When did it become acceptable to allowdogs to run free across other peoples land?

ester said:
no we've upgraded now ;) I see you have your seriously likeable one ;) should we have some trophy designs do you think ;)?
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Well if it is agreed that troph designs are appropriate, you’re the person to do it :)
Having said that, now that it’s easy to upload photos, I could help with designs.
PS: did you see my post on another thread about painting your horse?
 
bonny said:
The way I read it the sheep weren’t worried, the op just seems to be annoyed about dogs on her land.
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How do you know they weren't worried? Stressed sheep not only run but huddle for safety, they can collapse from stress.
https://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/dog-owners/sheep-worrying/
Their faeces can also cause sheep to abort.
https://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/dog-owners/worm-control/
I think I would employ someone with a shot gun for a few weeks,
https://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/dog-owners/advice-for-farmers/2486/destroying-dogs-that-attack/
 
I may be a complete townie and Mrs Spaniel a city-dog but surely it makes complete sense to put dogs on leads when not sure of recall?
Mrs Spaniel is used to the horses at my yard and they her so they ignore her galloping around them yelling her head off.
She sees strange horses or a new one joins our field and she instantly retreats to the fenceline and waits there silently for a few weeks, until she boldens up to them. If there was a sign from the horse that it didn't like dogs then obviously she never goes in that field again (been lucky so far! And the horses soon become dogproof as YO has 7 free ranging!) I also put her on a lead if we meet horses out and about but the times when I've been caught unawares, she always keeps a big distance and walks past quietly.
I took her up to Scotland this summer and she met sheep and cows for the first time. I was ambushed by a sheep unawares and yes she did go to chase it but to my surprise she came back instantly (must have been a fluke) I was doubly cautious after that, I would have been horrified to cause an incident.
We did note that there was absolutely no interest in sheep if they stayed still but the chase instinct was obviously there.
Cows I think she took for horses and was impeccably behaved but again I took no chances.
But so many of my friends that I walk with when I tell them this story say that their dog would be fine. Often as the dog charges across the park to hump some strange dog or root through a passerbys bag.
I sometimes wonder if I only have that common sense as I'm around the horses or if I'd be as blissfully arrogant/naive if I didn't have them in my life?
 
I imagine the vast majority of owners of dogs who have chased, attacked or killed sheep really didn’t believe beforehand that their dog would do such a thing. That’s part of the problem; if they weren’t complacent and maverick about their responsibilities as dog owners in the first place, sheep worrying and attacks would reduce significantly.
I can totally relate to the OP’s annoyance, particularly towards anyone trivialising this issue, whether they are indeed trolls or just idiotic.
 
I know someone that had their dog shot by a landowner. Don't know if the dog was actually worrying livestock, or if it was paying for the sins of other dogs in the past. What I do know is that the dog-owner, who loved the dog like a child, has been filled with rage, to the point of damaging his mental health, ever since (and it happened years ago). Fluffy can be a big old goofball, that would never harm a fly, but do you really want to risk your dog getting shot? And yes, regardless of intent, deliberately letting your dog run loose on someone else's property is negligent and rude.
 
Jeez this has been a long argumentative thread.
We all know it's wrong... But we all know people are stupid enough to let their dogs run free when they shouldn't. Equally I do not believe any of us haven't had "oh sugar" moments with our dogs. I'm not excusing the actions in the initial post but I think the "discussion" has probably gone on long enough.
 
Lintel said:
Jeez this has been a long argumentative thread.
We all know it's wrong... But we all know people are stupid enough to let their dogs run free when they shouldn't. Equally I do not believe any of us haven't had "oh sugar" moments with our dogs. I'm not excusing the actions in the initial post but I think the "discussion" has probably gone on long enough.
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Unfortunately we don't know from this thread that 'we all know it's wrong', as someone has tried to excuse the behaviour. Incidentally, if you genuinely think a thread has gone on long enough, it is best not to resurrect it by posting. Most threads die a natural death after a while.
 
We have a public footpath running through our yard, which obviously attracts a lot of dog walkers. The majority are fine, but we have a group who don’t just stray off the footpath, but walk their dogs completely the opposite way and head off around our Farm ride. We have various signs along the way stating this is private land and your are now trespassing. When confronted they are extremely rude. They are local people and know exactly where the footpath is, but they seem to think that walking their dogs on our YO land is acceptable because they do it early morning.
 
scats said:
We have a public footpath running through our yard, which obviously attracts a lot of dog walkers. The majority are fine, but we have a group who don’t just stray off the footpath, but walk their dogs completely the opposite way and head off around our Farm ride. We have various signs along the way stating this is private land and your are now trespassing. When confronted they are extremely rude. They are local people and know exactly where the footpath is, but they seem to think that walking their dogs on our YO land is acceptable because they do it early morning.
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I remember, many years ago confronting a dog (GSD) walker on an Infants school field at playtime. There was a public footpath which ran down the side of, but not on, the field, there were plenty of signs saying 'No dogs' etc. This ridiculous man insisted that because he was a rate-payer and local resident he had the right to walk his dog in amongst the (frightened) children. There are some people who will only ever do what they want - but they are very annoying!
 
bonny said:
i didn’t say it was ok, but I doubt anyone with dogs had never had them chase something and suddenly go deaf. No harm was done, to say it’s illegal is like saying you saw someone driving over 30 mph in a town, that’s illegal too !
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Only read partway into the thread - But yes it is illegal if the posted speed limit is under 30mph - And yes we've all done it at some stage, consciously or unconsciously, I personally would have no issue with being pulled for doing over 30 if I was in the wrong, Id chalk it up to my own inattention or a conscious decision I'd made. As for dogs around livestock I'm fully aware of the risks and potential consequences and mine are always at heel or on leads if I think there is a chance of them getting anywhere near horses or livestock. I'm hard on them and keep them under control to the best of my ability, that doesn't stop them getting excited and jumping up at someone or chasing deer or rabbits if they suddenly put one up. I would apologise profusely to anyone I inconvenienced and if I think its likely that there are going to be deer/rabbits I get them under control.
 
