Why do we not have Dog Parks here in the UK?
I for one would love there to be more awareness for the idea. I know in the states they are either state or privately funded and are a great idea, even in areas where there are lots of free dog walking facilities like here in the UK, the chance to socalise in a totally protected environment with other dogs far outways any objections to them and I for one would use them.
Our UK farmers are looking for things to do with their land to earn money and this is a great idea. In America, they have dog training in smaller break away areas, they have grooming stations at the parks so they are a constant money earner aswell as a small charge for either membership or weekly usage. They have areas for new dogs to start and meet up with others, all parks have two gate entry systems to avoid dogs running out etc.
Does anybody know of any land for sale or hire that could be use to start one?
Gail

Hi Gail,
That sounds like a terrific idea! :) I don't unfortunately know of any land available that would be suitable, but as we're all scattered over the length and breadth of the country, what would be useful to one, wouldn't obviously be to another. :D But I love the idea - I haven't heard of them at all, but surely it would be in everyone's best interests that they were available - and aren't the local councils always looking for extra money!!!!
Sharon

We have normal parks that perform just that facility, and free of charge! I think in the US they are a bit more draconian in their dog laws so it is not always possible to let dogs roam free in public spaces.

Here, no doubt some would use it as a doggy creche, and I bet a sizeable minority wouldn't poop scoop either. Yeuch. No doubt the anti dog brigade would condemn it as a health hazard, and frankly, I would rather my dog had the whole park to run about in, rather than a fenced off, tarmac-ed little corner of it.

Dog parks to walk dog in, in the UK? The next thing would be dogs ONLY to be walked in dog parks in the UK! No thanks!!!

From some of the posts on here from the US I pray the idea never EVER comes here!

John

Hi John,
I hadn't actually thought of it from that aspect - I was thinking more that there aren't really enough natural areas, where I live anyway, to exercise dogs, both on and off lead safely, I thought that this would perhaps encourage them to make areas like this available - But I can totally see your point as well - would it simply be the start of dogs being allowed nowhere other than these parks, and doggie patrolmen booking owners if they dared to be out the exclusion zone :D - that would obviously be to the detriment of dog lovers everywhere.

I think it's a great idea.

From the US groups I frequent they are well used and appreciated... dogs aren't supposed to be off lead in public, and as to the minority that wouldn't poop scoop... a supervised area like a dog park would take care of that methinks - See a lot of posts about problems in parks, usually from owners that let their dogs off leads v those that don't. Or at least don't in unsuitable circumstances.

Why would the areas be tarmacced? The training I goto is in a grassed totally enclosed area - my pup has LOTS of fun socialisng as part of the class unleashed. It is very relaxing in that enviroment where you are safe, the dog is safe and everyone else is behving within the same social rules.

I would travel a fair way to take advantage of that sort of enviroment regularly. Those that let their dogs off the leash in public parks [don't know one locally that doesn't have "dogs must be kept on a lead" ] or even those that wlak their dogs leashed in them can you honestly say you feel relaxed about it?

My opinions and wish I had a nice field i could convert to that it would I believe be a winner... plenty of farms and open land round here.. hmmmm.... ;)

Regards Dave

<<<From the US groups I frequent they are well used and appreciated... dogs aren't supposed to be off lead in public>>>

I rest my case Dave! If you want you dog confined to the lead in all but a dog park I DONT! All parks in this area allow dogs to run free so dogs are not all confined to one area.

To me the very thought of this Big Brother state is an aberration!

John

I agree with you completely, John. It's a horrible idea.
:(

I live in in the US, and I have to say that my only wish was that there were more dog parks here! Of course, that's because dogs are not allowed off leash in most parks here, which is unfortunate. I was surprised to hear that they were in the UK - you're very lucky! I visit one dog park very frequently, which is around six acres, and I couldn't live without it. It's mostly "just for dogs", although everyone is allowed to go there obviously. It is wonderful to sometimes be there and see 30 or 40 dogs running around, having a great time, and not have to worry about little children or them running off.

