18/06/2024
After just being tripped up and falling to the floor yesterday when a dog darted in front of me from a pavement cafe I could not agree more.
Bilbo’s Bandanas promotes using a short lead for general dog walking, every time
𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗜 𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗔𝗡 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗔 𝗗𝗢𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗬 𝗖𝗔𝗥
The dog was being walked on a pavement next to a road....
On a retractable lead
The dog suddenly leapt into the road
Luckily due to my lightning reflexes ⚡ I swerved my car just in time
Thankfully there was no other vehicles coming towards me in the opposite direction. Thankfully as I was able to swerve rather than suddenly brake I avoided the possibility of the car behind colliding with mine
There could have been 1 dead dog, a devastated owner, a traumatized me (and other driver) and two damaged cars. All because someone chose to use a retractable lead next to a road
I'm shaken
The owner got angry with his dog and gave it a big tug with the lead and shouted. I understand the frustration, especially when a dog that usually keeps to the pavement suddenly does the unexpected, but the dog didn't deserve a telling off because the dog was just being a dog
This could have been avoided by clipping the dog onto a short lead
Now I'm not against retractable leads unlike most dog professionals. I do actually think they a few specific and appropriate uses. But we must put safety first and consider others around us
A retractable lead is not the right lead choice while walking along the pavement. If you use the extension of the lead in an open area then you need to carry the retractable lead with you, and attach your dog onto a short lead while you walk to that destination.
PLEASE if you use a retractable lead, you need to do a quick risk assessment. Is the environment an appropriate place to use this lead? What could go wrong? If you are near a road then the answer is no and you could be risking your dog's life
There are people that will be reading this that will think it won't happen to them and that I am being dramatic. Surely nobody thinks it'll happen to their dog? Nobody attaches their dog to a retractable lead, walks near a road and expects their dog to jump into oncoming traffic
I actually know two dogs that lost their lives by being hit by cars due to inappropriate use of a retractable lead. Those people didn't think it would happen to them either.
The truth is this can happen to any dog. Dogs are unpredictable, even he most 'obedient' and well trained dog. The dog I nearly hit today was simply SNIFFING something interesting in the road
No dog is a robot
Dogs get startled
Dogs instincts take over
Don't risk it. Not only is it not fair on your dog to put them at risk like this, it is not fair for road users
