Where to Walk Dogs?

It is entirely possible to be a responsible dog owner - it just takes knowing your dog and knowing the area you are walking in and adjusting accordingly.

I wouldn't let any dog off the lead in the glens in spring and summer firstly due to the nesting birds and secondly because there are adders up there - Tai nearly stood on one while ON the lead, if she had been off the lead she'd probably have stepped right on it and even then, I only just managed to pull her back in time.  I think it is irresponsible to let the dog run loose due to the risk to the dogs, and the same goes for children allowed to run around the hillsides climbing around the rocks and things.  I've seen an adder hiding in the rocks right next to the path and if a kid stuck their hands down there it would be the poor snake getting blamed for biting the brat!  Children need keeping under control too.  In winter it depends where you are and what visibility you have, my two seem to only want to chase tennis balls - even a pheasent running right across a path in front of them didn't tempt them into a chase!  They aren't even interested in sheep and they are border collies!  Even sheep running away didn't catch their attention!

If you can train your dog to stay to the path that is a great help, but as you have a springer I think you'd have a real fight on your hands to get her not to follow her nose lol  Haven't tried it with my two yet, but Tai knew to stay on the paths when told to do so, usually when walking around the farm where there aren't any restrictions but there are birds nesting there so I don't like her going off the path.

But there are plenty of beaches, parks and other places where dogs can be off the lead and other ways of giving extra excercise.  I have my bike to take out with my two so they can get plenty of running whilst still under control and when walking they have a rucksack each so they can carry stuff and that makes them work a bit harder.  I also have a hand-free lead which is a blessing when it comes to photography - leaves both my hands free for using the camera and the dogs can't go anywhere!  I can have it over my shoulder or round a belt hoop if I want to give them more space.

Sooty - I HATE those extension leads!  If a dog is going to chase things it is also more dangerous for the dog as they get up more speed before being jerked back which increases the risk of them causing injury, they also maked controlling the dog more difficult and the cable can snap quite easily.  I hate seeing people with their dogs on extension leads because most of the time the dog isn't under control.  I agree with you about the video with the deer though - you can see the cars in the video and it could have easily resulted in an accident.  The guy had zero control over that dog.

Winter is the best time if your a dog owner, all the farm fields to walk around (many around here still haven't been ploughed yet so the spiky grass remains yay!), no breeding birds to worry about.  If only thr weather was slightly better!

KatTai,I think what you are sayng is that it is all down to the owner not the dog,very true it is all down to training,having trained several dogs for hill use I can see the problem from both sides.I too hate those leads never seem to be able to control any dog with them but they are very good at getting around other walkers legs.Great to hear your local fields are still unploughed great for the birds.Our local Wildlife Trust seems to have persuaded some farms to do the same,great for finches.

Right okay, I've dreamed of owning a Black Labrador since I was about 9 years old, when I was 18, I was fortunate enough to have a boyfriend who bought one for me for my 19th birthday. After scrolling through the Kennel Club website for a couple of weeks we found the breeder and settled on travelling 100 miles a week, every week, to Colchester to see him as he grew up from 2 weeks to 7 weeks before taking him home. I've had Jake now since he was 7 weeks old, I picked him out of a litter of a remarkable 16...And took him home 3 weeks later.
3 weeks after bringing him home he already knew how to sit and stay and I was working on perfecting his recall as best as I could in the house and in the garden before taking him out on his first walk at 12 weeks old, on his second walk I let him off lead.

I've never once gone to dog training school or whatever you want to call it, I've done it all myself because all I've ever wanted is my own dog...And an extremely well trained one at that.
Now I'm not saying I'm a dog expert, I'm not, but I know my fair share, after all, I live with 3 of them. Jake being one, but we also have Sable the German Shepherd and William my sisters German Shorthaired Pointer.
Sable as everyone will know, is people aggressive through protection.
William is just badly behaved, he won't come back when being called and he's just like Marley from Marley and me...But 10 times worse!

Where I walk my dog and how I walk him...Is down to me, I know my dog no one else does, and I trust him 100%.
I don't take my dog to Nature Reserves, if I do, he is on a lead even though I know it's not needed it's done because signs say so and out of respect to other people.
Nowhere near me has signs to say to keep the dog on a lead, if they did...I would. But all they say is 'To keep the dog under close control' Which mine is.

Jake is not bothered by birds or any other kind of wildlife, he's never chased anything in the almost 3 years I've had him...Apart from a ball. He loves his ball, and will play fetch all day given the opportunity.

Now I'm sorry but just because someone owns a dog, it doesn't mean they know how everyone elses dog behaves, it's down to the owner how they're bought up and all I've ever been given is praise for Jake, I walk him off lead along busy roads and he'll stay by my side, when we go to cross he knows to sit when I stop walking, which I always feel bad about when it's been raining!
When at home if I want him to sit from a distance I'll click my fingers, to make him stay all I need to do is hold my hand up.

I agree with Kat 100% She is a good dog owner and I can relate to her in that, Jake sounds a lot like Millie and Fly, and we've already discussed many things in another one of my threads about our dogs and agility etc.

Apologies for the long essay, I'm not being nasty, but no one over the internet is going to know how my dog behaves unless you meet him.

This is a picture of our 3...The only one I have as William never stays still long enough!
(L-R - Sable, William and Jake)

Happy new year to everyone, Becca :-)

Tell you what Becca,I bet you feel safe with those three musketeers in the house,I know I would