Dogs on footpaths and bridleways

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Sandstone1

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What are the rules on dogs and footpaths? Obviously I know that dogs must be under control and on lead near livestock etc. Can landowners insist on dogs being on lead All the time?
This question is due to a local landowner now saying all dogs on footpaths and bridleways must be on lead.
Is this legal or not? I thought it might be up to the local council but I'm not sure.
 
They need to be under close control and on the footpath with you. Most people think if they are on the footpath Fido can be three fields away hunting happily. I imagine that is why the landowner is saying it. It is not legally enforceable, but the dog does need to be kept on the 1m or 1.5 m width of the right of way.
 
Its a large estate with a lot of footpaths and bridleways. The owners are saying that dogs must be actually on leads. Just not sure that as it's a public right of way they can insist on this or not.
 
Sandstone1 said:
Its a large estate with a lot of footpaths and bridleways. The owners are saying that dogs must be actually on leads. Just not sure that as it's a public right of way they can insist on this or not.
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I have every sympathy with the landowner! Good luck to them. :-). They can't insist on it but they can insist it is at heel, or if in front it is on the path.
 
They can insist they stay on the footpath/bridleway that goes across the land. If you can keep them at heel then thats fine, if you cant be sure they wont set paw off onto what is private land, then its not!
 
Walking at heel, OK. Roaming around not OK.

My dog has killed 2 pheasants in the last few days, but on my land and I don't know why we have so many pheasants as we don't shoot so don't introduce any, but if they spring up in front of her nose then she will catch them, so she isn't under close control. I guess that is what your landowner is worried about.
 
We have a footpath along one side of our land. Most people keep their dogs either on lead or under close control but you get the odd one who thinks it acceptable to let the dog run loose away from them. If I see them I tell them to put dog on lead, doesn't always go down well.
 
I think it's mostly because they have had recent thefts. There's also been some sheep worrying.
I do understand why they are asking for this as there are some very irresponsible dog owners. It's a shame for all the good owners though.
 
Sandstone1 said:
I think it's mostly because they have had recent thefts. There's also been some sheep worrying.
I do understand why they are asking for this as there are some very irresponsible dog owners. It's a shame for all the good owners though.
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Thing is, apart from having to hold a lead in your hand it shouldn’t really make any difference as your dog should be right with you anyway.
 
Clodagh said:
Thing is, apart from having to hold a lead in your hand it shouldn’t really make any difference as your dog should be right with you anyway.
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Yes, as mine are. I do fully understand what close control is. All I'm asking is can they enforce the Dog actually being on a lead?
After all a dog on a flexi lead can be off the footpath but still on a lead.
 
There was a great hoo- ha locally when one landowner fenced his footpaths to the regulation width because he was fed up of dog-walkers allowing their dogs to run all over his fields. But it was just tough! He had checked the width that he need to leave for walkers and did so. He fenced with sheep wire to ensure that dogs couldn't get through. Many dog-walkers did however take advantage of the tractor tracks that he fenced off round the fields, even though they were not public footpaths.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
There was a great hoo- ha locally when one landowner fenced his footpaths to the regulation width because he was fed up of dog-walkers allowing their dogs to run all over his fields. But it was just tough! He had checked the width that he need to leave for walkers and did so. He fenced with sheep wire to ensure that dogs couldn't get through. Many dog-walkers did however take advantage of the tractor tracks that he fenced off round the fields, even though they were not public footpaths.
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My OH often mentions him, as we pursue yet another spaniel owner and their pet 'Who is just having fun' from our game covers. He would love to do it, but sadly we can't afford the fencing.
 
Why would people complain about a fenced off path? Makes life easier surely? My dogs aren't the best on the lead so I preferred fenced off paths. But then I guess the people that complained didn't put their dogs on leads in fields as a matter of course. Which I generally would do, especially after the Magic Reappearing Sheep Incident ( thank goodness for good recall even if I'm too crap to train a decent LLW).
 
Sandstone1 said:
Yes, as mine are. I do fully understand what close control is. All I'm asking is can they enforce the Dog actually being on a lead?
After all a dog on a flexi lead can be off the footpath but still on a lead.
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No, they can't then. Unless the dog warden turns up, and we seem to no longer have any of them any more. Trespass is a civil thing, isn't it, and I haven't heard of dog trespass! Out of control in a public place maybe?
 
I just think it’s bloody rude to allow your dog to rampage/wander/bugger about on somebody else’s land. My god, when I lived in a city, My dogs weren’t allowed to cock-a-leg at someone’s wall/gate posts etc.
 
Sandstone1 said:
Yes, as mine are. I do fully understand what close control is. All I'm asking is can they enforce the Dog actually being on a lead?
After all a dog on a flexi lead can be off the footpath but still on a lead.
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I think that if an owner has any doubt that their dog will not remain within the footpath boundary, then on the lead it should be but By laws may come into play and you will need to check with your local council regarding footpath bylaws.
 
Blazingsaddles said:
I just think it’s bloody rude to allow your dog to rampage/wander/bugger about on somebody else’s land. My god, when I lived in a city, My dogs weren’t allowed to cock-a-leg at someone’s wall/gate posts etc.
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I agree but a dog can be under control but not on a lead
 
Yes. I'm going to look in to it. I completely see the landowners point and many dogs are not under control but it's a shame for the good dog owners to be tarred with the same brush.
 
I do have every sympathy with the landowner tbh. Part of me, though, grits my teeth when I see so many local sheepdogs who wander more or less at will within the parish or who are allowed to lie by the side of the road ready to chase vehicles/runners/cylcists/horses/pet dogs. It is truly irritating to have their nominal owners insist (as they do sometimes) on pet dogs being kept on leads on indistinct and poorly maintained footpaths. It also drives me nuts when farmers (including my brother in law, of whom I am generally very fond) tell walkers with dogs that they MUST pick up after their dogs in order to prevent disease - usually I think the reference is to toxicara. I have never once however, seen him (or others like him!) pick up after the 6 sheepdogs he keeps and uses daily on that land. Yet walkers appear occasionally and generally seem quite likely to have wormed and well cared for animals. There are many things that cause tension around access to land...
 
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