The terrors of the towpath – I’m screechless

Nov 5, 2016 by Elizabeth 4 Comments

I went for a walk when the rain stopped. I went along the canal path which is my favourite flat-walk.

It’s everyone else’s too. Cyclists, dog walkers, disableds, kids in prams, kids on skateboards, just kids and every Tom, Dick and Harry. But its a dangerous place!

First off, the cyclists belt along it and very few of them alert you by ringing their bells. For dog walkers, it means extra attention at all times in case this situation happens.

Today I had a right royal squabble with those dog people who just let their dogs run free. I’ve spent many a post here, expressing my disapproval of THEM. But today was truly scary.

Little Bobby-the-dog and I were happily walking when in the distance I spied two middle-aged people coming towards  us with a HUGE loose Alsatian. Suddenly the brute detaches itself and makes a beeline for us at rapid speed. (Imagine here, a wolf coming in to attack – menacing, intent, terrifying.) I yell “Put your dog on the lead”

No response from m-a couple.

I yell “Call your dog back!”

No response from m-a couple.

I flap my hands at our attacker and screech “Go AWAY, GO AWAY!!!!!!”

M-a couple attempt to recall their brute

No response from terrifying creature intent on smelling my dog’s bottom.

I hear an angry shout from m-a couple who are now nearer. I see she has very strange opaque-white eyes. “It’s a guide dog and they are entitled to run free you silly woman” yells the man.

I snap “Well, how the hell could I know that? And anyway, you have no idea how frightening your loose dog is for other people, when you made no effort to call it back!”

Further altercation ensued until the man called his brute away from sniffing Bob’s bot, and I could pull the now snarling Bob away down the path.

I observed that my dog might attack their dog and I wanted the two away from each other.

The opaque woman snapped “Well that’s YOUR problem then!” And we all flounced off in our different directions.

Guide dog? Guide dog my arse! Guide dogs are surely trained not to break loose to investigate the bums of the first dog they see in the street? Guide dogs are obedient? Surely? Guide dogs should come when they are called? Guide dogs wear harnesses. When guide dogs are working, they are not even “free”.

And guide dogs off-duty, should be on leads just like any other bloody dog.

Tell me I’m right.