I nearly ran a Cocker Spaniel over this afternoon. It walking along a pavement on a flexi-lead, at full stretch - it darted into the road in front of me. There was pure panic in the owners, the lead-holder tried to pull it back - not happening with all that length. Luckily there was nothing coming the other way as I swerved across the road to avoid the dog! I wish people would use them properly if they have to use them. I was quite shaken up by it.
You poor thing! What a fright! I really can't understand why people let dogs have the full length of them by roads. There really is very little more simple than locking them off short. If you're not going to flex your flexible lead you might as well have a long line!
Terrifying - I hope you are OK. The same happened with my husband, without hid serve there would have been awful consequences.
How awful! The thought of what could have happened just doesn't bear thinking about...what is wrong with people??? And a spaniel...sigh..
People don't seem to understand that there is a locking device and lock the lead to a short length when on pavements!
I always have both leads with me. If it's near a road or very busy then I just use the normal short lead. It's just not work the risk. If we hit nice wide open spaces where I'd like Ella to have more freedom (but the annoying lead laws pre enter off-lead) then the flexi lead goes on but I always call her back and have her walk at heel past people.
Oh my gosh. Might as well not even have a leash on at all if they're going to let it full out along a road. Plus YOU could get into an accident by reflexively trying to avoid their dog.
Phew, close call. I always cringe when I drive past a dog on a Flexi at full length - what are the owners thinking? I'm like Emily - I walk Xena on her "pavement lead" and only switch to the Flexi when we're away from the road.
Hope you're ok. I can't think why anyone would extend a flexi lead when walking along a road or allow a dog to do anything other than walk to heal. As I was driving up to the town yesterday I passed an owner walking her Vizsla (I think) completely off its lead and no lead visible. It wasn't even walking to heal, although it stayed on the pavement. Another accident waiting to happen.
Oh gosh what a near miss! Very scary for everyone involved. I haven't seen anyone doing that but I do see people walking their dogs off lead walking down the road. Even if the dog is 99.999% reliable, there's always that chance that something out of the ordinary might catch its attention and cause it to dart into the road. Just not worth it at all.
I'm not surprised you were shaken up, very frightening incident. Not a huge fan of flexi leads myself and have assumed they were only used in 'off road' situations with dogs learning recall or with poor recall. Never thought anyone would use one near a road Thank goodness you were able to swerve, it doesn't bear thinking about what would have happened had there been a car coming in the other direction.
Have to say, I'm not a fan of this type of lead. In my experience they are often used by people that find it too much trouble to train their dog to walk nicely on a normal lead or have something else that they want to focus on (mobile, book, person walking with them). Glad you are ok Sue.
Good grief Sue how awful, I really hope you are OK. They deserved a piece of your mind but you must have been too shaken up. xxx
I wish I had stopped now but I think I would have been a gibbering mess. Hopefully the fright will be enough for them to lock the lead short when near roads in future.
