DEAR ABBY: I live in an area with a large number of dog owners who frequent the same walking trails I do. On several occasions, I have encountered dogs that are off-leash and running ahead of their owners. Sometimes the owner isn't even in sight.

On several occasions, dogs have jumped up on me, almost knocking me to the ground. I'm in my late 60s, under 5 feet and weigh 105 pounds. I could easily be injured. I was once attacked and bitten.

My question is this: What's the best thing to say to these dog owners when they finally appear? The last time it happened, the owner happily said to her dog, "I know you're excited, but ..." The rest I couldn't hear because she had already passed me on the trail. Abby, she saw her dog jump up on me and never even acknowledged me. I don't want to respond angrily or sarcastically, but in a friendly yet firm manner. -- WALKER IN WASHINGTON

DEAR WALKER: You are far too nice, lady. Start carrying pepper spray or bear spray when you walk on the trail. If an off-leash dog starts to jump on you, use it. When the owner shows up, say their dog charged you and take their picture. If they give you any trouble, file a police report. When you were bitten, you should have involved the authorities and your attorney.

DEAR ABBY: I've been married 33 years. A year ago, my husband started wearing girls' frilly socks and pink nail polish -- the pinker, the better. He thinks it is great. When we go out, he has to show off his nails to everyone. It's beyond embarrassing. I hate going anywhere with him now, and he's mad at me for it. Advice? -- MORTIFIED IN TEXAS

DEAR MORTIFIED: Some performers in the music business wear nail polish, and no one thinks twice about it. (The frilly socks, I'm not so sure.) Could this be your husband's bid for attention, or a way of announcing that he has a proclivity for cross-dressing? If it's the latter, please understand that it doesn't make him any different than the person you have known for the last 33 years.

If you haven't already talked (calmly) with him about this, do it now. As a regular Dear Abby reader, you may appreciate that on a scale of one to 10, this problem isn't world-ending. However, such a sudden change in behavior is worth exploring further.

DEAR ABBY: I met a Realtor when I sold my house. He represented the buyer. After the sale, he represented me in a rental property. Then he said he wanted to partner with me in purchasing properties. We also formed what I thought was a relationship. After he borrowed $750 from me and didn't repay it, and I refused to loan him any more, he ghosted me. Should I take him to small-claims court or chalk it up to a lesson learned? -- STILL WAITING IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR STILL WAITING: If you have proof that you loaned the Realtor money that he failed to repay, feel free to take him to small-claims court. (It's certainly worth a try.) And when you are done with that, report him to the ethics committee of the state real estate board.

DEAR ABBY: A guy at work, "Leon," is my age, very friendly and down-to-earth. When we've worked together, we have had great conversations, and he has told me a lot about his girlfriend who he's been with for years. I feel guilty knowing this because Leon is having an affair with a girl here at work who's almost a decade his junior, and they've started getting very brazen about it.

He tells people he's tempted by her but would not cross the line. The girl, however, tells very different, detailed and personal stories about their rendezvous. I'm not friends with Leon on Facebook, but I looked at his profile to read a tribute to his recently lost friend and saw his girlfriend's name, and I'm tempted to reach out.

This woman doesn't know me, but I know that at my age, if my boyfriend of three years was messing around at work and everybody knew but me, I'd be livid at them almost as much as I would be at him. As someone who has been cheated on before, I feel I have a duty to his girlfriend because I wouldn't want to waste another second in the dark or with a cheater.

Then again, since Leon and his plaything aren't subtle, do you think I should approach him instead and ask if he's still with his girlfriend or if she knows about the mistress? I've always thought honesty was the best policy and straightforwardness got the most honest answers. Any advice would be much appreciated. -- WITNESS IN VIRGINIA

DEAR WITNESS: I understand your impulse to intervene on behalf of Leon's wronged girlfriend, but for your own sake, please resist the urge. If you start a firestorm, your workplace could become unbearable. So, with the understanding that Leon is a cheater and a liar, stay out of it.

DEAR ABBY: My son is preparing to go to basic training. I have been making travel plans to see him graduate, and it is stressing me out. My parents, who have very little money, said they want to go. I rented a house for myself and other family members, but because my parents are bringing their dog, they cannot stay there. (There's a no-animals rule.) So I rented another place for them.

When I suggested they bring a crate to keep their dog in while we're away during the events, my mother said she will remain with the dog. My father says he is interested only in the events in the morning and refuses to participate in the town pass with my son because of the expected walking. So now I'll have to make additional plans to take my son to visit them during the few hours he's available during his pass.

Furthermore, when I mentioned leaving a few days earlier so we can arrive and not be rushed, my father said he doesn't want to leave any earlier than he has to. I'm at my wits' end. This trip is expensive, and I'm paying most of the expenses for two people who aren't even going to be part of the activities. This trip should be about my son, but I'll need to tend to my parents as well. I don't know what to do. -- PROUD DAD IN OHIO

DEAR DAD: Your parents' attitude is regrettable. Cancel the reservation for the dog-friendly accommodations and tell them the trip is off. Then go and celebrate your son's graduation with him and suggest your parents have a belated party for your son when he returns home. If you do, you will save yourself a bundle of aggravation and frustration, not to mention money.

DEAR ABBY: I got engaged five months ago, and my wedding date is seven months from now. My soon-to-be sister-in-law and bridesmaid has just announced she's pregnant with her second child and due a week after our wedding.

I have conflicting emotions. While I'm happy for her family to grow, I can't help but worry it will detract from my fiance and me. I'm not sure what to do. Do I keep her as a bridesmaid, one week away from delivery? She might be late, but there's also a chance she could go into labor before or during our wedding.

Can I replace her so she won't have to worry about the "what-ifs"? Her husband is a groomsman, so this decision will affect everyone. Should I leave her in and chance it? It breaks my heart to think they might not be able to attend at all. I'm just so overwhelmed, and this is adding to the stress of planning my wedding. Please give me some advice. -- WORRIED BRIDE-TO-BE

DEAR WORRIED: Talk to your about-to-be sister-in-law. It would be difficult to impossible to fit a bridesmaid's dress on someone whose girth is growing constantly. Add to that the possibility that she may be unable to attend the wedding because of an "early arrival," and you wouldn't be normal if you weren't concerned.

Offer her the opportunity to fill another role during the ceremony -- perform a reading, perhaps. Then be sure to have a backup for her. To do this would not be an insult; it may save your sanity as the big day for each of you approaches.

DEAR ABBY: I have four nieces with families who live near me. I see none of them on holidays. I am never invited to spend time with them. They have children who have children, and I understand that they would be involved with each other. We email and keep in contact on Facebook. They know my house is off-limits because my partner is a hoarder and there's no room.

I hint to them in cards, "Hope to see you over the holidays" or, "Would love to see the great-grandbabies." (The oldest is 3 and I haven't seen all four of them since they were born.) My partner is a transgender woman, but I am assured this doesn't bother them.

I miss them and feel left out of the family even though we email. I am their deceased father's only sibling left. Should I be more aggressive, or just stop trying? I have other nieces and nephews who live far away and are more interested in me as a human being and an aunt. They say they would like to be with me and love me. -- EXCLUDED IN NEW YORK

DEAR EXCLUDED: It should be apparent to you that these nieces are ignoring your hints. Could you visit with them in a public place -- neither your house nor theirs? It's worth asking. But if they don't take you up on it, please, concentrate your efforts on those relatives who treat you with the warmth and caring you deserve.