Should I Leash My Dog? [Flowchart]
Ever wonder when it’s ok to let your dog off leash?
Check out this handy flowchart created by the fabulous Jenny Williams. In just a few text bubbles (and with a sense of humor) it’ll help you make a responsible, respectful, safe choice!
Download and print the pdf to share! Note: this is not available for commercial use. Jenny Williams gets all the props for this one. Please be sure to give her credit and check out her site: ShouldILeashMyDog.com for more!
Hate charts? Here’s the super short version: if there’s a leash law, the answer is “leash your dog.”
And just in case you’re wondering, you are not exempt from leash laws, even if you are*:
• The owner of a Lab
• A board member of an animal shelter
• A middle age white man without a criminal record
• The owner of a friendly dog
• In a parking lot near hiking trails
• A donor to your local humane society
*Yes, these are all real excuses used by real people. To my face.
Listen, let’s save some time: don’t bother with the rationalizing. It’s the law. Just like stop lights, it’s in everyone’s best interests if we obey these laws, rather than justifying why we’re the exception. Can you imagine if we all decided we were the exception to obeying red stop lights because we thought it was a dumb law and we’re better drivers than everyone else?! Crash, Bang, Blam-o.
Leash laws exist to keep all of us safe, including our dogs. They help create public spaces that are safe and welcoming to everyone, including the elderly, children, and the disabled.
There are a lot of us that don’t want to interact with loose dogs or are afraid of them. We rely on leash laws and purposely choose to visit areas where they exist, with the expectation that dogs will not be loose. When you let your dogs loose in areas with leash laws, you take away our right to choose. Not cool.
Here’s something you may not have considered:
Simply seeing a dog that is not leashed, even when that dog is very well behaved, can cause panic for some people.
While you may know that your dog won’t cause any trouble, the other person is freaking out about what might potentially occur. They’re afraid that without the leash, your dog might suddenly approach them.
Why would they be afraid of my friendly dog? I clearly have him under voice control!
Here’s why: Many of us have had frightening encounters with dogs just seconds after their owners swore to us that their dogs were under control/friendly. We understand that not all dogs are the same, but one bitten, twice shy, you know? It just scares the pants off of us to take a gamble with another dog that may or may not be as well behaved as their owner promises us. It’s not personal.
Plus, there are these reasons people might be afraid of a potential interaction with your dog:
• They have a physical limitation, such as poor balance or lack of mobility.
• They’re senior citizens.
• They’re children.
• They rely on Service Dogs that must not be distracted or harmed.
• They (or their dogs) have been bitten or attacked in the past.
• They own dogs who are injured, sick, or otherwise unable to safely interact with other dogs.
• They have a phobia of dogs. Remember, phobias like the ones lots of us have of spiders, snakes, or of heights, are irrational. But that doesn’t make it less debilitating (this guy died trying to flee a friendly dog).
For these folks, a leash functions as a visual signal, as much as a physical restraint.
The leash says to the concerned party: “Don’t worry. My dog won’t suddenly run over, knock you off your crutches, and eat your baby.” Seeing the leash prevents the internal panic-show from starting. Please have compassion for people and use that leash. You’ll be someone’s hero, without even knowing it!
Beyond those reasons, leash laws exist because we all have different ideas and standards for what constitutes a “well trained, friendly” dog. This simple management tool provides a baseline of safety for all kinds of dogs to be out in public, even if the handler is new to dog training (we were all new at some point!). Leashes are not perfect or foolproof – learn how to use a retractable here and leash etiquette here – but with one you’re covering the bases and being responsible.
With more cars, more people, and more dogs, crammed into less space than ever before, we all need to have our dogs under our full control. Leashes keep dogs safe and out of trouble. Dogs aren’t robots. Even good, well trained dogs make not-so-great choices sometimes. A leash can keep your dog from chasing a ball in front of bus, getting spooked by gunfire and taking off into the woods, accidentally scratching a kid and bringing on a lawsuit, French kissing a porcupine, or chasing a herd of deer across a park and making you a YouTube star.
Look, just because we want you to leash your dog in certain public areas, doesn’t mean we’re scrooges. Lots of us like watching dogs run off leash. The truth is that the perfect complement to areas with leash laws are designated, accessible, and welcoming off-leash areas. This allows everyone to enjoy public recreation with their dogs, in whatever environment – on or off leash – that suits them best. When both on and off leash areas exist, it gives everyone a choice and prevents responsible dog owners who prefer off leash recreation from being unfairly marginalized. If you or someone you know is interested in increasing off-leash areas, please see the following article from Bark Magazine.
