Dogs must be kept on a lead...so you think your dog is the exception???

Please tell me, people. What is not to understand about that sign?

You are walking across a field, where although sheep are not currently present judging by the sheep poo everywhere, clearly they occupy the field on a regular basis. Plus there's a blooming great big sign telling you your dog should be on a lead!

Obviously some people think it doesn't apply to them because this morning, very early, we took our little dogs for a walk. We go early so as to avoid coming in contact with other dogs because our dogs are so small and lately there has been some horror stories of small dogs being killed by larger ones.

we entered a field that runs alongside the river, dogs are allowed here if they are on a lead and there is a big sign saying just that 'dogs must be on a lead' No problem for us, we never let our dogs off their leads. But in the distance we saw a man walking in the far field and he has a dog running wild and free. We kept a close watch on the dog and decided to leave the field and walk across the old bridge. The dog, a sheepdog, soon caught us up. His owner still walking nonchalantly along some way behind.

The sheepdog bounded up to one of our dogs and nipped it. It probably just wanted to play but immediately I shouted at my husband to pick our dog up. This made the sheepdog react. He threw himself at my husband, biting his arm and his leg. He clearly wanted him to put down our little dog. We tried to get away from him by leading our dogs behind an old, disused toilet block but the sheepdog followed. All the while trying to bite our dogs. We shouted at the dog and we shouted at the owner - who still wasn't bothered. We tried walking away, we tried standing perfectly still but the sheepdog kept attacking us and in particular my husband who was being bitten by the dog as it jumped up at him. My husband tried putting our dog on the ground hoping the sheepdog would lose interest, but that just made our little dog immediately flattened himself on the floor in terror because the sheepdog starting nipping him again.

My husband, trying to keep the sheepdog at bay, yelled at the owner to get his dog under control. The owner now woke up to the fact we were in trouble! He tried but his dog wasn't listening, he just kept on throwing himself at my husband trying to get our dog out of his arms.

Eventually, the dog ran back in the field and the owner managed to get him on his lead.

'Didn't you see the sign?' my husband asked him.

His reply, for some reason, was to tell my husband to 'shut-up.'

It all ended all right - this time. The owner eventually apologised. But we were really shaken and our dog is now traumatised.

My husband said: 'It was awful. I've read of owners and pets being attacked so many time in the paper and suddenly I was one of them.'

So, please, please. If you are thinking of getting a dog and you want to go for walks get a big dog, one that can stand up for itself if it gets attacked. And if you have a big dog, please keep it under control. Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock Act 1953) and the Dogs Act 1871 you have a responsibility to keep your animal under control. Your dog could be put down, even shot by a farmer if caught worrying animals.

I think it will be awhile before I go out dog walking again!