An interview with Elaine, Basil and Sansa for Respect The Lead Campaign
For many dog owners, walk time should be a joy-a chance to explore, sniff, and socialise. But for others, like Basil’s owner, it’s become a stressful, carefully choreographed experience due to repeated encounters with off-lead dogs. In this Respect the Lead interview, we hear from a committed whippet owner whose experience highlights the emotional toll and ongoing risks faced by responsible owners of on-lead dogs – especially those recovering from trauma.
An interview with Elaine and whippets: Basil and Sansa
Zoe: SO, firstly, I would love to know more about your four-legged friend!
Elaine: Basil is a 3-year-old whippet. We rehomed him aged 6 months old; his previous home was on a remote farm. He is a friendly and loving boy and worships our older whippet, Sansa. He also gets on well with other dogs once introduced properly.
Zoe: Is this the first dog you have owned?
Elaine: No, Basil is our 5th whippet.
Zoe: Have you ever been personally affected by an on-lead/off-lead altercation?
Elaine: Yes, we struggle with this problem. Basil was untrained and not socialised before we rehomed him, so we initially kept him on his lead during walks. The plan was to get him settled and gradually let him off lead, as we have done with our other whippets. Sadly, this hasn’t happened. During his training period, Basil was attacked a total of 3 times and charged at while on his lead by dogs that were off their leads. The actual attacks came from dogs so far from their owners that they didn’t see what happened. Basil is now very reactive and cannot be safely let off lead as he is anxious and overwhelmed when outside.
Currently, our main concern is still the repeated incidents where owners allow their dogs to charge at Basil while he is on his lead. We’ve had training to help us fend them off to prevent injuries. While it has helped, it is still hard to deal with. Some owners seem indifferent – either present but completely unconcerned or too far behind to notice, often pretending they did not see the situation.
We sometimes hear that familiar cry of “He’s friendly!” as an unknown dog hurtles toward us, but poor Basil doesn’t understand what they are saying and becomes very stressed. We try to walk at quieter times and avoid areas known for off-lead dogs. We have also attempted road walking, but we’ve even been charged at by uncontrolled dogs in local streets. We have faced numerous similar incidents with our previous whippets too; some attacks have been severe, resulting in injuries. One particularly terrible incident occurred when a local dog ran at one of our whippets while she was on her lead on a nearby village street. In her panic, she slipped her collar and was tragically run over. Miraculously, the local vet was able to save her, but things were never the same again. It was very sad. I wouldn’t mind, but she had been wearing a properly adjusted whippet collar. Unfortunately, the poor thing was so scared that she managed to slip out of it. Our whippets now wear harnesses most of the time for added security.
Just recently, I had a bewildering incident while walking Basil on a lead. It wasn’t an attack, but quite typical of some of the day-to-day occurrences we face. As we were leaving a local field, we approached a gate that led out onto a road. A man entered the field with his dog on a lead and stood in the gateway for a while, seemingly taking stock of the situation. He must have noticed that Basil was on his lead and wearing a tabard that said “No Dogs,” as we were close to him, and he saw me getting Basil quickly off the pathway so they could pass. Strangely, for some unknown reason, he then decided to let his dog off the lead! The dog came rushing toward Basil, heading straight for his face. Fortunately, it didn’t bite, but I remain unsure of its intentions and am still puzzled by the man’s thought process. I’ve concluded that it must have been sheer ignorance on his part. He looked angry, perhaps because Basil couldn’t ‘play.’
Zoe: How has it affected your dog?
Elaine: Basil feels anxious during his regular walks because of unwanted approaches when he is on his lead. As a result, he has become reactive out of fear and frustration. I have had to completely reset our approach. We have scaled back our walks, and I now attend group training sessions with him once or twice a week. We tried two other trainers before this, but we are finding that the group training is the right fit for Basil. The controlled, safe environment is extremely beneficial for him. He enjoys being around other dogs but needs that constant security and reassurance.
Zoe: How has it affected you?
Elaine: I no longer feel safe while out on a walk. I avoid walking locally unless absolutely necessary, especially when I’m alone. My life with both our dogs has become restricted and time-consuming, as most walks require a car ride, a visit to a secure field, or attending training sessions. It’s upsetting because there are so many beautiful walks that we no longer dare to go on.
We are considering moving, but we’re worried that everywhere might be the same now. There are some lovely people in our village, so we don’t want to leave.
Zoe: Had you heard of the Respect the Lead campaign before?
Elaine: No, I stumbled across it on Instagram.
Zoe: What do you feel could be done to raise awareness among other dog owners about good lead etiquette?
Mandatory, basic education for all new dog owners. Back when I had my first two whippets, they were off the lead most of the time, but if we saw a dog on a lead, we instantly put them on their leads. I knew to do this because we had been to dog training, also most other owners on our walks were responsible role models. We had been to training, so I had our dogs under control and knew I could recall them; otherwise, I would not have let them off. Many people these days seem completely oblivious and unconcerned.
Additionally, I think we need improved legislation. We should all be able to report “dog-on-dog attacks” as incidents of antisocial behaviour.
We live near York, and I was impressed to discover that the City of York Council has a complaints process specifically for dog-on-dog attacks and related antisocial behaviour, supported by a Neighbourhood Enforcement Team. I learned about this when, in desperation, I called the local dog warden for advice. The team I spoke with was very helpful; they informed me that you can call their office, and if you provide all the necessary details, the local enforcement team will visit the owner’s home to explain their responsibilities. If the behaviour continues, legal action may follow. I asked, “What if there hasn’t been an actual attack? What if the problem is constant, unwanted approaches?” They replied, “Report everything! It’s all still considered antisocial behaviour.” While it was reassuring to hear this, the drawback is that they do not cover our area! It would be so great if all Local Authorities in the UK could offer similar services!
Thanks to Elaine for sharing about Respect The Lead
Their story is a reminder of why Respect the Lead matters – not just for reactive dogs, but for their owners too. Better education, improved local authority support, and more consideration from fellow dog walkers could make all the difference. You can find Elaine and the whippets on Instagram: @little.charm.store
Get in touch with your encounters. We would love to hear from you!
If you and your dog have also had similar incidents, or would like to share something positive about dogs on leads, or if the Respect the Lead campaign has helped you understand dog behaviour better, get in touch via email [opens new email].
Read our other interviews with dog owners and Respect The Lead:
An interview with Kirstie and Reuben for Respect The Lead Campaign
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