Do you use specific dog fields local to you and if so, how much are you charged.

I was looking for any here in Bude and surroundings and found 3 within reach.  All charge.

We have quite a few round by us. We’re in the midlands.
The ones I’ve used vary from £5.00 for 30 mins up to £11 for 45 minutes.
The more expensive ones tend to have equipment such as agility stuff, and things for enrichment.

I am tempted to take 30 mins (for £5. I think) just to see how Mo reacts off the lead, something I've not dare risk since he took of on us early days, outside the vet and headed down the drive into the middle of town.  Gulp.

I only use one.  It's £8 for 30m for up to 4 dogs, I've never been longer because my guys are bored after 25m!

Around here that's standard price though, give or take a quid.

There are more and more around me .Kent and Surrey. Charges about £10 per hour. Some slightly dearer if they have equipment as well
Very useful if u have a dog like brooke
Who can be grumpy with some other dogs and is now deaf. At least in an enclosed field she is safe and comes back one way or another

About £10 p.h. round here too, but I agree 30 mins is long enough - unless you have a very active dog, or are doing some specific training. The Beagle enthusiasts round here hire a couple of fields for an hour each month. We all pay £2.50 each and the surplus is donated to rescue. It is a quite a social event for the humans and the hounds, but the boys definitely do more running about than the ladies!

It does occur to me that, like Dog Parks in the US, these fields might be a place where any local infection could be picked up, depending on how many dogs use these fields which aren't disinfected, even if people are required to pick up what their dogs do.  It seems to be a good source of income for farmers.   I've now sourced at least four locally.

I think we'd only need 30 mins in one, with Mo.

Since my retirement I've taken a job with a dog field company here in Scotland, they operate over 50 fields all over Scotland and I do part time customer service for them. I have to say I love dog fields, the world is a different place now, there are so many dog aggressive and reactive dogs around that it's just not relaxing any more having hounds off lead in public.

My dogs are very well socialised and completely non aggressive even with very rude, in your face type dogs. They're pretty well behaved but hounds just don't have the instant, top speed recall that my collies had. I used to walk borzois, then the silken windhounds in country parks etc, they would wander along off lead ignoring all other dogs but gradually more and more people start screaming to 'get your dog on a lead' and now it's just easier to go to a dog field. I go to 7 different fields in a week, so the dogs and I don't get bored and we meet up with various different doggy friends on different days, so it's still quite sociable but we've excluded the chance of running in to a dog aggressive dog.

The company I work for charge £7 per 30mins for up to 4 dogs.

> It does occur to me that, like Dog Parks in the US, these fields might be a place where any local infection could be picked up, depending on how many dogs use these fields

I think you are far less likely to pick up an infection from a dog field. My local park has a constant stream of dogs walking around it, I'd estimate that at least 100 local dogs walk there in any given day. Dog fields will have at the very most maybe 15 different users in one day. I also can't help thinking that if an owner is paying to exercise their dog they are a responsible, caring owner and that dog is more likely to be wormed and see the vet if ill at all.

> I think we'd only need 30 mins in one, with Mo.

Yes, you're probably right. That's long enough for him to have a good sniff right round the edge of most fields.

My young lurcher needs at least an hour off lead every day, my old silken boy would be happy with 20 minutes so it's just whatever suits your dog.

I guess Mo would be just as likely to pick up local infection from his daily walks around here as in a dog Field.  It was just a thought when comparing these to US Dog Parks which would be more used, and smaller.

Yes the US dog parks are very different, so many dogs all in together, they often look like small, crowded spaces, most dog fields will be at least an acre, probably 2 (Some are even bigger 5+ acres).

> Since my retirement I've taken a job with a dog field company here in Scotland, they operate over 50 fields all over Scotland

I hadn't realised quite what a big business having a Dog Field is.   I thought it was more about mobile and static caravans and tents!!  Oh and yurts 

My boss is a farmer and he came up with the idea when someone's dog attacked his sheep, when they went to court the owners excuse was that they had to let the dog off lead somewhere! That got him thinking about safer ways to exercise dogs that maybe don't have great recalls, or are a danger to other animals.

Talk about good coming out of bad. Not sure I buy the excuse for a sheep attack which is terrible but your boss is certainly a good business man
I wouldn't go near those dog parks of which there are a few in the UK
Ok they remove dogs from public areas but I would think they invite problems for dog owners unless very stable dogs
As for infection more like to pick something up in a very small area with multiple dogs then the large dog fields.  Probably similar to the park or pavement and how many times does that happen in practice

new here???? im a ower of a dogue de bordeaux puppy shes is 8 months old just wondering if anyone else has recently has got one as im just wanting to see how her litter mates r getting on?. her KC name starts with Kenleap.

Freedom fields tend not to be open to the public in the UK. Usually they are privately hired for a restricted number of dogs that are the same breed, or already know each other.

Carolc what is the definition of a freedom field as opposed to the dog fields i rent for about £10
The ones I use are privately owned and u book a slot. Never asked but presumably if I want to bring another dog i could if its booked in . Not necessarily the same breed . Have I misread your post. The ones that are free and tend to be in parks are for anyone keeping dogs from the GP.
As I said earlier I wouldn't use as my own dog needs to be on her own and I wouldn't trust others to assess if their dogs were dog friendly

Can u speak to her breeder and ask to be put in touch with others ?
You might be better to start a new thread as yours could get lost in this one

thanks for the reply. yeah i actually got a new phone so has lost the breeders number.

Only meant to say that freedom fields were different to the dog parks which are open for anyone to come and go. Usually they are let to individuals or small pre-booked groups, so no risk of stranger dogs. I quite agree about infection risk though, you have no way of knowing what a dog in the previous slot was capable of spreading.

Tbh infection risk isn't something I think of. I feel my dog is exposed when ever it goes out and about especially if u walk in areas where dog walking is common. Cant worry about everything imo

I'm currently being careful where I exercise my dog. I'd hate to be the one who took kennel cough to Crufts! I've heard that there are outbreaks in my area.

Re. 'aggressive and reactive dogs'. There are plenty of aggressive and reactive owners around too.
Excellent post Chaunsong