In the end, that’s what all of us want: to choose what is best for us and our dogs, to be treated with common courtesy, and to be provided with safe options for recreation in our communities. Also, some of us want free ice cream cones every Friday. But since we can’t get everything we want, we’ll settle for dog owners who obey leash laws.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
- Should you leash your dog? A flowchart to help you decide - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums
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- Help is on the Way to Animals Affected by Typhoon Haiyan
- 5 Reasons Your Dog Should Be On A Leash
- An Off Leash Dog Ruined My Life: A Service Dog’s Story | notes from a dog walker
- bullterrierlove: Read more at Notes from a Dog Walker and… | Top Dogumentary
- Are You Giving or Taking Space? It Matters. | notes from a dog walker
- Look Ma, No Hands! [contest] | notes from a dog walker
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- Meet The Rebel Dog Walker of Williamsburg | notes from a dog walker
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notes from a dog walker 
Great post! The chart is gooey, delicious awesomeness 🙂 The dog chasing the deer was funny…sort of. Here in my state, a dog can legally be shot for running game or harassing farm animals, so there’s some incentive to leash up! Legally, it’s something the “my dog’s to awesome to be on a leash” crowd might want to look into in their own state.
Amen! I own a townhome which means shared spaces. A neighbor often let her lovely, good natured dog out unleashed. More than once I was exuberantly “greeted”, actually blindsided, by this friendly yet unrestrained dog. This is frustrating enough in the best circumstances. When I was trying to recover from serious injuries, being knocked on my butt by a well meaning yet unrestrained dog was painful and damaging.
Oh, that’s awful! And *exactly* why I keep trying to explain that there are many, many reasons why people need to keep their dogs on leash and under control.
I spend more time telling people NOT TO INVITE my leashed dog to jump on them than I do telling him NOT TO JUMP. It’s difficult to correct him when he’s being invited! He is almost ten years old, very fit and loves to put his paw on people – I am a good dog trainer but he just wants only two feet on the ground most times. I would hate if he knocked over a frail person and am very cautious. And in his case, he’s not good with children, so we are very cautious with them as well.
Totally understood! That’s why I include social dogs who are learning leash manners/in training as Dogs In Need Of Space (DINOS). They also need people to respect their space. It’s really tough to teach dogs how to be well mannered when other dogs and people are ignoring our wishes and encouraging naughty behavior!
I agree completely! I never invite any dog to jump on me. You’re spot on about the dangers that poses. The aforementioned neighbor didn’t train their dog, that’s a huge problem. A person injured during a “friendly greeting” is no less injured than if they received the same injury from an “attack” by the same dog. I’m with you!
This is great! I’m a dog lover, but have had two too many encounters with off leash dogs attacking me and my dogs. Both times required trips to the vet and ER. So, I’m afraid of unleashed dogs. Really afraid. Yes, even my neighbor’s dog scares the crap out of me.
Plus, my fearful dog cannot handle a loose dog approaching him. Therefore, I can’t even walk to our mailbox, because one of our neighbors lets his dog roam free.
Drives me crazy that simply because someone thinks their dog is “friendly” that it is ok to be leash free.
Amen!!
I’m so sorry that’s happened to you and that your neighbor doesn’t get it. I wish more people understood the fear factor – which is why I’ve tried to explain it here. Once you’ve had bad experiences, like yours, just seeing a loose dog causes your stomach to turn and your heart to start pounding. I’ve abandoned so many walks after spotting a loose dog because of that fear and the potential for (yet another) bad experience. A simple leash goes so far in making others feel like they can continue their dog walks safely.
Leashes also protect your dog from other loose dogs or wild animals like coyotes rabid raccoons, or snakes. Having your pet under control, gives you the option of picking him up (if he’s not big) or pulling him out of harms way. I find those people with small dogs are most apt to leave their pet off leash. Often times, their dog runs up to other dogs who are sometimes dog aggressive or very protective of his owner. Then THEY get upset if there is a reaction from owner or dog. I cannot tell you how often I have had arguments with owners of small dogs over keeping them leashed.
