I'm hoping someone can give advice on a wacky hounds dog walker. I walk my two in various parts locally. There is one place that is the fisrt part off lead and the second part on lead. The whole walk takes roughly an hour and a half. We don't do this often. It is mainly left to weekend. Occasionally I may take one dog during the week. Last year while walking Cassie we came across a woman with 2 greyhounds on lead and a westie off lead, she in the meantime was on the phone. Westie came bounding over it. She shouted a few times before it changed direction and went back. Now the area I'm talking about is a tree lined muddy footpath. No passing places. I arrived one day to find two people and a pack of OFF lead dogs in the carpark. This is a memorial carpark. The dogs were all over the grass and the walkers weren't watching them. Today I had a post pop up on Facebook which had the wacky hounds Facebook page. Me being a nosey so and so visited said page. Imagine my horror when I found photo after photo and every dog named for each walk. TEN dogs ALL OFF lead and one with a muzzle on. All but a couple of photos was taken in the same place. I'm stunned to say the least. Ten dogs at one time off lead. Anyway my question is what do I do if I meet this moron when I'm walking my dog. Oh and it looks like Cassie will never be walked there again , at least on a weekday. How do I behave? Do I put Cupar on lead? Is this even legal? What are these owners thinking? Do they think it's a party there dogs are at? This is why I will never, ever have some one walk my dogs. Nor will they ever be put in home boarding. Thanks everyone. I'm not going to promise not to rant some more about this. I'm so mad. What galls me she's even supported by a local rescue.
There are good dog walkers and bad. Wimbledon Common is dog walker central and I've had my fair share of run ins with them. My own dog walker is fabulous. She walks no more than 3 dogs at a time. Charlie is walked on his own because he is an intact dog so has her undivided attention and mostly on lead anyway. She has spent about 20 sessions working with me on Charlie's recall and can recall him as well as I can. But I've seen some dreadful things, really. People walking far too many dogs, paying no attention to them at all. There is no easy solution to being suddenly surrounded by a lot of off lead dogs who know each other and act in a "pack" towards your dog. The only thing to do is leave as fast as possible. Most dogs will stay with their dog walking pack and won't follow you if you walk away - so putting your dog on lead, emptying your treat bag on the floor and walking quickly away is one strategy. The worst thing to do is stay, your dog is likely to have a tough time of it on or off lead, slightly worse on lead I think but at least you have hold of him if there is serious trouble.
The other thing you can do is lobby your council - there is a proposal in my area for a local by-law saying people can only walk 4 dogs at a time in open spaces. I'm a firm supporter of the idea.
Good grief,that is dangerous,I would just avoid the area.I'm not used to meeting that density of off lead dogs in one go,it would make me uneasy and nervous and I don't think any dog would do great in the circumstances.It's like in everything ,the bad ones create a bad name and perception.If it's just a game of numbers then it's usually down to money not a genuine interest in dogs.There are some truly excellent dog walkers out there,people who have combined their love of dogs with a responsible way to create an income and they are invaluable to those who need a support network to be able to own a dog. Sorry you've had one of your routes scuppered but I would really stay away,That's an accident / situation waiting to happen x
I've double checked I had my facts correct. I was telling someone about it and they had me doubt myself. I have looked at the photos. In each section all dogs are named then on checking the photos I found the most in ONE photo is eight dogs , all in or at the side of the river. So I'm assuming if 11 dogs are named, that they could only manage to get 8 dogs in the photo. I don't know whether there is more than one person. If so , to have at least 8 dogs in the river , how many people would be needed to supervise? I'm going to avoid the areas at certain times. I think it will be easier for me. Anyway its tick country. There's lots of deer footpaths and long grass, which Cupar luuuuvs. So a couple of hours walking, then another checking for ticks. I've lost another walk, my regular , on my back door walk. The farmer has decided not to get 2 cuts of silage and put his milking cows in the fields. I'm having to watch when the cows go in for milking and hope he's not put any already milked in the second field. By the way this is a puplic footpath. Unfortunately it runs through two unfenced fields . There is people who walk through the fields with their dogs , but I won't. Guess I won't be taking up dog walking anytime soon.
Im an assistant dog walker and for one person to walk 8/10 dogs on there own is ridiculous! I work with my boss and we have 4 each and yes we do let them off but ONLY if they are well behaved dogs with a good recall!
The photographs are all dogs. I would have hoped that there is more than person. I doubt it. This person has no respect for the place she's letting the dogs out of the van. I have seen her a couple of times. The last time was in the car park and at least six dogs, all off lead ,one with a long rope dragging on the ground, were on the grass part next to the childrens playpark. Whoever was walking them was about 60 feet in front. They did all run to her when called, but I was left keeping my dogs in the car until they were out of sight.