I Live in the UK... am referring to the UK when I say dogs aren't allowed off the lead when in public areas. That is what I have been told anyway. This from my training school - if people disagree I will check it officially. A public park is hit and miss whether it allows off lead supervised dogs.

Great if you can let your dog off the lead without any problems, and are allowed to, either from other dogs off the lead... or roaming, and if your dog comes back no problem that's great. I have a Cairn and the breed is not the safest to allow off the lead even when well trained.

There are plenty of posts that I have read about people having problems walking their dogs from other dog walkers, cyclers, pedestrians - think there may well be plenty like me who would welcome a safe and controlled enviroment where we could allow our dogs to run free and leave us stress free.

Dog parks would benefit me - and maybe others. I don't understand why having dog parks would mean other rights were taken away. Quite the opposite methinks, less encounters between dog and non-dog owners to cause problems. I don't see them as being compulsory but as a choice I would like to have.

Regards Dave

<<I Live in the UK... am referring to the UK when I say dogs aren't allowed off the lead when in public areas. That is what I have been told anyway. >>

If you live in the UK then dont you know without being told????

I was born in the UK, live in the UK and walk my dogs in the UK! I know what I'm talking about without being told!! There are a few parks with restrictions on but most AT THE MOMENT are not restricted. Let dog parks come and I bet within weeks there will be nowhere to walk!

<<There are plenty of posts that I have read about people having problems walking their dogs from other dog walkers, cyclers, pedestrians - think there may well be plenty like me who would welcome a safe and controlled enviroment where we could allow our dogs to run free and leave us stress free.>>

Do you honestly think this would be improved if ALL dogs in the area were confined to the same place? If there was a nasty dog there then you would have nowhere to walk your dog!

John

Frankly John yes I do need to be told... or better still informed. If you have this knowledge already all strength to you.

After your post I decided to do some checking and see if I was the silly boy I began to think I was.

What may be interesting, if not to you, but to others is that there are MANY differences in when and how you can walk dogs off lead. Depending upon where you live, where you go, and even what time of the year it is. That's if you are lucky enough to have such areas reachable in your area.

Council Byelaws alter what can be seen, or assumed, as a 'national right'. Eastbourne, which I haven't exampled, at the end of this post is full of can do this can't do that here and not there at this time of the year but not this... if challenged will refind and post it. Didn't example it as I had browsed on reading more and more complex local rules and regs elsewhere.

I surfed a little and have listed a couple of other examples below, there are many more. Just search under dog laws or a variation.

I haven't taken parts of your post and replied out of context, but need to address your sweeping and innacurate conclusion of what my posts are about. You ask do I think think things would be improved if ALL dogs were confined to the same place. My answer is reread my posts... I never advocated nor suggested such a thing. I will say what i think and its this, the situation for ME and others would be improved if dog parks were an added choice. Providing dog parks were run along the lines I suggested... ie supervised and secure.

The second point raised by objectors seems to be that we would be on a slippery slope, or that they will be the only compulsory area to walk dogs... i don't personally believe that. Your statement that it would come to pass within weeks is ummm needing some rethinking at best. Is it a danger... possibly, but am sure there are plenty of owners like yourself John - [and maybe surprisingly to you me too ] that would fight that tooth and nail. While you may be all right and happy - there are plenty of others like myself that could make great use of dog parks to the benefit of our dogs and ourselves. Those that are happy with the situation as is, great... sorry if we are upsetting you by wanting OUR situation better, I don't want it at the expense of other dog owners rights, and nor have I seen any other poster that supports dog parks saying that either.

here are the examples I mentioned... there are plenty more. Copied and pasted my comments after each example.

