CorvusCorax
'It's only a laugh, no harm done'
EE by name, EE by nature 
Another fatal dog attack
- Thread starter SilverLinings
- Start date
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
Nothing .
What are you going to do about the idiot cyclists that cross forest tracks without slowing down
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
The one nearest to me is £10 a time and I cant imagine anything worse than going to the same place day after day while my dogs amble round bored senseless. We try and do a different walk every day for a month, then rotate. I enjoy walking them. I enjoy being outside and going to different places. We do go to the local dog field every couple of months for breed specific meet ups, but thats quite enough for me!
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
Why would they be bored senseless, have you no balls to throw
Spotherisk
Well-Known Member
I have a friend who owns a dog field, they have some people who book in practically every other day so they can let their dogs off securely.
Spotherisk
Well-Known Member
Firstly, I’m not against dog licences, muzzles or leads.
However I’m not convinced that bringing back dog licensing in the UK will change very much. I can’t help but remember when passports for horses were brought in, I don’t think that’s made any positive difference to horse care, breeding, welfare etc. Law abiding citizens (me included) passported their horse. Apart from the vet writing in it for recording jabs no one has ever asked to see it, and I think I’ve had five die or be pts and not once has anyone asked to see the passport, and I’ve not returned them. I also never had Harley chipped as he was never leaving home again - there was no check on that, no check that a horse was alive, with a passport but no chip. No checks at all. What if he’d been the horse equivalent of a XL bully, would that have been checks - I doubt it very much. Food for thought.
I think I’ve seen an XL bully once and it scared the crap out of me. It was on a lead, owner was a tiny woman who struggled to hold it, the dog and I locked eyes and it went mental, I was truly frightened. She had just come out of the wood where my husband was walking our dogs, and I cannot imagine what might have happened if they’d met.
However I’m not convinced that bringing back dog licensing in the UK will change very much. I can’t help but remember when passports for horses were brought in, I don’t think that’s made any positive difference to horse care, breeding, welfare etc. Law abiding citizens (me included) passported their horse. Apart from the vet writing in it for recording jabs no one has ever asked to see it, and I think I’ve had five die or be pts and not once has anyone asked to see the passport, and I’ve not returned them. I also never had Harley chipped as he was never leaving home again - there was no check on that, no check that a horse was alive, with a passport but no chip. No checks at all. What if he’d been the horse equivalent of a XL bully, would that have been checks - I doubt it very much. Food for thought.
I think I’ve seen an XL bully once and it scared the crap out of me. It was on a lead, owner was a tiny woman who struggled to hold it, the dog and I locked eyes and it went mental, I was truly frightened. She had just come out of the wood where my husband was walking our dogs, and I cannot imagine what might have happened if they’d met.
millikins
Well-Known Member
By "public places" I assume you mean every footpath, bridleway. beach etc? So we then have an epidemic of badly behaved dogs lacking exercise, how many on here have problems with their horses when they've not had enough work or turnout?
CorvusCorax
'It's only a laugh, no harm done'
Walk further/faster/bike them/jog with them/train them/do a sport or activity with them.
My young one easily did 40 minutes leash walking on some of those hot evenings the other week but she's punctured after ten minutes of of high impact training in the rain.
My young one easily did 40 minutes leash walking on some of those hot evenings the other week but she's punctured after ten minutes of of high impact training in the rain.
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
How would they be condemned to a life on lead? They can be off lead on the owner's property and there's plenty of dog parks available for hire now.
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
Ac
Actually most PROW go across privately owned land, do all & sundry's dogs have the right to roam & run over other people's land? I bet there's a few on here with footpaths through their grazing who would disagree.
Actually most PROW go across privately owned land, do all & sundry's dogs have the right to roam & run over other people's land? I bet there's a few on here with footpaths through their grazing who would disagree.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
I'm going to give a shout-out to the dog owners of Mugdock Park. There's a few twats, but the vast majority of them leash their dogs when I stop my horse in the middle of the trail and give them the "you better leash that" glare. Both my horses are very good at "wait," so I can sit there scowling for a long time. It's surprisingly effective. There's something about a large animal parked in the middle of the trail and a death stare from the rider that sends people scurrying for the leads. Knocking on wood, most of the ones that actually run up and start hassling the horse are tiny fluffy things that the horses could kick into next week.
