Discussion
Mrs BC and I love dogs but we’ve never had one as we like to travel and in normal times take 2-3 holidays a year each lasting 4-5 weeks.
One of our neighbours a man in his 70’s had a heart attack in February so we walked his dog for him while he was in hospital. He came home then got Covid contracted in hospital. He’s recovered but still very weak so we’re still walking the dog for a couple of hours every day.
Today we had the first issue. We were walking along a track/byway. On one side was a fenced off field with sheep with lambs, it was well fenced with no access. The other side was a field with some crops, I think it was rape. We were walking on the track and the dog was beside us but in the rape field showing no interest in the sheep.
A woman came along in a car and shouted at us to put the dog on a lead as she had livestock and it shouldn’t be in the rape field, clearly that field wasn’t hers. I replied no and she raced off then returned and actually drove her car at us, very aggressive.
So what are the rules/protocols here please?
One of our neighbours a man in his 70’s had a heart attack in February so we walked his dog for him while he was in hospital. He came home then got Covid contracted in hospital. He’s recovered but still very weak so we’re still walking the dog for a couple of hours every day.
Today we had the first issue. We were walking along a track/byway. On one side was a fenced off field with sheep with lambs, it was well fenced with no access. The other side was a field with some crops, I think it was rape. We were walking on the track and the dog was beside us but in the rape field showing no interest in the sheep.
A woman came along in a car and shouted at us to put the dog on a lead as she had livestock and it shouldn’t be in the rape field, clearly that field wasn’t hers. I replied no and she raced off then returned and actually drove her car at us, very aggressive.
So what are the rules/protocols here please?
If the dog is no problem with sheep, then there is no need to have the dog on a lead. That said, if it starts chasing sheep, then you can be in a world of pain very fast, so you need to be confident that 1) it does not chase sheep and 2) it will come back if called. If I’m walking a dog I don’t know, I’d err on the side of the lead simply because I don’t know what it will do. My (younger dog), I know perfectly well it will come when called and sit between my legs, even when confronted with deer - that dog is only on the lead near traffic. The older dog .... is mostly on the lead.
IMO your shouter is a nut case, as evidenced by her driving at you. Unfortunately, the world is full of them, and a lot of them have been sent over the edge by lockdown.
IMO your shouter is a nut case, as evidenced by her driving at you. Unfortunately, the world is full of them, and a lot of them have been sent over the edge by lockdown.
rxe said:
If the dog is no problem with sheep, then there is no need to have the dog on a lead. That said, if it starts chasing sheep, then you can be in a world of pain very fast, so you need to be confident that 1) it does not chase sheep and 2) it will come back if called. If I’m walking a dog I don’t know, I’d err on the side of the lead simply because I don’t know what it will do. My (younger dog), I know perfectly well it will come when called and sit between my legs, even when confronted with deer - that dog is only on the lead near traffic. The older dog .... is mostly on the lead.
IMO your shouter is a nut case, as evidenced by her driving at you. Unfortunately, the world is full of them, and a lot of them have been sent over the edge by lockdown.
Thanks. The dog showed absolutely no interest in the sheep and couldn’t have got to them anyway due to the fence.IMO your shouter is a nut case, as evidenced by her driving at you. Unfortunately, the world is full of them, and a lot of them have been sent over the edge by lockdown.
bad company said:
Mrs BC and I love dogs but we’ve never had one as we like to travel and in normal times take 2-3 holidays a year each lasting 4-5 weeks.
One of our neighbours a man in his 70’s had a heart attack in February so we walked his dog for him while he was in hospital. He came home then got Covid contracted in hospital. He’s recovered but still very weak so we’re still walking the dog for a couple of hours every day.
Today we had the first issue. We were walking along a track/byway. On one side was a fenced off field with sheep with lambs, it was well fenced with no access. The other side was a field with some crops, I think it was rape. We were walking on the track and the dog was beside us but in the rape field showing no interest in the sheep.
