Dog Walkers

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HorsesRule2009

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How does everyone feel about Dog walkers, I mean those that have a business doing this.

Sadly we have alot around our way who generally have little control over the dogs they are walking.

I met one today while riding in the forestry he had 6 or 7 dogs of varying sizes including a St Bernard and a very large labradoodle/poodle x along with multiple small dogs.
He tried to recall them when he seen us but sadly none of them listed and continued to come towards us some barking.
He kept trying to grab the one but was unsuccessful.

By this point I had dismounted as I know my boy responds better with me on the ground next to him and this way I could also keep them back from him.

The guy never managed to recall them at one point they were stood around us, he kept walking and called them with him, I think because my horse and I were stationary they eventually followed the guy, the labradoodle ran back straight behind my horse sniffing his hocks!! Luckily he's super happy with dogs around his legs (thanks to living at kennels for a season) do didn't react.

But I am sooo cross that this happened how can people take money of owners and have so little regard for the dogs 😫
 
If you know who they are you can report them to your local council.

Professional dog walkers can offer an invaluable service (I used to be one). But as with everyone who walks dogs should have the dogs in their care under control. I believe that the limit that can be walked is 5. I certainly never walked more than 4 at a time. And evaluated carefully which dogs I was walking.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. And as an owner I'd be horrified that a walker had put my dog and you in such an awful situation.
 
AmyMay Again said:
If you know who they are you can report them to your local council.

Professional dog walkers can offer an invaluable service (I used to be one). But as with everyone who walks dogs should have the dogs in their care under control. I believe that the limit that can be walked is 5. I certainly never walked more than 4 at a time. And evaluated carefully which dogs I was walking.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. And as an owner I'd be horrified that a walker had put my dog and you in such an awful situation.
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I fully understand that it's an invaluable service and can be flexible /work around children etc.

It just really annoys me that they are earning money off people and appear to have so little consideration, I met a different walker back in the summer in a different forestry about 15mins away and she appear to have about as much control as tge obe today, difference being I had luckily just finished my walk and got my 2 dogs I the car before she let hers out ( one of mine is very nervous aggressive and having several dogs run up to him isn't useful at all).
Around both forestries the is often sheep and would be all to easy for something to happen.

I did get a picture of the sign written van from today's incident, I'm wondering whether to message direct and express concern I the hope they are kept on lead I the future.
 
A dog walker that comes to my village walks multiple dogs at a time. She takes them to a green area, there's no parking but she parks in front of the gate with the "no parking" sign attached. Another sign clearly says that dogs should be on a lead, she lets them all loose. It's got a small childrens play area also and the local fb page is awash with complaints (with pictures!) about the faeces in that area and I don't see how she can watch all of them at once. I've been past on my horse and the dogs run out into the road to chase me. The smaller ones can come through the hedge and potentially get hit by a car.

There are plenty of dog walkers who advertise so the problem one is likely to be a minority but someone responsibly walking a dog on a lead doesn't stand out.
 
I regularly see one advertising locally, clearly walking 6+ dogs at once.

We've had dog walkers a couple of times. I would never use one for group walks. Two of the three walkers we used seemed fine. Overall I didn't get the impression they knew all that much about dogs.

I'm sure there are good ones out there but poorly controlled oversized groups I think are certainly not unusual.
 
That’s awful! It must have been really scary.
There are a few dog walkers I know of by me. One I pass early mornings she always has the same two dogs and always looks very in control.
The other just passes me through out the day on and off in her van. Assume collecting to walk else where but they are both what I would expect of dog walkers professional, courteous and in control, not at all what you have experienced and I’d be horrified if someone was walking one of my dogs like that.
 
IMG_4152.jpegThey come to a field by my house to walk their multiple dogs. They generally seem incompetent. One dog escaped and ran off with its extendable lead flying behind it, zipped past me and left me with this injury 😱. No apology or anything.
Not a service I would ever consider using though I am sure there are good ones I have not yet seen those.
 
AmyMay Again said:
If you know who they are you can report them to your local council.

