TWO-thirds of dog owners in the south east have struck up new friendships by taking their pooch for its daily dose of fresh air, says a survey by the Blue Cross.

However, the survey also showed that bad etiquette when walking your dog could be a massive turn-off for any potential new friends, as more than half questioned said that clearing up pet mess is the most important thing for dog owners.

Now the Blue Cross has launched a campaign to help dog owners when out on walks by asking them to abide by five pledges.

These are: making sure their dog is safe with others; to always know where their dog is when not on a lead; to teach their dog to come back to them when called; to clean up any dog mess and to make sure their dog is always a joy and never a nuisance.

To find out more about the campaign log on to bluecross.org.uk/parks.