Worried about this XL bully

[brookie26]

We often park our car the back of our house rather than the front as we live on a busy lane. This means our back door is basically our front and we leave through the back majority of the time.

Anyway, today I was leaving my house to pick DC up. There are 2 women walking with an XL bully off the lead. The dog wasn't displaying any aggressive behaviour but I was still really cautious and got in my car quickly.

It turns out the dog lives on the street behind us as it entered via a back gate a few doors down at the bottom of our backstreet.

What worries me is the fact I have a 4 year old who will often run off as soon as we leave the house. I'm forever telling him not to run off in case of cars coming etc but he doesn't listen. I would hate for us to be leaving the house and the dog be there again, off the lead.

Am I worrying about nothing here?

ALL dogs should be leashed and under control in a public place. Is it really too much to ask?

You don't know that dog is dangerous. From 31 December the dog will have to be muzzled and on a lead when out in public.

We make children do lots of things they don't like because it keeps them safe. If reins/harness is the only way to do that for your son then I imagine you'd rather that than he gets knocked over.

You can minimise the risk of that.

You can’t do a thing about an dog known for killing humans if it attacks you

agreed, as for any dog. You can minimise the risk of it by holding onto your kid ect. If a dog wanted to stray from its owner it will do. Regardless of how trained a dog is still a living creature with a mind of its own. If i see any dog in the street i simply cross regardless of breed, because there is a risk it could stray and i don't want to take that risk