Irresponsible Owners

limestonelil

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The ones that have me absolutely seething are the owners who think that as a field has a footpath through it, they are entitled to go anywhere they like in that field. I see them flinging balls, having picnics and on one occasion there appeared to be a small dog training group taking place. There are now notices on the gates to that field saying dogs on leads and keep to footpath.

I am sure farming is hard enough without morons trampling all over your land.


Thanks so much for this reminder Smitty. We recently decided we had to let people know our fields (with footpaths) are not doggy exercise areas as there's been a huge increase in the number of dog walkers with multiple badly behaved pooches using them as such. Most people are astonished the dog should also remain on the footpath. The rudest owners will insist it doesn't matter the dogs are hoolying about because 'there's no sheep in here' lf I can be bothered I'll point out I fed them all 20 minutes previously and the dogs have caused them to run down/up out of sight, and the next people's dogs who come in at a different place cause them to run up/down in the opposite direction. Not good for heavily inlamb sheep.
OH (knackered old farmer) was less than impressed with a 'woke' vegan villager who attempted the currently fashionable argument that dogs chasing livestock doesn't matter in the slightest because the livestock is only killed for farmers' financial gain.
 

MagicMelon

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Personally I think all dogs should be kept on leads in public areas. Id say 90% of dogs (or owners) think nothing of letting their dogs rush up to people and my dog. My dog is reactive on the lead after being attacked by an off lead dog, but not just that, I cant stand owners allowing their dogs to bound up to my young children and get right in their faces, shouting "they love kids" or whatever else to suggest theyre friendly means nothing. I dont know you, I dont know your dog and I certainly dont think my young child needs a large strange animal running up them! Any I meet, very few have any recall. My dog hasnt got good recall so I would never dream of letting her off anywhere outwith my own property. Why on earth do others think its ok.
 

usaequestrian

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Ohh I have an interesting one that kind of corresponds with previous posts about off-leash dogs.
I was at a competition last Saturday and there was a well-known trainer at the show. She had a small little corgi, I believe with her. I was watching a few riders go when the corgi ran into the show arena because the trainer DIDN'T HAVE A LEASH. At a show. With fifteen horses around her. Thank goodness the horse was at the other end of the arena and someone was able to grab the dog. A bit later when I was in the ring showing, I could see the trainer waiting by the arena entrance with her dog wandering away from her! I think it's fine to bring a well-trained dog to a show as long as you have some means of restraint. Horses you don't know and off-leash dogs aren't to be trifled with.
 

CorvusCorax

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I wouldn’t have dogs if they had to be kept on a lead (they have excellent recall).

Everyone thinks that, until the day they don't and I'm not going to take the chance and put my dogs at risk in public....around traffic, livestock, other dogs, people who could be scared of them etc. Personally, as the owner of big dogs, I know no one wants to see them charging about offlead in public. They get loads of exercise on leash, off leash in safe places and of course lots of training.
They are fitter and more stimulated than a lot of dogs that are allowed to bimble offlead and self-entertain.
Sure I have to walk them a bit further some days but it's no biggie.
 

Clodagh

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I wouldn’t have dogs if they had to be kept on a lead (they have excellent recall).
I’m with you. I accept leads when needed. But the thought of no pleasant mooching walks is sad to me. Never seeing Pen and Ffee chase each other on the beach. Never having dogs just being dogs. Not for me.
 

some show

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A lot of it depends on your breed preference really, doesn't it. I've got a hound with great recall to the whistle except he's a hound so he likes to chase and go from 0 to 40mph much quicker than your average dog/quicker than I could grab him if needed. If I had a lab or something with similar recall skills to his but without the acceleration/prey drive I would let it off.
 

CorvusCorax

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In what way would dogs not be dogs because they only get let off in safe, secure or quiet areas with very good visibility? Does that mean they turn into elephants ??
I'm sure all the owners of the many dogs that have gone missing up mountains or in the woods thought they had good recall. We had a very pleasant mooch tonight once we broke through the scooter barrier, just with a leash attached.
 

Clodagh

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In what way would dogs not be dogs because they only get let off in safe, secure or quiet areas with very good visibility? Does that mean they turn into elephants ??
I'm sure all the owners of the many dogs that have gone missing up mountains or in the woods thought they had good recall. We had a very pleasant mooch tonight once we broke through the scooter barrier, just with a leash attached.
No sniffing, no eating sheep poo (that would be ok ?). No rolling in dead things… I like them chilling. Just MO.
 

Clodagh

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A lot of it depends on your breed preference really, doesn't it. I've got a hound with great recall to the whistle except he's a hound so he likes to chase and go from 0 to 40mph much quicker than your average dog/quicker than I could grab him if needed. If I had a lab or something with similar recall skills to his but without the acceleration/prey drive I would let it off.
That’s true, but the statement was all dogs on leads always, not ‘dogs that can’t be trusted on lead always.’ I’ve had a lurcher and I understand. ?
 

AmyMay

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I’m with you. I accept leads when needed. But the thought of no pleasant mooching walks is sad to me. Never seeing Pen and Ffee chase each other on the beach. Never having dogs just being dogs. Not for me.

100% agree. It’s a perfect joy.
 

Nasicus

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In what way would dogs not be dogs because they only get let off in safe, secure or quiet areas with very good visibility? Does that mean they turn into elephants ??
I'm sure all the owners of the many dogs that have gone missing up mountains or in the woods thought they had good recall. We had a very pleasant mooch tonight once we broke through the scooter barrier, just with a leash attached.