These are lots of good reasons to keep your dog leashed unless they are in a secure, designated off-leash area. The number one reason for me is because I love him. 🙂
Thank you so much. My home backs up to an open space that people walk on. Unfortunately, they use it as their personal dog park and the constant off leash dogs is a huge problem for us. We have a split rail fence and every single day there is at least one “friendly” dog that rushes at my fence (with my dogs inside their own yard) barking, jumping and ends up paws up on the fence. I have actually had dogs jump into my yard. There are leash law signs posted. I’ve actually had screaming matches with owners threatening me that the only reason their uncontrollable off leash dog is on my fence is because my two whippets are barking. It is awful. We have had to build additional fences. One of my dogs has become pretty fearful of some types of dogs because he is always having to cope with off leash dogs running at the fence. It sucks. I am going to print out your post and start handing it to people across the fence instead of screaming at them.
Ugh, I’m so sorry you have to deal with this at home. You should be able to have some peace in your own yard. I’m not sure if this would be of any help at this point, but here are some fence options that have helped me: http://dogsinneedofspace.com/2013/08/10/dog-fence-fixes/
Reblogged this on Zerobites Dog Training and commented:
Great article on when to leash your dog.
Great post, and awesome chart.
Sadly, the article would have been great and witty even without the “middle aged white man” point.
Here’s a fun Mad Libs type game. Instead of “middle aged white man” – substitute “Old Jewish man/woman,” “14 year-old Muslim girl,” “ancient lesbian woman,” “gay man,” “black man/woman,” “fat man/woman,” etc. Add disabilities, politics, and mix and match all of it for even more chuckles – e.g. “gay Muslim fat Democrat man,” or “black, lesbian, blind, wheelchair-bound, Catholic, Tea Partier.” For even more yuks, add stereotypes, nationality, whether they are legal citizens or not, and where they stand on abortions, gun ownership status and healthcare.
I still love you and your blog but as a society, we should either be a) moving past castigating anyone or b) making fun of everyone and laughing at ourselves. Unfortunately, we are not there yet, so “middle aged white men” have been anointed as the universally safe target – (more points if they are in the Tea Party). As a middle-aged white man (and believe it or not, even a responsible multiple dog and cat owner), I no longer find it amusing being the sole target of attempted humor.
You know what I find offensive? When middle aged white men who are breaking the leash law say stuff to me like, “Look at me. I’m not the problem.” or “Those laws aren’t for guys like me and my dogs.” After more than a decade of dealing with people who break leash laws and ignore my requests to please leash their dogs, I’m just telling it like I see it out there. So I included that as one of the common excuses I hear from people who think the laws don’t apply to them.
It’s in there, not for the laugh, but because it’s real excuse I’ve heard. I’ve never once had a black guy or a Jewish lady or a gay kid or a disabled person say some version of, “Those laws don’t apply to people like me.” Just middle aged white guys. A lot. So they earned that spot on the list.
That doesn’t mean every middle aged white guy is an asshole. I happen to be married to a middle aged white guy I like a whole lot who is a responsible dog owner. And he’s sick and tired of guys giving me trouble while I’m out dog walking because they think leash laws don’t apply to people who look like them.
Yep. I don’t respect someone who doesn’t tell it like it is. My personal hero, Dorothea Lynde Dix, a nineteenth century social reformer, said it best, “I tell what I have seen.” I love this post. Stay real.
Since age, color, gender, and criminal background somehow now seem to matter when it comes to responsible dog ownership, I will describe my dog encounters in a big melting-pot university city a few hours from the border. I suppose like the original post, sharing this relevant information will somehow help all of us be better dog owners.
On our morning walks in the neighborhood, I encounter a white middle-aged man walking with an off-leash dog, a white woman speed-walking with a Mexican woman and an offleash dog, a Mexican family with an off-leash dog in the front yard, a middle-aged woman (I don’t get close enough to tell if she is white or not) with 2 front-yard dogs, and a college white/asian (heterosexual) couple with an off-leash dog in the garage/front yard – those are the regulars. Intermittently, there’s a house with a white and a black girl (I think they’re lesbians, but don’t know for sure) and an offleash yard dog, and a speed-walking, white middle-aged woman (definitely Christian – she recites verses from the bible out loud) with an off-leash dog.
What will really help us all be better, more responsible dog owners is me sharing my encounters when we walk in the parks. I’ve been accosted by off-leash dogs whose jogging/biking/clueless owners were Black, Asian, Indian, European, Hispanic, and probably other ancestries unknown to me – both male and female and as best as I can tell, all sexual orientations. Somehow, all of them say the same thing, something to the effect of, “Don’t worry, he’s friendly.”