Hanno Verian said:
Only read partway into the thread - But yes it is illegal if the posted speed limit is under 30mph - And yes we've all done it at some stage, consciously or unconsciously, I personally would have no issue with being pulled for doing over 30 if I was in the wrong, Id chalk it up to my own inattention or a conscious decision I'd made. As for dogs around livestock I'm fully aware of the risks and potential consequences and mine are always at heel or on leads if I think there is a chance of them getting anywhere near horses or livestock. I'm hard on them and keep them under control to the best of my ability, that doesn't stop them getting excited and jumping up at someone or chasing deer or rabbits if they suddenly put one up. I would apologise profusely to anyone I inconvenienced and if I think its likely that there are going to be deer/rabbits I get them under control.
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I think we are all in agreement !
 
As an owner of lurchers, chasing wild rabbits was acceptable to me. Chasing deer was not. Jumping up at people a definite no no. Chasing livestock/pets would have left me mortified. Trespassing on other people’s property highly embarrassing. I developed exceptional visual acumen when walking them 😀
 
My lurchers and greyhounds will always chase rabbits and squirrels..... amazingly their capacity to catch said animals is very limited! To say they should permanently be kept on a lead because of this is, in my opinion, ridiculous.

They do not jump up at people. They do not chase livestock of any kind, because they are ALWAYS on a lead around livestock. They are also put on a lead when we meet other dogs, simply because other people’s dogs are a PITA in my experience.

Due to the type of dogs I own I would never trust one with livestock (by which I mean horses, cows, sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas etc) - it’s a purely personal choice, but I sure as hell don’t want my dog to be shot and it simply isn’t worth the risk to the animals to ‘see what happens’
 
Living on the New Forest which is full of various deer and livestock, I have adopted an always on lead policy for my lurchers when we are on the Forest. However each one is in turn kept on a 10m. line attached to a harness and allowed to follow trails left by deer until they find some, when they are lavishly praised for a 'job' well done. It seems to satisfy them if the amount of sleeping they do afterwards is anything to go by. They also have the use of a well-fenced field to run around in, play at agility or balls and 'find it' games. As I decided not to work them I certainly do not want them injuring or killing stock/wildlife by accident or injuring/killing themselves stupidly when I have an easy means of keeping everybody safe.
 
Well, there was me thinking that the experienced dog folk on here all agreed that a dog should not be off lead unless you have full recall at all times, or are in an enclosed safe area. How come 'full recall except if they put up a rabbit or squirrel' is acceptable? FWIW, the JRT goes deaf lugs too if he gets a scent, so he's always walked on an extendable lead.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Well, there was me thinking that the experienced dog folk on here all agreed that a dog should not be off lead unless you have full recall at all times, or are in an enclosed safe area. How come 'full recall except if they put up a rabbit or squirrel' is acceptable? FWIW, the JRT goes deaf lugs too if he gets a scent, so he's always walked on an extendable lead.
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My personal view - rabbit and squirrel are vermin, and I don't have a problem if they are dispatched quickly and humanely by my dogs which is how it happens on the odd occasion they get one. I have never (as I recall, doubtless someone will do a search and prove me wrong!) said that I feel dogs must be on a lead all the time unless you have full recall at all times, these are dogs not robots and with sighthounds however experienced an owner you are, and however much of a wary eye you keep out, there will always be some little squirrel that decides to dice with death.
 
I think it depends where you walk your dogs. We are in sheep country (obviously), so ours are exercised off the property on a lead at all times. They get plenty of exercise off lead at home, where we have secure fences to keep them away from our and our neighbours' stock
 
Tiddlypom said:
Well, there was me thinking that the experienced dog folk on here all agreed that a dog should not be off lead unless you have full recall at all times, or are in an enclosed safe area. How come 'full recall except if they put up a rabbit or squirrel' is acceptable? FWIW, the JRT goes deaf lugs too if he gets a scent, so he's always walked on an extendable lead.
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I'd be mortified if either of mine killed or chased anything-not because I don't understand prey drive but because I dont believe me walking my dogs should cause any distress to anything, including wildlife (yes, I am that much of a hippy, no I am not a vegetarian *rolls eyes in advance of any accusations*. I've worked hard to channel the drive in other ways with one and distilled a 100% leave it command in both (one is a bit special wrt training however is also the one least likely to actually do anything other than run around like a wally). I was really shocked the other day on a breed FB page that people thought it perfeclty fine for their dogs to chase pheasants and geese 'because they are just birds'.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
I'd be mortified if either of mine killed or chased anything-not because I don't understand prey drive but because I dont believe me walking my dogs should cause any distress to anything, including wildlife (yes, I am that much of a hippy, no I am not a vegetarian *rolls eyes in advance of any accusations*. I've worked hard to channel the drive in other ways with one and distilled a 100% leave it command in both (one is a bit special wrt training however is also the one least likely to actually do anything other than run around like a wally). I was really shocked the other day on a breed FB page that people thought it perfeclty fine for their dogs to chase pheasants and geese 'because they are just birds'.
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This is the problem I have with people who don't understand that their dogs charging through the undergrowth or going for a swim can terrify the waterfowl population, destroy nests and kill young birds. And we're in a red squirrel area so ours are not vermin. I'm waiting for someone to complain one day that little Fido I has been attacked by an angry swan ...

Ets we don't have many rabbits but our hares are protected too, and because they run. In circles, a dog on the scent is quite likely to meet one coming the other way.
 
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