1)
Dogs on Roads
The Borough of Rushmoor (Control of Dogs on Roads Order) 1993 make it an offence for any dog to be on or near a designated road without being held on a lead. The fine for walking your dog off lead on any of Rushmoor’s roads could be a maximum of £200
MY COMMENT: it didn't list designated roads... no doubt I could have found them out... I wonder if I lived in Rushmoor if I would know without being told which they are... [I don't by the way]

2)
Warwickshire's Country Parks

Dogs must be kept on a lead in Visitor Centre courtyards, in car parks and in designated picnic areas
In other areas please keep your dog on a short lead or under very close control
Never let your dog out of your sight
Please be aware of other park users
Dogs are not permitted in any of the play areas

MY COMMENT: under very close control is key there when off the lead. Elsewhere it did quote for public paths dog not allowed to wander left right or in front. Could find exact post but certainly says to me seems no different to a lead length.

3)
From Countryside Agency FAQ's re 'Right to Roam'

6.7 Will I have to keep my dog on a lead?

The new access rights will normally include the right to walk dogs on access land- but between 1 March and 31 July, or at any other time near livestock, dogs are only included if they are on a fixed lead of no more than 2 metres long. This is designed to reduce as far as possible any disturbance to livestock or ground-nesting birds during the main breeding season. There may also be local restrictions on dogs, particularly on grouse moors or enclosed lambing areas. Information on such restrictions will be available locally. Restrictions under the CROW Act will not affect any existing rights or permissions to walk dogs either on or off the lead and they will not apply to other access land or public rights of way.

MY COMMENTS: There was more on this... only served to make it more complicated, and seems to emphasise what I now think - careful checking LOCALLY of what the rules and regs are is needed to be sure no bye laws or other rules are being broken that could bite at some point.

Regards Dave

I would have thought everything you have listed there would be taken by most as plain common sense! My dogs is about as reliable as they come but i would never dream of having them off lead near a road. The livestock restrictions, again common sense! Yes, I know some parks have restriction, I have already said so!!!

Can you assure me we would NOT be on a slippery slope? No, of course you cannot but I believe we would be! Restrictions on dogs increase every day and this would I AM SURE result in nothing to our benifit!

Hi Dave,
Good post - some interesting points! If Dog Parks were additional places to exercise dogs freely, then wonderful. But as John says, nowadays once an area has become 'designated' for a purpose, you tend to find that purpose becomes forbidden elsewhere - for instance, an area for ball games becomes established in a municipal park where none existed before, and very soon that is the only area where ball games are allowed. That is my great fear about Dog Parks.

As I live in Warwickshire I was aware of the Country Parks ruling - because there are signs at all the entrances to the country parks, and in the Car Parks, etc. They're not very big 'country parks' - nothing like the New Forest in scale for instance.

Many coastal towns have restrictions on dog walking on the beaches during the summer months, but others do not - in fact when I was in Cornwall this year I specifically noticed the signs that pointed out that dogs were allowed - quite astonishing - and a delight to see the children and dogs playing freely on the sand and in the water.

I just feel it is so much better when we can all intermingle like that - specialised areas tend to be isolating, and then people have a tendency to become less tolerant of what is "different" - and we dog owners have a bad enough time as it is!
:)

Dave, in the UK dogs are allowed to be off the lead everywhere unless there are signs saying otherwise. The introduction of dog parks would undoubtedly lead to a reversal of this freedom.

Of course the dog parks that are in Australia, USA and other european countries are not "tarmac" areas, they are smallest 2 acres and the largest I know is 40 acres of park and woodland with swimming pools for the gundogs to practice in, a dog creche for busy pet owners, and summer schools for pet owners and seminars with guest speakers for the show crowd. I own sighthounds and constantly worry that they run out of the boundaries of the 30 acre National Trust Park that we use to exercise our dogs. I also have a couple of acres to run my own dogs in but they like the doggy smells and interaction with other dogs.
I'm sure that someone will come along and sponsor areas of the parks, like they do elsewhere. The automatic dog wash machines have finally arrived in the UK so maybe we will catch up. I also wish that like the dog parks we had self wash dog facilities, someone should definetely be trying to meet my needs because I'm not the only dog owner that would use these facilities. It only needs one and then I'm sure others will follow.