Last time I saw an XL bully (or took note of one), its owners were hanging onto the lead for dear life, and I thought, "erm, f*ck," and rode the horse into the bushes to swing *wide* around it. That was a dodgy animal.
Last time I saw an XL bully (or took note of one), its owners were hanging onto the lead for dear life, and I thought, "erm, f*ck," and rode the horse into the bushes to swing *wide* around it. That was a dodgy animal.
Chucho
Well-Known Member
Having spent much of the last 10 years living in national park/protected areas where dogs on lead is a legal requirement, it really doesn't bother me if my dogs never go off lead in public places ever again. As long as they get free play in a garden, or we've regularly hired a dog field when we've had a smaller garden, it really hasn't bothered them either. I also prefer the fact that I get to choose who they meet, rather than being at the mercy of someone yelling 'he's friendly!' from a distance, as a dog with zero social skills charges straight towards us and screetches to a halt in front of our noses. We use double ended leads so they get longer lines where appropriate to do so. They do all the exploring they would do with their noses just attached to us. We walk at their pace. We sometimes go our preferred route, sometimes they choose where we go. They eat less deer poo. Get better impulse control from not being able to chase every critter. I've always accepted that I'm in the minority with this though. I certainly don't think it should be a requirement for working dogs/those on private land. Just public places where you are walking for the sake of walking.
Here dog parks are a big thing if you want off leash time and have a small yard. I am not a fan unless they are part of a walking route. But they seem to suit some dogs. No different to taking your dog to a busy beach to play on really.
I think muzzling every dog in public is unnecessary. If the government would just invest appropriately in public services to enforce the existing dog laws that would go a long way to improving the situation. The new ban on XL bullies is an almost totally empty gesture without that. I do sympathise with the people working in rescues who are going to end up bearing the brunt of implementing it if lots of dogs get dumped because their owners can't be bothered to lead/muzzle train them or can't face a more difficult decision. I'm sure that euthanising dogs is not why they would want to be involved in rescue and for every dog with behavioural issues, there will be many who are not obviously challenging/difficult to handle. That is not to detract from the suffering of victims of dog attacks, but it must be soul destroying to oversee.
Here dog parks are a big thing if you want off leash time and have a small yard. I am not a fan unless they are part of a walking route. But they seem to suit some dogs. No different to taking your dog to a busy beach to play on really.
I think muzzling every dog in public is unnecessary. If the government would just invest appropriately in public services to enforce the existing dog laws that would go a long way to improving the situation. The new ban on XL bullies is an almost totally empty gesture without that. I do sympathise with the people working in rescues who are going to end up bearing the brunt of implementing it if lots of dogs get dumped because their owners can't be bothered to lead/muzzle train them or can't face a more difficult decision. I'm sure that euthanising dogs is not why they would want to be involved in rescue and for every dog with behavioural issues, there will be many who are not obviously challenging/difficult to handle. That is not to detract from the suffering of victims of dog attacks, but it must be soul destroying to oversee.
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I know I said I wasn't going to post so just pretend this isn't me
(if I was one of those folk with multiple accounts this wouldn't be a problem).I've started hiring dog fields, different ones for variety. We start the session with her having a mooch and a sniff, checking things out, and then I do stuff with her and when we have played games, so she truly gets to stretch her legs and have a run, we practice recall, she loves it, you can see her laughing as she hurtles towards me the length of the field.
For dogs who would otherwise be walked on a lead it provides an opportunity for physical activity and mental stimulation.
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DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
Oh the people in the forest here are very good with dogs around horses - I've never known one not put a dog on a lead....if the owner is close enough. The big problem is that the dogs are often romping around far away from and out of sight of their owner. There are a LOT of spaniels and spaniel crosses around here and if you let a spaniel off lead in a forest and give them no direction then a spaniel is gonna spaniel. I've never known a pure spaniel take any notice but some of the crosses do have a bit of a bark and a run at you.
