THE County Council is backing a national campaign to avoid tension between dog walkers by promoting good lead etiquette. 

Northumberland County Council is promoting the ‘Respect the lead’ campaign which aims to educate people about issues that arise when walking dogs on leads and focuses on ensuring a safe environment for all dogs and walkers. 

The campaign is spreading the word about how dogs interact with others and raises awareness of why dogs are often kept on a lead. 

They could be reactive to other dogs or people, young and undergoing training, or may be elderly or frail. 

Don’t allow your dog to approach another dog on the lead, without first asking permission from its owner.

Remember to use the ‘three-second rule’, allow your dog to introduce themselves and take a sniff, but then pull them away after three seconds, maintaining a very brief meeting. 

If you are walking your dog in a popular dog walking area, keep it on a lead unless you have a good recall.