The very fact that we can walk our dogs almost anywhere off the lead means why on earth would we want to be restricted? You only want one nasty dog living in your area for the "Dog Park" to be a nightmare! No Thanks! Freedom is hard to win and easy to loose!

John

I love the choice that a dog park would offer. Gloucester farmers are already letting dog walkers use their land for a small fee, the clever ones encourage people to use their land from one point of call and encourage folk to buy farm produce. I've never been narrow minded enough to worry about more choice of dog walks/parks as being restrictive? Where we live in Berkshire for a £12 annual fee horse riders can use jumping courses that are built on private land across the UK as part of the UK Chasers network, it hasn't stopped them using the "free areas" and it's large enough and brings in enough revenue to finance over 30 of these courses across the UK. I appreciate some people want to stick to their local park or dog walk and would not appreciate the fun and diversity a dog park would offer. I love choice, it's why we don't all drive the same car, or live in the same style of house. As to nasty dogs, we get those where ever we go in life, I've always found the best policy is give them a wide berth and leave them to their own uneducated views, it's only lack of education that keeps them nasty.

OMG! Paying to walk a dog! What next?

My only worry is if the idea took off in a big way that we would loose our FREE dog walking areas, or worse still start getting charged to use them (with no extra facilities laid on). I would object, as I like to wary my walks, and am lucky in having at least 4 recreation Grounds, and two huge Parks within a 20 minute walk of where I live.

I like to go to whichever one the mood or time takes me. Having an independant breed it pays not to take them on too predictable a walk, as then they are more likely to stay attentive to me, rather than do the "I know how long it takes her to get from A to B, so I will just sniff/do my own thing, and rush over in the nick of time, when I feel like it" :D

Fenced in safe running areas would be a real boon for all the owners of the can't be let off lead due to running off brigade, as it would give a safe area where they couldn't run into danger.

Also what about those of us that don't drive. If our excersis options became limited the way they are in USA my poor dogs would be left with pounding the streets on lead most of the time. This I do when the girls are in season, and we are all mightily glad when we can get to the parks and recs again.

Could someone tell me more about these self dog wash facilities as this might be a very useful addition to something I am trying to raise money for at the moment - see the Diary for this coming weekend

Christine

I have one near me Christine, It's called the Thames! The other is Wotton Brook!

Regards, John

Idiot :D

That's not what I meant and you know it :)

Still if you want to be like that - we had one just outside the door yesterday when this strange wet stuff was fallingout of the sky

Christine

There is actually someone who calls in the area once a month I'm told. A person I know with a Choc Lab uses them. Me, I'm a hose pipe on the lawn man! Too mean to pay for anything if i can avoid it

Best wishes, John

I'd hate for anyone to miss out on this wonderful opportunity and encourage everyone to see what you'd miss out on.
http://www.dogwoodpark.com/about_us.php
Even those who can't afford membership swop their time to help out in the parks in return for membership.

If you have a park to take your dog to you are so lucky, where I am dogs are not allowed anywhere near them and there are fines if you do take them on the park.
We have to travel to exercise our dogs off lead.

Personally, I would get seriously depressed if I couldn't walk my dogs along one of the many local footpaths and let them off free where it is safe to do so. I have found walks of 1 - 2 hours locally, both from my house and others a short drive away, where they are mainly off lead and explore to their hearts content. I also vary my walks each day, so to be restricted to one dog park...... where I'm sorry to say there will be people, ug, seriously not a truly sociable person me :). I like to walk and not see ANYONE! for miles! lol ... ( Yes, my dogs are socialised, I forced myself :D ) Anyway, If I had to walk in one park everyday... I would go barmy. I really symapthise with people in US. We are so lucky here, I hope to god it stays that way!

I used to live near a small park years ago that had a dog poo area in, my old collieX used it regularly, but I wasn't going in there to pick it up! When I changed my mind about letting him go in there (I imagined him walking in ... stuff) he was too set in his ways. IMO it's better to let the dog go in the park and pick it up, instead of leaving a festering area of dog poo.. yuk..

