I live very close to the foot of Glen Esk and the Cairngorm National Park.
When considering getting a dog a few years ago I thought the area where we stay would be ideal - walks up the glen and into the hills etc. And so we took home our lovely welsh springer puppy, Jess. However, I did after that begin to realise that the upland moors and conservation areas in the Cairngom National Park were not the most appropriate areas to let Jess run free, with sheep there at most times of the year and ground nesting birds in the spring and summer.
We now walk her in forestry commission areas, on deserted sandy beaches and on designated paths round lochs, sea fronts, etc depending on the time of year and are lucky to have the best part of an acre for her to run about at home.
I do enjoy the companionship of my dog but also worry about the conservation issues, especially when we we go on hols.
Any thoughts about responsible dog ownership?
Claire
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
Well done for realising the problems caused by dogs running loose. I constantly get angry with those dog owners that think the rule "Dogs must be on a lead" doesn't apply to their dog.
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Hi Claire think your comment shows responsible ownership and obviously some people like the companionship of a dog.Think it is important that where birds may be nesting to keep them on a lead as they can still get exercise with these extending leads.RSPB reserves have had problems with people going past visitor centres with dog on lead then releasing dog off lead as soon as out of sight.Often a few spoil it for the many responsible owners.Lots of owners have no control of dog when off lead and the You Tube vid of dog chasing Deer a example which could have been a disaster if Deer had run into a car.
I too agree, there are certain places near me where there are signs that say 'Please keep dogs under close control', most people do, but when my sister returned from a trip there one day she vowed never to go back because her dog cannot be kept under close control off lead, he ran off in to the 'out of bounds' area where shooting goes on if you have a membership to do so.
He comes back eventually but he is terrible, I offered to train him for her which I started then she moved away and since then my work has all been undone, which I refuse to go back and continue.
My dog (Jake) however is a different matter, I don't even take a lead out with me when I walk him! He can be 100 metres in front of me and I'll call him and say heel and he'll do it.
Claire you're very lucky to have all that on your doorstep, even if you can't walk your dog there, you're obviously a very responsible dog owner, which I'm sure many people would like to see more of.
"My dog (Jake) however is a different matter, I don't even take a lead out with me when I walk him! He can be 100 metres in front of me and I'll call him and say heel and he'll do it."
I'm sorry Becca but if you are somewhere that the law says Dogs must be on a lead , then no matter how well trained Jake is , he should be on a lead.
Police dogs are highly trained but you don't see them off the lead in public places. The law applies to everyone.
Becca,I think you will find if you walk your dog in areas covered by open access agreements that at certain times of the year your are obliged to have Jake on a lead of 2 metres or less unless he is on the exact line of a public right of way (very difficult to do no matter how well trained your dog is).This is to protect ground nesting birds during the breeding season and is mainly on shooting moors,the law is different north of the border.When we did Open Access duty patrols in the dales this was always a bone of contention with dog owners and on some moors shoot owners had applied for total dog bans away from pulic footpaths.
Claire,I think your attitude to exercising your dog is the right one,it is great o see the pleasure a dog has when allowed to run free but most restrictions are there for a reason even if they do seem a bit one sided at times.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Becca, I'm sure that you keep Jake under proper control when out walking with him. Some of the signs up here do state "dogs on lead or under close control"
Seaman, yes, the law in Scotland differs in regard to the so called "right to roam" but the right does not extend to people walking with out of control dogs
When I owned my first two dogs, the family was young then, we had a park, a golf course edge and a coastal path to exercise them, and have to say that I did not give conservation issues regarding dog walking much thought at that time.
But since Jess came to stay here, there have been a few incidents to make me stop and think. A couple of summers ago, I heard a loud squawking and general kerpuffle in the garden and Jess proudly presented a distressed and flapping pheasant - which was thankfully unharmed and was released. Another silly pheasant decided to make a scrape and lay her eggs just beyond our gate. The bird escaped but of course the nest was abandoned. Last summer I took Jess to a local nature reserve where dogs on leads are permitted and allowed to run free on the beach. I was returning to the car park when I was besieged by a pack of dogs, two black labs, two or three working cockers, a border collie, two jack russles and a border terrier - all off the lead, growling. and barking. The person in charge eventually called them off and they departed in a people carrier leaving Jess and I quite apprehensive. Jess, being on a lead at the time was very intimidated by the experience and has been nervous around dogs since then.
I've come to the conclusion that dogs do and will follow their instincts, that is to follow scent trails, hunt and chase, no matter how well trained. Well, that's off my chest now lol but I do think that dog owners should give serious consideration as to how their doggie friends are exercised.
. . . and don't get me started about the filthy owners who bag their dog poop and then hang it in the bushes , preserved in plastic for years.
Galatas said:. . . and don't get me started about the filthy owners who bag their dog poop and then hang it in the bushes , preserved in plastic for years.
Oh... I didn't mention but meant to. I can't understand the rational of folk who do that. Last year we were in the New Forest and parked up in a picnic area/ start of a trail sort of place. The litter bin was surrounded by plastic poop bags - not in the bin, but hanging on the surrounding structures bushes etc Yukk!
In case anyone thinks I am a dog hater , I'm not. This is Minnie , my Westy
Now there's a dog that could get away with murder with me,what a looker !!!