Did 70s/80s dogs walk themselves?

[RamblingRam]

I don't know if I just grew up in a rough area, I don't think I did, but when I was a kid it was common to see dogs wandering the streets either alone or in small groups, and very rarely on a lead. Does anyone else remember this it being like that? DH reckons I'm mixing up reality and old films but I'm sure it happened.

wowfudge

This is definitely a parallel universe to mine - and DP's! I wonder if some of you have remembered a dog or dogs that used to escape regularly and thought it/they roamed around as a matter of course

That made me laugh out loud!

I don’t think it was the norm in the 80s where I grew up (and I distinctly remember at least 3 people with pedigree pooches who walked them regularly), but there was a big old Airedale called “Boot” who used to roam the village occasionally. I was always absolutely delighted when he turned up, but I remember mum getting quite pissy about it (and the slack owners) and marching him back around to where they lived (and probably firing some extremely passive aggressive remarks at the owners, knowing my Mum).

Our dog unfortunately had a reputation for nicking kids ice creams He would hear the ice cream van then race to where it stopped and nick the cone right out of some poor kids hands! Thieving little sod
Honestly you had you have your wits about you in those days!