John, my local dog wash is a small lake. Keeps my dogs coats (labs) in tip top condition. And I am glad not to be alone is using a hosepipe on them after a particularly muddy walk. Hosepipe and a good rub down with a towel after, then they come in a finish off the process on the rugs, sofa's ...

That is another aspect I hadn't considered. If more people walked their dogs only in one particular park (the authorities would be bound to place more restrictions onother areas once dog parks were e3stablished) then the risk of disease is concentrated! At the moment the canine Grapevine tells us that such and such is about. At present there has behn an outbreak of fox mange on dogs that frequent the country park, so am avoiding it at present, but I still haveother choices.

What a good question. Paying to walk a dog! What next?
Mmmh, buying books from a book store instead of using a free library?
Subscribing to a health club instead of just walking for exercise?
Paying to use the internet?
Or paying union subs instead of standing alone?
Perhaps it might be easier to reframe a dog park for some folk? Instead of looking at paying to walk a dog, try and imagine meeting new people that you like, imagine your dog having fun and interacting with other dogs. Meeting dog trainers and owners out to have a good time. Lots of facilities to use all in one place, bathing, grooming,pet food, trainers, dog shows (gosh I think I'd better get one open soon).
I know some people won't be visiting a dog park in their lifetime, so what, their loss. Things change just like dog life changes, we now have dog sitters and kennels, we pay dog trainers to help out with dog problems, we don't suffer alone. If we didn't move with the times we'd all still be doing shout and yank instead of clicker and positive reinforcement.
Just food for thought.

There are those in the UK who would rather we didn't have dogs at all. Dog only parks in the UK would be the start of the slippery slope!

If that is moving with the time Willows then I'm glad I'm an old man and won't be around to see this "Brave New World" It is my idea of hell! If I want to meet new friends I can go to the old folks home around the corner and meet people of my own age! You live in Berks and as I live in south Bucks I know the many places in Berks where you can walk your dogs off lead without having your life organised for you.

As for dog sitters, my dogs go on holiday with me and as far at dog trainers are concerned, I am one so I dont pay for that either.

John

I agree that dog parks could well be a slippery slope...... :(

If dog parks were available and we were all still allowed to walk elsewhere in freedom, that would be great - but the very idea of any restriction in walks with my dog would destroy a very large part of my life. So much of what i love is out and about, deciding where to go, beach or forest, woods or meadow, etc etc etc.....

I sadly tend to agree that dogs and walking anywhere OTHER than a dog park would soon be under discussion and we would all regret it horribly. As dog owners we have to fight for our walks anyway - look at what happened recently in tne New Forest, dogs on leads AFTER foot and mouth!!!!! Outrageous but luckily we fought that one and won...........!!!!!

Best wishes
Lindsay

Edited to say: take a peek at www.newforestdog.org.uk for details on our struggle to keep forest walks off lead

Dog walkers are already restricted in not being able to walk on many beaches throughout the summer now (probably because of the usual bad irresponsible owners). Some areas are now thinking of banning dogs all year round.

I agree, i think first dog parks.......second would be 'no dogs offlead anywhere BUT dogparks'............scary thought.......

But.............i do think that it would be nice for some recognition that dog owners do make up a MASSIVE majority of ppl who use parks all year round, in the form of better fencing, better lighting, more poo bins, and possibly in the bigger parks a small fenced off 'dog training area'.............after all, kids have got fenced of kiddie parks, with equipment and stuff, we have tennis courts here, and sculptures for the arty ppl........why not something that would actively promote better behaved dogs?

Em

Having read the pros and cons with interest, I dont want to see dogparks here. All the benefits are available in our area spontaneously and I fear people are losing the knack of spontaneous socialisation between increasing regulation and state supervision, and more individualism. We already have couch spud kids who are frightened to walk/cycle to school, due as much to over played fears for their safety as traffic. Id hate to see dogs in the same position.