Up until this post – I just thought they were irresponsible dog owners who either weren’t aware of the laws or thought they didn’t apply to them – silly me. Now I know better – it’s because of their skin color, age, gender, and criminal background – thank you for enlightening me.
And @furever, thanks for respecting me for telling what I have seen.
Anyone who breaks a leash law is irresponsible, but the excuses they give me (after they say “don’t worry he’s friendly” and then refuse to leash their dogs) vary a lot. I’ve been writing about leash laws and responsible dog ownership for years now. In this blog I included some specific excuses that I’ve heard, so that I’m being perfectly clear that there are no excuses for breaking the law, no matter where you donate your money, what breed of dog you have, or what you look like. I was simply relating excuses that I’ve encountered, so that once and for all *everyone* understands that leash laws apply to them – no matter what wacky justification they’ve come up with in order to excuse their irresponsible behavior.
No excuses. That was the point.
Totally support the premise of your post and the way you worded it. Nothing wrong with saying you’ve experienced this problem on multiple ocassions with middle aged white males if that’s how it is. Politics aside, this post makes a valid point about a real issue.
I appreciate you saying that (and sharing the great Dorothea Dix quote) – thank you.
Great post on leashes – my feeling as a lifelong dog owner – “What’s the harm in always using your leash except in fairly deserted wilderness areas or areas which are clearly marked as off leash for dogs?” I do object to the retractables – I have been almost tripped many times by irresponsible dog owners who have their dogs fully extended on these devices and think it’s ok over my objections to reel in their pet. This includes a friend of ours who has a tiny dog – it’s not OK for the dog (frequent mountain bikers on this particular trail) and it was worse for me. They thought it was just fine and I don’t plan to walk with them again. I have my own phobia of retractable leashes – I think a six foot lead is plenty long and short enough to control and I absolutely can’t stand those retractables. I have had large and tiny dogs over the years and firmly believe that dogs should be trained to heel at your side on a six or fewer foot lead. I have no problems with dogs off leash under voice control – few are – and because my own dog jumps on people occasionally (especially if invited to do so by the stranger), I prefer him on lead when there are people around. After all, if my dog is leashed, he can’t get into trouble or be blamed for anything. Enough said – BAN those retractables!
“I prefer him on lead when there are people around. After all, if my dog is leashed, he can’t get into trouble or be blamed for anything” – YES, that’s it!
I doubt those retractable leashes will ever get banned, but I do wish people used them differently! I wrote about that here: http://dogsinneedofspace.com/2012/12/02/retractable-leashes-handy-tool-or-fifteen-feet-of-doom/
I understand your frustration with retractable leashes, though I believe there’s a time and place for them. Personally, I don’t like them used in public. My mom is disabled and can’t always walk to far when letting the dog out for an occasional urgent potty, so she uses a retractable leash without letting it get anywhere near full extension. They are over used though and in public that can be a big problem. I’ve been injured on a couple occasions from someones misuse of a retractable leash. The afore mentioned former neighbor eventually got enough heat from the HOA that she finally started using a leash on the property (sometimes). Unfortunately, the leash was a retractable and she frequently let it out to full extension. More than once, I was out with my dog, Herman (who was ALWAYS leashed) when the neighbor’s dog came running out at the at Herman and me at the end of a leash that was at least 15 feet long. At least twice, I reinjured a surgicaly repaired ankle when the two leashes Became tangled as Herman attempted to protect me. I missed work for a week on each occasion because I couldn’t stand up, let alone walk. My use of crutches from the surgery made avoiding the problem nearly impossible.
Where I live, “fairly deserted wilderness areas” is a good description of state parks, the vast majority of which have leash requirements in place. For this particular reason these places are sought out by DINOS owners, as well as individuals who want to enjoy the outdoors without encountering off-leash dogs.
Just a reminder to all dog owners that “there’s no one around” is not a free pass to violate leash laws. There are plenty of reasons these “deserted” areas have leash requirements–from protecting wildlife from dogs (and vice versa), keeping dogs from wandering onto unsafe areas, abutting private property or roadways, and many other reasons.