Undoubtedly the dogs I fear most out hacking (that I see regularly enough to form an opinion) are collies and bull types though (mainly staffies) - in terms of reacting to horses in a launching at you kind of way they seem by far yhe most prone (off lead or on)
tristar
Well-Known Member
if people had dogs suitable to their needs, not working dogs in a flat, or big dogs that need to have controlled exercise. or to do things that occupy the brain, at lot would be solved
so many have dogs that have to be rehomed cause the owners cant cope basically, if you are out at work till six, dog home alone etc, really a lot of thought needs to go into any potential dog purchase, a dog to suit your lifestyle, time limitations, environment in general need to be considered
and a dog with the right size and temperament, trainability
so many have dogs that have to be rehomed cause the owners cant cope basically, if you are out at work till six, dog home alone etc, really a lot of thought needs to go into any potential dog purchase, a dog to suit your lifestyle, time limitations, environment in general need to be considered
and a dog with the right size and temperament, trainability
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I cannot think if anything worse than standing in a fenced area throwing a ball for an hour. Hey! Let’s wreck our dogs joints, let’s go out of our minds with boredom, let them not do any mooching about other than where 50 other dogs have peed and crapped in the last day.
Like you, walking is for my pleasure as much as the dogs.
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
Your dogs should stay on the footpath, if you train thrm that’s quite doable.
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I agree they are a good thing if your dog has no recall or can’t be trusted off lead. I think for dogs that are impeccably behaved it’s very harsh.Sorry, I know I said I wasn't going to post so just pretend this isn't me
I've started hiring dog fields, different ones for variety. We start the session with her having a mooch and a sniff, checking things out, and then I do stuff with her and when we have played games, so she truly gets to stretch her legs and have a run, we practice recall, she loves it, you can see her laughing as she hurtles towards me the length of the field.
For dogs who would otherwise be walked on a lead it provides an opportunity for physical activity and mental stimulation.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
you wouldn't if people chose a breed that fitted in with what they could offer in exercise.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
there is the theory and there is real life
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
Agreed… but if they aren’t trained then back on the lead. We farmed in Essex, it still fills my heart with joy seeing joyous photos of dogs leaping through crop fields.there is the theory and there is real life
paddy555
Well-Known Member
re the first para then absolutely.
I wonder how many on here have not chipped their older horses? Passporting and chipping horses is of course totally effective. Any dead dumped pony can be identified immediately.
re the 2nd I haven't seen that bully. Hopefully it hasn't got this far up. If I was on a horse and saw one that wasn't muzzled I would be seriously scared for both of us.
As for wardens then Hound Tor has a signal however by the time a dog warden has been alerted and travelled out there then the problem dog and owner will be miles away. Owners of dogs that go for horses don't tend to leave their contact details. They just disappear quickly.
In our case whoever would have thought a beautiful golden retriever would attack a horse.
I can see that in problem city areas having a "dog warden on the beat" as we used to have a policeman on the beat may be a good idea as they would have insight what was happening to police their beat.
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
Everything you write here is true .
I meet people quite often with large badly leader trained Labradors they are being dragged around by a lovely enthusiastic untrained young dog , how lucky you are to have got calm dogs mine is mad they say .
What do you say to them ,Your dogs not mad it’s not trained it’s not exercised enough in its body or it’s head to be calm .
I am not saying all dogs have the same energy levels within Labradors energy levels between individuals vary hugely and some are easier to train than others .
I suspect most breeds are like that and of course when they are older puppies young adults that’s when you have to put the effort in .
There people who really don’t understand that you train dogs and there people who need to realise exactly how much of a lifestyle change becoming a dog owner is .
Amongst all this angst it is important to remember that most dog owners get enormous health benefits fun and pleasure from owning a dog and the dogs have a good home the good of dog ownership must not be lost in the focus on the bad .