Professional dog walkers can offer an invaluable service (I used to be one). But as with everyone who walks dogs should have the dogs in their care under control. I believe that the limit that can be walked is 5. I certainly never walked more than 4 at a time. And evaluated carefully which dogs I was walking.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. And as an owner I'd be horrified that a walker had put my dog and you in such an awful situation.
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A few authorities have tighter bye-law limits on dog numbers, but enforcement is a huge issue - legally, all dogs have to be under control in a public place.
Dog walkers provide an important service, but altho some (and probably you) are highly responsible, they are ‘commercial’, not professional. There is no over-arching professional body, no standardised training /qualifications / CPD, no standardised code of practice, and unfortunately many do not even have insurance. When things go wrong it can be horrific, and there have been instances where a posse of dogs have pursued horse riders. Definitely an area requiring proper legislation! Luckily OP and her horse were inconvenienced rather than attacked.
 
On the main commons just outside town nobody is permitted more than 4 dogs per person. If a business they have to produce their insurance and council licence, to obtain an additional licence to be able to walk there. This is where i used to ride, and still dog walk a few times a week

There is one smaller common, takes about 20 mins to pop through woods and the little green. Professional/businesses are banned. All dogs must be on leads due to close proximity of v busy road (this, following numerous accidents of car/dog interfaces). I sometimes use it on a food shop day if weather grim
However, it doesn't seem to stop 2 firms from parking up at this one, 6 dogs out each, run on leads for 10 mins through muddy patches then drivers set to with cuppa and ciggy for another hour or so 🤬🤬🤬, I've seen them there on my way back from supermarket.
I have reported to council several times, I've posted on faceache groups, owners have removed dogs, still happening!
 
We have 2 doggy daycares who use the farm tracks and our fields (not a footpath!) to walk the dogs with no control.

Reported them several times, police not interested because no one was hurt and its private land.

I wear a camera now and next time we have an incident I'll put it on local Facebook - the dog owners are paying for a service and their dogs could be hurt by the horse or destroyed if they bite. Hoping that'll solve it pretty quickly.
 
The good ones seem to be few and far between.

It isn't just the lack of control around others using the countryside, but the negative impact on the dogs themselves!

Too many dogs, varying personalities and energy levels.

I was stupid enough to send one of mine off with a group dog walker and subsequently to a day care place when she was young. As a result, I have had a reactive dog who is anxious around other dogs ever since.

If can be done, but it should never just be a case of throwing a new dog in the mix!
 
There’s a dog exercise field near me where a dog walker regularly brings her charges. She parks her van on the field, lets all 11 dogs out for a mad hour’s off lead charge about, she has minimal interaction with them in that time, then she bundles them back in the van and drives off.

The field is fenced to 4 ft high with sheep netting etc, it’s not proper dog proof fencing at all. It’s alongside a busy road.

She must be coining it in. Wonder what the owners think that she is doing with their dogs?

Nice earner for the owner of the dog exercise field, too.
 
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They are awful the ones that use the woods opposite my house, loose dogs on the road lost dogs dogs running through my field chasing deer, they don't give a shit if I see them out riding I just warn them the horse kicks alot of them know me now I have had a few run ins with them, if they see me they tend to go in another direction I do try to avoid the times it's most busy they tend to be done by early afternoon and it's safe to ride and walk my own dogs.
 
Mine go to a home stay set up while I'm away. They have 2 dogs of their own, plus capacity for 4 more. Our dogs are usually the only other night time boarders as they also have daycare, which is included in the tally of 4 clients' dogs.

They make no secret that they hire a dog walking field every day, and van the dogs there. I get photos of my dogs hanging on the field with others. There have bever been any incidents. Mine go there on average a week every month.

They also do dog walking services, where they will either walk locally or transport to the field.

Genuinely, I don't have any issues with this. My old (17yrs) dog doesn't have to go and is allowed to simply hang in the garden if he's feeling a bit stiff. On my request, they have walked just my 2 to the local pub as doggos love going to the pub. That was during a long stay and was done for the cost of a couple of pints!

I think the issue is that people don't want to pay a decent amount for walking dogs. If I were doing such a service, I'd want at least £40 for one walk. That would be for travelling, walking, insurance, vehicle, etc, and the dog would probably get less than an hour actual walking.

