Sharing Dylan’s Story on the Mystic Dog Mamma Podcast

I recently had the pleasure of joining Dr Alexia Mellor on her Mystic Dog Mamma podcast — a space for soulful conversations about dogs, wellness and the human–canine bond. Alexia is a certified Holistic Canine Nutrition & Wellness Consultant, and we connected during a nail trim session in Horsham. Her dog was on a long line, and when an off-lead dog rushed over, it sparked a conversation we both felt needed more airtime: why Respect the Lead matters now more than ever.

Why Respecting the Lead Still Matters

I loved talking with Alexia. She shared her own struggles — being in a public space, asking another owner to recall their dog, and being met with hostility. Her dog Lucky doesn’t do well with dogs running straight up to him, and I could relate so deeply. It reminded me that so many of us are facing the same daily challenges.
That’s exactly why I started the Respect the Lead campaign.
My own dog, Dylan, was rescued from the streets and settled into home life beautifully — until one day, everything changed. On a walk, he suddenly became defensive and reactive. I was stunned. I’d done the training, I thought we were doing well, but I came to understand that what I’d seen in the beginning wasn’t calmness — it was masking. Once he felt safe, he started showing how anxious he truly was.
We began intensive training with professional support. Unfortunately, that meant constantly dodging off-lead dogs. Many had no recall. Their owners would shout, “It’s okay, he’s friendly!” while their dog ran straight at us. Meanwhile, Dylan was too overwhelmed to even take a treat. It was a rollercoaster — and I know I’m not alone in that.

The moment Respect the Lead was born is one I’ll never forget.

I was in a park with Dylan when an off-lead dog ran up to us. We’d experienced it before, but this dog was persistent. Later, we heard a dog fight break out nearby. As a vet nurse, I went to help. A leaded dog had reacted after being pestered, and in trying to intervene, the owner had been bitten. The wound was serious. It wasn’t their fault — they had clearly asked for space — but the other owner hadn’t recalled their dog. It was an avoidable situation, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
That drive home stayed with me. It still does. That incident could have been job-ending for the person bitten. And all of it could have been prevented with just a bit more awareness, more empathy.
So, I made a flyer. I shared a post online. It went viral. From the UK to Texas and Australia, dog owners were sharing their own stories, saying, “Yes — this happens to us too.”

The truth is, dogs are on leads for many reasons

They could be recovering from surgery, managing chronic pain, reactive, elderly, or simply not suited to off-lead environments. But whatever the reason, they’re asking for space. And as a community, we should respect that.

Listen to the podcast in full

You can listen to the full podcast episode here, where Alexia and I talk openly about dog etiquette, the challenges of public spaces, and the importance of education. We also talk about how training doesn’t stop after puppy class — adolescence is a crucial stage, and dogs continue learning for life.

Support the Respect The Lead Campaign

If you’d like to back the campaign, head to www.respectthelead.com. You’ll find free downloadable posters, resources, and guidance to help you advocate for your dog — and for others.

Get in touch with your experiences; we would love to hear from you.

If you and your dog have also had similar experiences, or perhaps positive contact with your dog when meeting others on a lead, or the Respect the Lead campaign has changed your daily walks, get in touch via email [opens new email].