This letter is directed back to the lady who wrote about courtesy lacking.
I also am a female who walks her German shepherd on a long retractable leash around town and have probably been in the area that you spoke of in your letter. I can assure you that the problem you had was not my dog or myself.
The way you worded your letter you have painted us all with the same brush and that is not fair. I did have a couple of people ask me if it was us you wrote about in your letter. I think a description of the lady and her dog would have been more appropriate.
My German shepherd is female, black with rusty coloured markings, and myself I usually have my hair pulled back in a long braid. Just to let people know that we are not the lady with no courtesy.
I always rein my dog in when someone approaches us, long before they get into range. We have had people on bikes and skateboards come roaring up behind us so fast that we have had to jump out of the way. It is just one of those things you let roll off your back and go on with your day.
So please, if you ever write in again about whatever bothers you, please describe things a bit more in detail. There are probably a lot of us out there walking our German shepherds.
Debby L. Klaver
Penticton