To me, a secure dog field with 6 dogs, supervised, is a good compromise for exercise. I pay over £50 a night for my two, and that includes 24 hour care. I know that if I paid even more, a solo walk would be done, but the field is a good compromise. The dogs are socialised at home before being taken to the field.

I would never agree to group walks off lead. Far too dangerous.
 
Flowerofthefen said:
Seen them with my own eyes whilst walking my dogs! One owner was told what was going on, so followed the van after the van had collected her dog, walker parked up and went shopping!!
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That’s awful 😢 but how would you ever know f your dog was collected and left the house for an hour or whatever.
 
I’ve always said I’d have my dogs pts if the alternative was one of these charlatans.
But OP please take photos (hard I know!) you can put them on fb and the dog owners will hopefully be horrified. Although I maintain if you employ someone to walk your dog who behaves like this, maybe you just don’t care. And if you can find the persons name, report to the council.
 
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I think as with all things there are good ones and bad ones. We researched ours lots before we went with the lady we use. She did solo walks for our dog to begin with and now only walks her with 3 others maximum. They only time there is more of them is when 2 of the walkers meet together at a private secure field, owned by the dog walker herself, to let them off together.

I have seen some and thought they had too many dogs or didn’t seem in control but from the videos I see posted and also from watching on my cameras I know that ours treats our dog and the ones in her care really well. I think they should be better regulated for sure.
 
Ittookawhile said:
I think as with all things there are good ones and bad ones. We researched ours lots before we went with the lady we use. She did solo walks for our dog to begin with and now only walks her with 3 others maximum. They only time there is more of them is when 2 of the walkers meet together at a private secure field, owned by the dog walker herself, to let them off together.

I have seen some and thought they had too many dogs or didn’t seem in control but from the videos I see posted and also from watching on my cameras I know that ours treats our dog and the ones in her care really well. I think they should be better regulated for sure.
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How do you know she doesn’t pick up another 4 after she’s got yours? Im such a cynic as I knew someone who employed every trick in the book.
 
Ittookawhile said:
Well she walks them on walks right by my house, she sends videos and I know the route she takes. I’m the last pick up because I can see her park on my drive, get my dog, unload the others and set off from my camera on the drive. So I’m a certain as I can be.
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Fair enough!
 
It is illegal to have dogs out of control in a public place - not sure how forestry tracks equate to this but if open to the public.......? I would certainly report to the local dog warden and get their view on this. We are all tempted to let things go as nothing serious happened but next time something might.
 
Unfortunately there seem to be more bad ones than good ones, well round here anyway. They proudly post videos that make me cringe, multiple dogs running around (how on earth do you keep track of where they poo?), dogs clearly intimidating others, and a real bobby dazzler - a dog with a flexi lead attached to a halti, broken neck anyone. They turf multiple dogs out into "freedom fields" and then sit on their phones, and people pay for that !
 
My dog goes to a day care. It’s run by some game keepers on their own private land. Even then the majority of dogs stay on long lines unless they can be trusted.
 
I've been worried about my daughters little dog, he currently lives with us as my own and I walk him and am here a lot of the time, if I'm not they have the 4 of them for company. She is planning on moving out and getting a dog walker is her answer to my questioning what on earth will happen to her dog. So she plans to leave him, maybe 8.30-6 depending on how close to work the new house is and again, depending on distance either going home at lunch time or getting a dog walker :( After reading this I'm now even more concerned.
Out of the 4 he's the one happiest alone, 3 will be on the sofa together when i come home, he will be in the other room in his (open) crate or whatever, and the one most likely to say no to a walk so is the best suited to that life style but I'm really not happy about the thought of it.
 
When I was hacking every morning I used to see a dog walker. She'd drive past me with a car full of loose, barking dogs jumping all over the car. Later on my ride I'd see her car parked at the top of a public bridleway. She'd let the dog out of the car and wander about 200 yards down the bridleway before turning around and putting them back in the car. I never saw her with a poo bag so I doubt she picked any up. Those dogs spent more time in the car than being walked!
 
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