Katrina 1
New User
I’m new to Horse and Hound and registered specifically to post this comment, in response to some now rather old threads on the subject of dog walkers on public footpaths. I must admit to being disappointed by the viciousness of some of the comments on the subject, so I wanted to add an opinion from a walker’s perspective which I hope some of you might find helpful.
Firstly, to introduce myself: I don’t consider myself a ‘dog walker’ – I’m a walker with a dog. I’ve been walking the footpaths of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire as a serious hobby for over 40 years and have always been accompanied by a dog.
Many of the authors posting on these threads seem to assume that dog owners use footpaths solely for the purpose of using them as a toilet, or for giving the dogs exercise. This is not necessarily the case and I would ask you, please, not to tar us all with the same brush. I’m not in the countryside to exercise my dog – I’m there to explore footpaths, with my dog for company. Don’t assume that people enjoying rights of way are ignorant or malicious purely because they do not own the land they’re walking on.
My dog happens to be highly trained and very responsive to commands, but she does, of course, enjoy running, and sniffing around, as all dogs do. While I always keep her on a lead in fields containing livestock, and anywhere near farm buildings, I find it intensely irritating to see signs ordering me to leash my dog in fields where NO livestock is present. (I’m not talking here about Access land – just farmland with footpaths). Walks of between 6 – 20 miles would be a miserable experience for us both if my dog had to be on a lead across every field! How would you, as country people with equally well-trained dogs, feel in the same situation? In fields without livestock surely it’s far more practical to request that people keep their dog ‘under control’ instead?
On the subject of dogs and livestock, walkers would really appreciate being told if a field contains livestock BEFORE WE ENTER IT, so that we can leash our dogs in preparation. Put a sign on the stile. Although there are sadly always a few who will ignore such warnings, the majority of us are only too happy to comply and don’t want to get half way across and find out too late.
Believe it or not, many walkers don’t understand what silage is – so put a sign up about dog faeces on the entrance to that field. You'll find that an explanation works wonders.
To stray for a moment away from the purely doggy theme, many of the same posts I read complained of dog walkers who were not on the footpath. Believe it or not, the majority of walkers WANT to be on the designated path, and leave it only because they are confused or obstructed. Perhaps you should ask yourself whether the footpath is clearly marked and accessible? I frequently report footpaths that are grown over with crops, nettles, or where the signage is inadequate and only yesterday was forced to make a substantial diversion across farmland to avoid a face-high crop of stinging nettles across an entire stretch of footpath. Walkers, with or without dogs, are there because we, just like you, enjoy the countryside. Most of you are dog owners too, so I beg you to think of us with a little more respect, as individuals, and help us to help you.
Firstly, to introduce myself: I don’t consider myself a ‘dog walker’ – I’m a walker with a dog. I’ve been walking the footpaths of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire as a serious hobby for over 40 years and have always been accompanied by a dog.
Many of the authors posting on these threads seem to assume that dog owners use footpaths solely for the purpose of using them as a toilet, or for giving the dogs exercise. This is not necessarily the case and I would ask you, please, not to tar us all with the same brush. I’m not in the countryside to exercise my dog – I’m there to explore footpaths, with my dog for company. Don’t assume that people enjoying rights of way are ignorant or malicious purely because they do not own the land they’re walking on.
My dog happens to be highly trained and very responsive to commands, but she does, of course, enjoy running, and sniffing around, as all dogs do. While I always keep her on a lead in fields containing livestock, and anywhere near farm buildings, I find it intensely irritating to see signs ordering me to leash my dog in fields where NO livestock is present. (I’m not talking here about Access land – just farmland with footpaths). Walks of between 6 – 20 miles would be a miserable experience for us both if my dog had to be on a lead across every field! How would you, as country people with equally well-trained dogs, feel in the same situation? In fields without livestock surely it’s far more practical to request that people keep their dog ‘under control’ instead?
On the subject of dogs and livestock, walkers would really appreciate being told if a field contains livestock BEFORE WE ENTER IT, so that we can leash our dogs in preparation. Put a sign on the stile. Although there are sadly always a few who will ignore such warnings, the majority of us are only too happy to comply and don’t want to get half way across and find out too late.
Believe it or not, many walkers don’t understand what silage is – so put a sign up about dog faeces on the entrance to that field. You'll find that an explanation works wonders.
To stray for a moment away from the purely doggy theme, many of the same posts I read complained of dog walkers who were not on the footpath. Believe it or not, the majority of walkers WANT to be on the designated path, and leave it only because they are confused or obstructed. Perhaps you should ask yourself whether the footpath is clearly marked and accessible? I frequently report footpaths that are grown over with crops, nettles, or where the signage is inadequate and only yesterday was forced to make a substantial diversion across farmland to avoid a face-high crop of stinging nettles across an entire stretch of footpath. Walkers, with or without dogs, are there because we, just like you, enjoy the countryside. Most of you are dog owners too, so I beg you to think of us with a little more respect, as individuals, and help us to help you.