A woman came along in a car and shouted at us to put the dog on a lead as she had livestock and it shouldn’t be in the rape field, clearly that field wasn’t hers. I replied no and she raced off then returned and actually drove her car at us, very aggressive.
So what are the rules/protocols here please?
Technically I would say your in the wrong for letting the dog go into the rape field. The livestock issue I can understand as dogs can sometimes be unpredictable but if your confident in the dog then dont worry.One of our neighbours a man in his 70’s had a heart attack in February so we walked his dog for him while he was in hospital. He came home then got Covid contracted in hospital. He’s recovered but still very weak so we’re still walking the dog for a couple of hours every day.
Today we had the first issue. We were walking along a track/byway. On one side was a fenced off field with sheep with lambs, it was well fenced with no access. The other side was a field with some crops, I think it was rape. We were walking on the track and the dog was beside us but in the rape field showing no interest in the sheep.
A woman came along in a car and shouted at us to put the dog on a lead as she had livestock and it shouldn’t be in the rape field, clearly that field wasn’t hers. I replied no and she raced off then returned and actually drove her car at us, very aggressive.
So what are the rules/protocols here please?
If that was me I would have stuck to the footpath for both you and the dog to make life easier. She on the other hand was mental for driving at you and should be avoided.
Challo said:
Technically I would say your in the wrong for letting the dog go into the rape field. The livestock issue I can understand as dogs can sometimes be unpredictable but if your confident in the dog then dont worry.
If that was me I would have stuck to the footpath for both you and the dog to make life easier. She on the other hand was mental for driving at you and should be avoided.
Fair enough though the dog couldn’t have got to the sheep even if he’d wanted to. They were well fenced in.If that was me I would have stuck to the footpath for both you and the dog to make life easier. She on the other hand was mental for driving at you and should be avoided.
The rape field wasn’t hers, the sheep probably were.
The reality is that the Rape field is private property unless there is a footpath through it. You should not be in there without permission. Whilst your confident in the dog, it's someone elses, if it DID by ANY chance cause the sheep problems, the owner could shoot it.
My take on it, is that anywhere near livestock, especially cows, the dog is on the lead. You stick to footpaths or fields you have permission in. if it's someone else's dog, it's on a lead all the time!
My take on it, is that anywhere near livestock, especially cows, the dog is on the lead. You stick to footpaths or fields you have permission in. if it's someone else's dog, it's on a lead all the time!
super7 said:
The reality is that the Rape field is private property unless there is a footpath through it. You should not be in there without permission. Whilst your confident in the dog, it's someone elses, if it DID by ANY chance cause the sheep problems, the owner could shoot it.
My take on it, is that anywhere near livestock, especially cows, the dog is on the lead. You stick to footpaths or fields you have permission in. if it's someone else's dog, it's on a lead all the time!
This would be my view also. Farmers are (rightly) very sensitive about dogs and livestock.My take on it, is that anywhere near livestock, especially cows, the dog is on the lead. You stick to footpaths or fields you have permission in. if it's someone else's dog, it's on a lead all the time!
super7 said:
The reality is that the Rape field is private property unless there is a footpath through it. You should not be in there without permission. Whilst your confident in the dog, it's someone elses, if it DID by ANY chance cause the sheep problems, the owner could shoot it.
My take on it, is that anywhere near livestock, especially cows, the dog is on the lead. You stick to footpaths or fields you have permission in. if it's someone else's dog, it's on a lead all the time!
^^^ Is the correct answer.My take on it, is that anywhere near livestock, especially cows, the dog is on the lead. You stick to footpaths or fields you have permission in. if it's someone else's dog, it's on a lead all the time!
Many folk believe they have the 'right' to allow dogs, and themselves, to walk over (trespass) on private farmland. This is not a fact.
The farming community have enough problems to deal with as it is, and do not need a herd or flock to be scattered hither and yon, possibly tangled and/or bitten, usually involving yet another vet bill or a dead animal.
Keep you dog under control, which means 'close' control, and if you aren't 100% sure your dog will obey every command immediately, keep it on a lead.
You, as owner or dog walker, are ultimately responsible.
