Unenforceable and ridiculous

well they currently have a rule of 6, they have reduced it to 4 in response to continued complaints. Part of me thinks fair play for actually trying to do something about it.

We have an area that is used by a couple of pro dog walkers multiple times a day where it seems to be a walk as many animals as you can fit in the van affair, off lead as fenced area but one for multiple users and with minimal control. I don't believe that one person can have proper control over so many dogs that are not their own and who are not necessarily that used to each other and I can imagine it is even more of an issue in a more built up area.
 
Have I misunderstood the article ? I read it as private owners not being able to walk multiple dogs. We bred working terriers years ago and they were walked in groups of 8 on 4 couples.
 
It is anyone, private owners, dog walkers all included. I was just mentioning my experience of people walking more than 4 dogs and for the most part (apart from one lovely competitive agility collie lady) they were all earning their living from getting as many dogs walked at once as possible.

4 dogs per adult, there was a previous rule of 6 dogs per adult but presumably problems have continued hence the further reduction. It seems sports pitches were possible going to be out of bounds due to irresponsible walkers too but they have maintained that access.

It would be silly if it were a national rule obviously, but in certain built up busy areas with lots of shared areas it seems fairly sensible.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Have I misunderstood the article ? I read it as private owners not being able to walk multiple dogs. We bred working terriers years ago and they were walked in groups of 8 on 4 couples.
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Presumably not round the park, though? I doubt they would worry what you were doing away from busy areas. I think it is a good idea for a limit on off lead dogs in busy areas.
 
What about people who own more than 4 dogs? I have 4 but have often been tempted to increase to 5 - it is ridiculous to suggest that I can't take them for a walk together
 
You have to go live in the country :p :D ;), or well just gosport.

I have to say it does seem like they have a pretty bad dog fouling problem which can't be nice for the other residents and has probably contributed to the complaints they have been dealing with. If multiple dog walking and irresponsible owners aren't causing an issue in your area I can't see any reason why other councils would adopt it (and police it)
 
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I am not sure that it is unenforceble if folks are using council owned facilities, surely the council have the right to make bye laws which respond to complaints from the majority of the council tax payers?
I assume this is aimed at dog walkers, and not dog owners, but don't dog owners who want multiple dogs, have a responsibility to make sure their facilities are suited to their circumstances?
?
 
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Lévrier;13539912 said:
What about people who own more than 4 dogs? I have 4 but have often been tempted to increase to 5 - it is ridiculous to suggest that I can't take them for a walk together
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I think it means you can't walk more than four in Gosport Council owned land.............
 
Having had two friends with separate dog walkers having lost their dogs it is a good idea. If you go on the dog walker sites on fb they are always reporting that dogs have got loose from them as they do not know the dogs well enough. For a person with their own dogs I think it is a bit harsh.
 
Perhaps the Council should have considered limiting the number of dogs walked by "professional" dog walkers initially - although presumably that would be even harder to enforce. It does seem rather harsh to penalise the many for undoubtedly the actions of a few. I have had some unpleasant encounters with so-called professional dog walkers when walking my own dog in one or two of the more popular dog walking areas up here and so can see why this is happening.

On last week's episode of Landward (Scotland's farming and countryside programme) two farmers were also calling for a limit to the number of dogs professional dog walkers could exercise at one time after a series of sheep worrying incidents. It wasn't clear whether these attacks had been perpetrated by dogs being walked by pro walkers, but there is no doubt that when in a pack dogs can act differently than when they are alone.
 
I'm not sure whether it is even mainly a pro dog walker issue or not though I imagine starting with a rule of 6 maximum that was perhaps more the target? It would be interesting to know how many households in the area do have more than 4 dogs and one adult to walk them as to who this still targets moving to 4 max.
 
Good. Here we have 'pro walkers' who walk anything up to 8, often off lead, never clear up behind them.
The common land is privately owned and they are now clamping down on large numbers. Local council have already banned more than 4 dogs to 1 adult, in parks etc.

As a rider and dog owner, I hate coming up on at least 2 of the pro walkers, despite them getting bad press on local Facebook pages, they seem to still be coining it in.
One of them was found by the dog warden with 3 dogs on lead and 7 off, but caught in the act of throwing full poo bags into bushes.
On inspection, turns out there were over 200 poo bags in same spot!! Must have been doing it for a couple of weeks. (Obs no proof on the rest, but was fined for the ones seen to be thrown)

On another note, however can people let their pets go with such irresponsible people? 10 mixed sized dogs in a van?
 
even in the sticks they are a bit of an issue. local forestry near me (and we are quite off the beaten track) has become popular with them. When you have two dog walkers, each walking 4-8 dogs several times a day and not picking up, well the first 3/4 mile of track is grim-bloody horrible too if you have to pick it out of your horses feet afterwards. One dog walker is a liability and I ended up in an argument with her when Quarrie was still quite a young pup. The other keeps her clients dogs on lead and her own dog is loose but obedient.
they are felling it in a few weeks, cant wait for them to go somewhere else!
 
yes, the area we had issue started with about 50yards of track with a fence on one side and a ditch on the other. There were times where it was impossible to avoid piles of faeces in that section on horseback, and it really wedges into hoof boots! you'd just about get rid of it on the grass on your ride (we could only go up and back again, about 1/2 a mile but only off road available within hacking distance) then you'd have to walk back through it on your way out.

This would be classed as rural (village) but is popular with dog walkers to let dogs off because it is fairly well fenced all round.
 
ester said:
You have to go live in the country :p :D ;), or well just gosport.

I have to say it does seem like they have a pretty bad dog fouling problem which can't be nice for the other residents and has probably contributed to the complaints they have been dealing with. If multiple dog walking and irresponsible owners aren't causing an issue in your area I can't see any reason why other councils would adopt it (and police it)
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I do :) I live in rural Gloucestershire and walk my four in the forest every day - any route I can avoid other people with their badly behaved dogs which hassle mine and are a pain in the neck....

I can see entirely that dog fouling is a problem in urban areas - and in some rural areas - which needs action, people are so bl**dy irresponsible nowadays it drives me mad :(
 
I know, hence the smilies :D

If everyone had nice, well behaved dogs and picked up all their poo there wouldn't be an issue I'm sure.
 
Lévrier;13540051 said:
I do :) I live in rural Gloucestershire and walk my four in the forest every day - any route I can avoid other people with their badly behaved dogs which hassle mine and are a pain in the neck....

I can see entirely that dog fouling is a problem in urban areas - and in some rural areas - which needs action, people are so bl**dy irresponsible nowadays it drives me mad :(
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I am the same the amount of times dogs come bounding over from out nowhere and the owners cannot get them back and then say they just want to play. Not interested go away.
 
I only ever walk a maximum of four dogs at a time. Really wouldn't feel happy walking any more than that.
 
I agree it's a sensible ruling, in particular to ensure dog walkers aren't tempted to walk more than they control/clean up after for financial gain. Also, despite having 5 dogs myself, i think it's pretty fair to put a limit on the number of dogs your average dog owner can reasonably be expected to control (& let's face it, there are some who can't even control one dog!).
 
I understand in rare cases some private owners have more than 5 dogs (my MIL has 7, but 3 are old and don't do walks and 3 are puppies so she tends to walk them separately) and if they have reasonable control of them and clean up after them I don't see a problem. My friend had 5 border collies- well trained agility dogs- who she had perfect control of. Although she only walked all of them together on private farm land.

I would not be happy paying sometimes £10 an hour for a 'professional' dog walker to walk my dog with 4 or more other dogs! I know they need to make enough to make a profit and cover fuel ect, but i think some are just greedy.
 
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