these spaces, so a little consideration from all sides would be nice. I ran regularly before getting a dog and would never run up behind one that was not aware I was there… Self preservation…I have never been bitten.

Obviously having a dog off lead in a area signposted as dogs on leads only is completely different and the owner should follow the signs or go elsewhere.