The point seemingly missed and pointed out a couple of times by the OP is that the dog couldn’t get to the sheep even if it wanted to as the sheep were the other side of a fence. I’d be the same as the OP with my dog - free to run around unless actually in a field with livestock. Even then, my dog (surprisingly, he’s a Collie) couldn’t care less about livestock and has always ignored it completely, whether in a livestock field - on a lead - or trotting along outside field.
Whatever, I don’t think the OP did anything wrong and would suggest again outside a field dog can run around, inside on a lead. The only caveats would be to follow any instruction signs saying dogs to be on leads and be confident of the dog’s recall abilities. If the OP is unsure the dog can always be on an extended lead so that it’s got a bit of freedom to do it’s own thing while still completely under the OP’s control.
The mental woman though, she needs reporting.
Whatever, I don’t think the OP did anything wrong and would suggest again outside a field dog can run around, inside on a lead. The only caveats would be to follow any instruction signs saying dogs to be on leads and be confident of the dog’s recall abilities. If the OP is unsure the dog can always be on an extended lead so that it’s got a bit of freedom to do it’s own thing while still completely under the OP’s control.
The mental woman though, she needs reporting.
tonyb1968 said:
Its lambing season, farmers really don't like seeing dogs off their leads around this time of year, always best to keep them on the lead during this period, no matter if they can get in a field or not.
I understand that but we were on a public path, think it’s a bridle way. As I said the dog was showing no interest in the sheep and wouldn’t have been able to get to them anyway. We were at fault in letting the dog run into the field of crops but we soon called him back and he was under control.bad company said:
I understand that but we were on a public path, think it’s a bridle way. As I said the dog was showing no interest in the sheep and wouldn’t have been able to get to them anyway. We were at fault in letting the dog run into the field of crops but we soon called him back and he was under control.
The woman was an idiot. Report her trying to hit you with her car.Where we live we are literally surrounded by fields. They are full or lambs at present.
Our Labrador is almost never on the lead. It's a 10 minute walk to the village with just fields either side of the lane, our dog stays off lead. If we do cross a field using a public footpath he goes on the lead if there is any live stock around. He wouldn't do anything but we do it out of respect for the farmers.
We know a few of them quite well and took our 5 year old grandson to one of them to feed the orphans the other weekend. Having spoken to them I know they are appreciative of people keeping their dogs on lead if there was a possibility they could get to the live stock.
I your case I don't think you were going anything wrong (ignoring the minor misdemeanour of going into the crops).
bad company said:
tonyb1968 said:
Its lambing season, farmers really don't like seeing dogs off their leads around this time of year, always best to keep them on the lead during this period, no matter if they can get in a field or not.
I understand that but we were on a public path, think it’s a bridle way. As I said the dog was showing no interest in the sheep and wouldn’t have been able to get to them anyway. We were at fault in letting the dog run into the field of crops but we soon called him back and he was under control.fttm said:
bad company said:
tonyb1968 said:
Its lambing season, farmers really don't like seeing dogs off their leads around this time of year, always best to keep them on the lead during this period, no matter if they can get in a field or not.
I understand that but we were on a public path, think it’s a bridle way. As I said the dog was showing no interest in the sheep and wouldn’t have been able to get to them anyway. We were at fault in letting the dog run into the field of crops but we soon called him back and he was under control.Unless you really think you or the dog are going to be shot!!!!!!!!!!!
fttm said:
bad company said:
tonyb1968 said:
Its lambing season, farmers really don't like seeing dogs off their leads around this time of year, always best to keep them on the lead during this period, no matter if they can get in a field or not.
I understand that but we were on a public path, think it’s a bridle way. As I said the dog was showing no interest in the sheep and wouldn’t have been able to get to them anyway. We were at fault in letting the dog run into the field of crops but we soon called him back and he was under control.Especially at this time of year farmers are going to be very wary of dogs anywhere near sheep, You may be in the "right" but why risk your dog? It's not that you have done anything wrong it's more what's the sensible thing to do recognising the severity of potential consequences for your dog..
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