Ok, so my brother took our dog for a walk today. Everytime my mum or I walk him, we always have him on a lead. I looked out my bedroom window and saw my brother coming back with our dog, not on a lead, on our very busy road. People literally wizz up it at about 50 mph. I felt physically sick. My mum spoke to him and he said how he's done it before and 'he's in control'. Yeah right...

Our dog panicks at the sound of a bang and I would hate to think what would happen if he got knocked down. You think my brother would learn. Our friends had their dog knocked down on the same road (it just ran out their house).

My brother is so irresponsible it both angers and sickens me. In our area, we have alot of irresponsible owners who walk their dogs off leads (late teens and around my brother's age) and I think he is trying to copy them. Fit in. He was walking down the road 'all macho' and when he came back he was trying to be macho. I can see right though him.

My dilemma is, he has not said he won't do it again. And my mum didn't really seem to understand the seriousness of it. I am so worried he will do it again. My brother is the type of guy who can be incredibly big headed on issues he thinks are right. If I try to talk about it, I just know he won't listen to me. He becomes very childish and starts going 'yep, yep, yep' aobut a thousand times. Won't let me get a word in edgeways. I don't believe that even if he says he won't do it, he will. He's very contrary.

He has said before, he thinks our dog likes mum and I more and he only goes to my brother for treats. The thing is, I have a feeling he might also be walking our dog off the lead on the way home to get favour from him. It makes me sick. I could never forgive him if he caused the death of our dog. He wouldn't be my brother anymore.

Does anyone have any advice on how this can be addressed. I was thinking of getting our friend to speak to him about the dangers? Or a dog trainer. I am now on edge everyday at the thought of our lovely dog being put in danger.