I'm with you, can't let the wee Gremlin off the lead as she'll bugger off into the sunset the moment something more interesting than me comes along. Thought we'd at least cracked it in the field until she ran across the entire field, under the gate and down the main road. She's lost all off leash privileges unless we are in a secure, fenced area like the local dog field for hire. My heart (and short legs) can't take it!

And we have plenty of pleasant mooches, if it's just us/an appropriate situation she'll be on the flexi lead or longline and allowed the 10m length of it (so a 20m circle around me) to sniff, eat 'country raisins' and (unfortunately) roll in crap. If not, she's on a 2m lead and yet we still enjoy our mooches together, I tend to do 'sniff-fari' type walks with her when she's on a short lead as sniffing is her passion, so we amble along as she sniffs ALL the things. We might not go far, sometimes just the 500m up the lane and back, but it can take a good while and she's worn out from all the sniffing. Walking on a lead doesn't have to be akin to yomping, it can still be chilled and relaxing. Well, certainly a lot more relaxing to me than chasing an obstinate fluffy slipper down the road :eek:
 

usaequestrian

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Then it is to be hoped that you don't walk in sheep country.

My GSD had to be kept on a leash anytime we were around sheep, otherwise she would run under fences and try and 'herd' the sheep. It happened once and then I was more vigilant about her not mixing with farm animals:p.
 

SaddlePsych'D

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On apologies... OH was apparently the bad guy for not responding after a huge dog went at Ivy. I wasn't with him but sounds like he was just trying to move on and away from the situation. He got a sarcastic "you're welcome then" like they were doing him a favour after their dog had come flying out of their car with no lead, squaring up and barking at Ivy. OH rarely gets riled by anything but he was so annoyed.

I ignored an apology too last week. No harm done just ott spaniel running up. I didn't say anything partly because I was still half asleep but also because I'd just watched it do exactly the same thing to an on-lead chihuahua which had got upset (understandably). I thought stop keep saying sorry and actually do something to stop your dog hassling others. Even just an attempt at recall would have been appreciated.

The problem with let dogs be dogs is a lot of people seem to think that means letting them do whatever they like, wherever they like.
 

Moobli

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I love seeing my dogs run free - in appropriate places and at a time it’s not going to impinge on anyone else. A good run on an empty beach, like in your photo Clodagh, is an absolute pleasure.
I invariably leash up my dogs if we meet other people and dogs, near livestock, roads etc. I purposefully avoid taking mine to busy places. I would not like to see a blanket on-lead law in public areas but can see, with all the negative associations around dogs, how it might be coming. If only common sense were actually common we might not be facing the reality of a future of on lead only.
 

skinnydipper

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I know this is a debate that has been had before and people won’t agree but I love seeing this…

I put them on a lead when we got near numpty corner/ the car park but I really enjoy them playing and running.

I wouldn't like there to be a law where dogs must be leashed at all times.

It makes me happy to see my dog running and wrestling with doggy friends, this morning 2 labs and a labradoodle, and if I still had a dog who liked to retrieve a ball then I would like to be able to do that.

I only have the one dog now and she loves to play with other dogs, so when and where it is appropriate she is allowed off lead to play.
 

BBP

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I think there are a couple of categories of off lead dog walkers:

Dog owner who puts in the work and has a well mannered dog with excellent recall that causes no risk or menace in approaching other dogs or hazards without permission (perhaps with the odd blip as dogs are not machines). They proactively monitor the dogs they are walking. I’m guessing Clodagh and Amymay fall in to that category.

Dog owner who is too lazy to put dog on lead. The walk is a task to be completed and they want to get it done whilst talking with friends or messing on the phone. These are the ones who also conveniently don’t see their dog take a sh*t and so don’t clean up after it because they aren’t paying any attention whatsoever. For me having a dog on lead just takes effort that many people aren’t prepared to go to in order for the dog to have a fulfilled life, it’s easier for them to let the dog run riot. For us an on lead walk can be a stop start sniffari where you have to be prepared to give the dog time to read the paper. It can be reeling a long line in and out whilst he sniffs and then trots around doing his thing. It can be running with him to ensure he gets enough exercise and puts in enough miles. It can be going to secure areas frequently to give them full zooming time. It takes a lot of effort.

I’ve admitted frequently that my training skills clearly aren’t up to the task with the dog that I have so he is on lead to keep himself and others safe. The only thing I wish for is that other dogs and people give us space. It’s not a big ask, it shouldn’t be hard, I’m not asking for all dogs to be kept on lead everywhere, just don’t come up to us, give us enough space and time for him to feel safe.

But I fully admit with my previous collie, when I was a teenager, I didn’t give it any thought at all, she was completely dog neutral, not reactive at all, extremely resilient, not remotely interested in anything but her humans and her toys. Other dogs didn’t cross her radar at all, or mine, and as Clodagh said above it was a real joy to see her off lead.
 

CorvusCorax

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I met spangletwat this morning and we did not have a meltdown. That has taken over a year of work. Came shooting through an underpass straight into her face but then whizzed off again quickly and I was able to get her back up the lane and ply her with food ;)
I had left my gate open so it probably had a run around the garden before I got that far, but progress is progress.....
 
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