h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Overtoun House, Dumbarton, Scotland: Dog Suicide Bridge? - A87930679
Author: Dmitri Gheorgheni - U1590784

Last night, I was watching 'Regeneration', a 1997 film about the First World War.

This entry has nothing at all to do with the First World War, Jonny Lee Miller, or the novelist Pat Barker.

I looked up the filming location and discovered an offhand remark about the bridge being famous for 'the unusually large number of dogs that have reportedly leaped to their deaths there.'

'Oh, we have to have that,' was my response. Here's the story.

Well found - this curious topic is worthy of the Edited Guide indeed...

Just one point of clarification that is needed, I think - I see that Alice Trevorrow's dog leaped in July 2014 but it was in about June 2015 that the warning sign was put up.

Excellent summary of the theories

Thanks, Sasha. I added the dates.

Ah, I see the area is near the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. You've mentioned dogs chasing squirrels, but I see that the area has Red Squirrels, which are a protected species. Allowing a to chase them could potentially result in prosecution. http://www.dumbartonreporter.co.uk/news/15280326.park-visitors-urged-to-take-part-in-red-squirrels-survey/

Dogs can, of course, chase all the grey squirrels they want.

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Trying to get dogs to chase squirrels by colour might be a losing proposition. I'll bet they smell more or less the same. If you find anybody who can train their dog to chase only grey squirrels, that would make a great entry!

Anyway, I didn't say anything about dogs chasing squirrels - I mentioned that they preferred the smell of mink to squirrel, and linked to a video test which uses scent samples. No squirrels of any colour appear in this entry or video.

I was sort of amazed that enough people were walking around with dogs not on leads for this to be a problem. I supposed it's because in the US, in any populated area, the dogs are on leads. In the countryside, of course, the dogs mostly run around unsupervised, hunting groundhogs and even mink, if they're brave enough. Mink are vicious fighters, and they don't even like other mink.

That's really sad, that so many dogs died. But a very interesting Entry, thanks for sharing.

Many people here are simply too stubborn to put their dogs on a lead, even if the law tells them to. Although you have the option I think to take either a lead or let the dog run free with a muzzle.

I don't own a dog but I'd say that dog owners walking next to a road keep their on a lead, but away from a road such as on the beach, in a park or on a path dogs are usually off the lead. Cycling home at night I have discovered that s are all small and black and you can't spot them until they've jumped out of the bushes and trees and decided they want to try and bite your tyres. When a is on a lead it is always those long, stretchy, invisible leads that the owner on one side of the path has extended while the dog is on the far other side, hiding in the bushes, just so the owner can lynch any passing innocent cyclists using the unsegregated cyclepath & footway.

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I've always wondered what dogs think they'll do with a car or bicycle once they've caught it.

oh poor you

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Ruff in Peace

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Congratulations!

Yes it is also a strange phenomenon that dogs think they would like to bite one's tyres - I experienced that a couple of weekends ago, that a dog was sitting quietly next to its owner - until I arrived... I discovered it wasn't on a lead and it lunged at my wheelchair... I took my hand out of the way and its owner managed to grab it by the collar before any damage was done... Scary, but not as scary as the time a few years ago when a dog on a lead nearly pulled its owner over in its efforts to bite my tyre... Fortunately the owner managed to hold on, because I think that one would have done a lot of damage given the chance - I felt its breath on my hand as it lunged that close... (I'm not a fan of dogs, I have to say...)

Congratulations!

Thanks, folks!

That's weird, Sasha - I didn't know about the tire-biting thing. This might explain what we've never been able to understand: why some dogs chase cars.

We always ask the dog, 'What are you going to do with it if you catch it?'

I can understand why you'd be leery of dogs if they do that.