Recently, in a town near mine, a woman was walking her dog in a state park with a leash requirement. Her OFF-leash dog ran out onto the ice on the river and then fell through, and was unable to make it back to shore. The woman then called 911 and the local fire department sent a team out and (thankfully!) they were able to reach and save the dog. (Be aware, in some communities, first responders do not respond to non-human incidents; in this case they did, and also the area was not remote and therefore still accessible).
A leash would have prevented this accident and the associated rescue cost (not to mention the potential danger to the rescuer who went into an icy river). And what if these responders were needed at a car accident or fire at the same time they were out rescuing the dog of a woman violating a simple leash law?
I LOVE this – thank so much.
I use a cane and, because my dogs are very well behaved, I have no problem walking them on a leash. However, when a loose dog comes running up and jumps all over my dogs, I am very likely to fall down. Do you want my broken hip on your conscience?
Amen.
Great post – I was just blogging about my own experience last week. I’m going to be working on some resources for pet owners to both spread the word on the importance of leashing pets and what to do if you’re approached by a dog that is off leash to try and keep your pets safe. Great post!
Thanks! Not sure if you’ve seen this, but it might be helpful: http://dogsinneedofspace.com/2012/12/02/how-to-stop-loose-dogs/
Absoutely! Thanks for the recommendation 🙂
I am one of those that you don’t like so much, the white male 😛 haha.
But in my opinion, before I got my dog and after. I have seen so many dogs that the owner has dropped the leash and that dog just runs away like its free from its owner and doesn’t listen.
And a lot of people like use those retractable leashes and let their dogs just walk up to me and other dogs without asking.
So when I walk without a leach, and my dog don’t go to strange dogs without my permission, then if there is a lose dog or some retractable leash dog coming our way, he can get away from the situation if he likes without me being in the way having him on a leash. Or be the one feeling like he is stuck in the situation.
I go with a leash and sometimes without to practice both, and to make him reliable in both situations. So I know that he will come when I call, don’t cross pavements without walking by my side. Don’t run after squirrels, he doesn’t.
I might be on your black list. And maybe I shouln’t write here. But I just think there are so many who get a dog get some food, get a leash and then just go for short walks and don’t even practice or train or play with their dogs. For me walking and playing and practice without a leash gets me and my dog to a great level of connecting with each other. I for another don’t trunst people with big dogs who might drop their leash if their dog is to strong for them if that dog would decide to try to pull a bit harder from their owners, that is something to me that is annoying people who have dogs who pull them around and they only walk like they are robots after the dog instead of walking with their dog.
The #1 reason to keep your dog leashed (on a real leash and not a flexi-lead) is because my leashed dog is extremely animal aggressive and capable of killing an animal many times her size. Period. End of story.
That’s great that your dog is friendly (you yell from 30 yards away) but mine is not.
Legality aside, the real issue you are referring to is people that don’t have control over their dogs.
btw no affiliation- just a fan of high quality working dogs, and superb training.
Wow, great trainer, smart dog (perhaps a Dobie/Belgian Tervuren cross?) with a outstanding focus.
The dog is great. But I’d be so much more impressed with this guy if he didn’t need to prove himself by flagrantly breaking the leash law in order to show off. It does not matter how well trained a dog is – the laws apply equally to all of us.
No. Besides breaking the law, the real issue is people who think that their desire to have their dog off leash trumps our right to feel safe. The dog in this video is clearly well trained, but to a person that has recently suffered a dog attack, a person with a phobia of dogs, or to a disabled person with a balance issue, seeing this dog off leash compromises their feeling of security (The internal dialogue goes something like this “Is that unfamiliar dog seconds away from breaking its “stay” and chasing me, just like the last dog I saw off-leash did? I don’t feel comfortable trusting this strange man and his dog. I hope I’m not about to get hurt”).
Like I said in the blog, a leash is a *visual signal* that a dog is more likely under their owner’s control and less likely to approach us and it serves a management tool because even the best behaved dogs have off days/moments. The guy in this video is breaking the leash law and showing off – he clearly doesn’t care if his loose dog is worrying those around him. Did you notice the part of the video where someone asks him to leash his dog because there are children around? This guy is so full of himself and his desire to do whatever he wants that he doesn’t even have a leash with him. He’s part of the problem because he can’t see past his own ego and training skills in order to have empathy for those around him. It’s time we all be more compassionate towards others by just using a leash in public spaces, so that we don’t unintentionally stress and frighten those around us.