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I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
Because going to the same small field every single day would bore anyone or anything senseless. You wouldn't expect a horse to do it. And no, ball throwing isnt really something we do.
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paddy555
Well-Known Member
well again excellent in theory. Problem is some people's idea of what trained and walking to heel means isn't what happens in reality. Walking to heel to me means I can reach down and touch the pooch. To others it means a couple of fields away.Agreed… but if they aren’t trained then back on the lead. We farmed in Essex, it still fills my heart with joy seeing joyous photos of dogs leaping through crop fields.
something will have to happen idc and, as always, it will be that the responsible suffer because of the irresponsible minority.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
The dogs here only run free in one of the paddocks and never get bored running after their balls. They'll do it for as long as they can find a willing ball flinger.
planete
Well-Known Member
We use dog exercise fields a couple of times a week and we all love it , particularly the ones with agility equipment. We practice searches for hidden objects, blind retrieves, stays, recalls, scent work...When out in the open if a dog picks up an interesting scent, deer usually, they are allowed to follow the track on a long lead with us in tow which can get quite challenging and exciting as we all hurdle the Forest's small ditches and bushes. One of my bitches has always found within twenty minutes at most and is always mighty pleased with herself then. Our lurchers are never off lead on public land. Once home they will snooze the rest of the day off. Training emergency stops and heel work was quite successful with the lurchers if we saw the deer first we found. If not stopped before the launch we did not stand a chance of stopping a chase. Dog exercise on lead can be quite successful with the will for it to be so and regular off lead exercise in safe places but it is a lot of work. If people do not want the commitment they should buy appropriately unathletic breeds (or be better trainers than we are!)
Sandstone1
Well-Known Member
Just a thought. If muzzling all dogs in public places was brought in what would that mean for fox hounds? Would they have to be muzzled? As they only trail hunt it should be fine to muzzle them should it not? I am guessing that they would be exempt for some reason. Now what would that reason be I wonder?
Sorry to go of track but just a thought.
Sorry to go of track but just a thought.
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
I dont like ball throwing for the reasons Clodagh outlined. Its a rare thing we do occasionally.
The love flirt poliing, but again its not great for them so its an occasional treat.
We do scent work, walks through cities, visits to shops, occasional visits to the park, trips on public transport etc, etc. But the main thing is walking exploring footpaths and bridleways.
I'm glad your set up works for you. Not only do I not have a paddock, but I also wouldnt consider that acceptable for me or my dogs.
I'm lucky, if it was implemented I have no ties, I'd just up sticks and move to a country that didnt have such rules.
SadKen
Well-Known Member
It costs a fair bit to hire a field that’s secure specifically for dog walking. At our local one, if you hired it every day, it’s £80 a week. Most don’t have that kind of money. Many don’t have that money spare for once a week, or the means to get there as they are usually out of town.
You can’t expect people who struggle to feed and vet care for their dogs to do this. Is the solution that their dogs spend their lives on a lead? Because many owners won’t subject their dog to that, and in many cases, this would never cause any kind of problem.
It’s also the case that many people don’t have the time, safe places or the health required to do the intense training CC referenced. You can say ‘they shouldn’t get a dog’, but people who aren’t equipped to look after children properly either from a health, time or money perspective yet have them all the time. So this is not really different.
Again before I am told I’m downbeat I think current legislation should be enforced properly and the penalties *when the law is broken* should be far more significant especially for large dogs.
You can’t expect people who struggle to feed and vet care for their dogs to do this. Is the solution that their dogs spend their lives on a lead? Because many owners won’t subject their dog to that, and in many cases, this would never cause any kind of problem.
It’s also the case that many people don’t have the time, safe places or the health required to do the intense training CC referenced. You can say ‘they shouldn’t get a dog’, but people who aren’t equipped to look after children properly either from a health, time or money perspective yet have them all the time. So this is not really different.
Again before I am told I’m downbeat I think current legislation should be enforced properly and the penalties *when the law is broken* should be far more significant especially for large dogs.