You hit the nail on the head, “desire to have their dog off leash trumps our right to feel safe” at the fundamental level I value my personal freedom over another persons perception of safety, stress level, or heightened level of fear. This belief applies to more than just leashes and dogs.
You’re correct that this issue goes far beyond dogs and leashes. It’s about our ability to have empathy for others and choosing not to cause suffering – on a fundamental level.
None of us exist in a vacuum – our choices and actions impact everyone around us. If we want to live not only in a free world, but in a compassionate one as well, we all need to act with empathy and kindness towards those around us. Causing fear in others is not humane. We can choose to act in such a way that we all feel safe and respected.
As Ram Dass said, “We’re all just walking each other home.”
Yup, empathy needed for sure. I sure haven’t seen much of that out in “dogdom”. And beyond our desire for personal freedom, it’s the law. That part doesn’t change regardless of our ideology.
You rock Jess 🙂
Absolutely. Empathy also important in helping people recognize the importance of having their pets off leash – otherwise we just create defensiveness and can’t get through.
“Control” is not something that is guaranteed over an animal, regardless of how well trained, and there is no way to proof 100% of potential situations. So the “I am in control of my dog when she is off leash” argument is completely bogus. Dogs aren’t robots, and the idea that even the best-trained dog is prepared and predictable in all situations is, frankly, foolhardy and dangerous.
To use the red light analogy, that’s akin to saying “It’s OK if I run red lights because I am very careful and an excellent driver.” No matter how skilled a driver you are, there might be a day when you run that red and get hit by a speeding fire truck or drop into a sinkhole that opened up on the other side of a rise.
My kids have been knocked over by dogs three times (we live in Seattle, so dogs > humans, and me > society, ergo, dogs off leash everywhere). Every time the person would say, “He’s never done that before!”
Well that’s a great comfort.
The conclusion I draw from this is that either people are total liars, or that dogs are unpredictable and can’t tell their keepers when they’re having an off day. Many dogs will never attack a person, but EVERY dog who attacks a person has to do it for the first time off leash, and has an owner that lets them do that. Every time it has to come as a surprise to the owner. “He’s not usually like that!” “It’s really out of character.” No, you just didn’t realize that his character was to be calm most of the time but that a red-shirted three-year-old with an ice-cream cone provided an irresistible target for your dog, because he’s a dog, and he can’t make predictions like that or tell you about them.
I make my own children hold my hand, sit in the cart, or be on a leash in crowds. Children are unpredictable, inarticulate, and have poor judgment–like many dogs.
I love dogs and have had a dog and when my kids are older we’ll have one again.
—-
“Empathy also important in helping people recognize the importance of having their pets off leash – otherwise we just create defensiveness and can’t get through.”
I’m not defensive because I don’t feel for dogs or understand that a dog is a sentient being and would rather not be on a leash. I’m defensive because I have been bitten by a dog (never by a human, incidentally), I know a child whose face was permanently marred by a dog, my kids have been knocked over by dogs.
In other words, I know what they want, that they have feelings, and I could not care less. Me and my kids getting bit is a risk I don’t think is worth your dog’s self esteem. Ever. No. Matter. What. Also, not worth your toddler’s self esteem.
I dearly love my own children but would not leave a two-year-old out of arms reach in the same space as a baby*, because the two-year-old is a dangerous little fool and the baby is a vulnerable larva. I love dogs but their right to feel like they have all the rights human persons have has less importance to me than the bodily integrity of all the other animals (humans, cats, birds, dogs) in their vicinity.
If people could truly judge the safety of their own dogs, *nobody ever would have been bitten by a dog off leash* because *nobody would make that mistake*. But people aren’t always good judges of that.
*Yes, I have had my own two-year-old and a baby living in the same house, as well as watched others–believe me, I realize how hard this is and how painful it is for the two-year-old not to be able to experiment with a crayon and a baby’s shiny eye.
Incidentally… another reason I kept my children close as toddlers was for their own safety. And “cart” referred to a shopping cart, such as we often used when grocery shopping. I don’t have my kids in some old-fashioned horse-drawn cart. 🙂
Reblogged this on Everything Worth Knowing… and commented:
One of my favorite bloggers…
Shared and of all the things I hear, ‘ooh you have your hands full’ ( as their dog is trying to mug my guys sitting quietly) and ‘ it’s ok he likes dogs’ ( when all I see is a rude dog making my guys feel uncomfortable).