sheep worrying laws have become tighter

I have a k9 spray from Amazon. It’s legal . If a dog gets in your face, or your dogs face and no owner recall, spray at the offending dog. It’s said to disorient them
Never used it - my spaniel phased by nothing. My lab gets big feelings after assaults by off lead dogs so I use safe enclosed fields abd group classes with him

😲
No handy shotgun, Luckygirl?
(It was facetious.)

No doubt someone will report that
And yes, I like most dogs (not all). Well-behaved and with responsible owners!

Two massive dogs - arm-pit height - heaven knows what they were! - crashed round the side of my house and into my garden where they battered plants and left a commensurately-sized turd in the middle of the lawn. Then one crashed into the house as I had opened the door to see what was happening. I moved aside or I would have been knocked over in my own home!

Not an owner in sight - responsible or otherwise!

I'm all for tighter laws on sheep-worrying but would also value an absence of people-worrying!

Luckygirl3

When I set out on a walk I do not have the luxury of knowing if the dogs I meet on the common will be with responsible owners or irresponsible ones .... I have to take pot luck. This is not an acceptable situation.

Yes, I'm sure the irresponsible owners think they are responsible!! Like the one which had let his/her dog poo in the middle of the main pavement from town this morning, three huge sausages one after the other, just left there. Disgusting.

25Avalon

When I was growing up in the country I always understood that if a dog was caught chasing sheep in a field then it was likely to be shot by the farmer who had every right to do so. I guess with the constrictions on keeping guns a lot of farmers maybe no longer keep guns and you don't see many gamekeepers these days either. The latter usually carried guns, with the barrel broken, but they aren't allowed to shoot a lot of birds like carrion crows these days either.

There are still plenty of gamekeepers in these parts. We have a friend who regularly goes out shooting with them and quite often brings us some pheasants or even venison.

True Allira but they can and do shoot dogs if they’re alerted in time

Luckygirl3

I think most of the farmers round here have a shotgun.

But can't use them on the dog owners.

Or, if they do, would be in trouble.

I think most of the farmers round here have a shotgun.

When I was growing up in the country I always understood that if a dog was caught chasing sheep in a field then it was likely to be shot by the farmer who had every right to do so. I guess with the constrictions on keeping guns a lot of farmers maybe no longer keep guns and you don't see many gamekeepers these days either. The latter usually carried guns, with the barrel broken, but they aren't allowed to shoot a lot of birds like carrion crows these days either.

As I have said before, I was attacked by two dogs, thankfully muzzled, on leads ,who were stronger than the person in charge. I could have been pushed into a stream, as it I got away with just a badly bruised arm.

I wish it were just the smaller ones that jump up!

I totally agree with tighter laws for dogs worrying sheep and cattle . I’m semi rural and walk through a field with cows on my dog walks and always put my dog on a lead. Many don’t though .
Plus when I’m walking him off lead , I’m always scanning ahead for on lead dogs , horses , cyclists, joggers , children and elderly adults . And then I put him on a lead , it’s part of being a responsible dog owner . And my dog has been trained not to jump up .
I’ve found it’s often smaller dogs that get excited and jump up.

Rosie51

^I would like to walk freely on my local common, but people let their dogs loose and I am vulnerable. If they jump up I will inevitably fall over because of my impaired balance and two things will happen:^
- I will not be able to get up
- I will break a bone as I have osteoporosis.

My old neighbour and friend was 'greeted' by a dog just wanting to say 'hello'. The complications from the broken hip she sustained in the fall meant she lost her mobility and most of her previously active social life. Several operations, and a great deal of pain until she died just under a year later. But hey, he was just being friendly and his owner is still blissfully unaware of the consequences.

This is my concern. My OH died after a fall broke his femur. It took nearly a year of misery though.

I would like to walk freely on my local common, but people let their dogs loose and I am vulnerable. If they jump up I will inevitably fall over because of my impaired balance and two things will happen:
- I will not be able to get up
- I will break a bone as I have osteoporosis.

My old neighbour and friend was 'greeted' by a dog just wanting to say 'hello'. The complications from the broken hip she sustained in the fall meant she lost her mobility and most of her previously active social life. Several operations, and a great deal of pain until she died just under a year later. But hey, he was just being friendly and his owner is still blissfully unaware of the consequences.

M0nica

People who are not comfortable with dogs, or just do not own them have as much right to have free access to the countryside and green sapces as those who do have dogs.

Those who own dogs should respect the rights of non-dog owners and ensure that their dogs do not impede them in anyway, nor do anything that might stop them accessing green spaces. For example, when my children were small they could not access the wood our house backed on to, nor the childrens's play ground because of the amount of dog faeces everywhere.

I agree with this. And hopefully there are also dog-owners who do.

I would like to walk freely on my local common, but people let their dogs loose and I am vulnerable. If they jump up I will inevitably fall over because of my impaired balance and two things will happen:
- I will not be able to get up
- I will break a bone as I have osteoporosis.

I do not think it is reasonable that I should have to stop walking there. One man lets his large dog off the lead and leaves it be while he wanders off - if it is worrying other people he takes not one bit of notice and just carries on with his walk.

My friend was knocked over by a dog jumping up while walking on the common - the owner said it was her fault for turning her back on the dog!

The situation is getting out of control now.

All the local farmers are vigilant especially with ewes in lamb and I am pleased that laws will be made more stringent. Would that ordinary citizens were afforded the same protection as livestock!

People who are not comfortable with dogs, or just do not own them have as much right to have free access to the countryside and green sapces as those who do have dogs.

Those who own dogs should respect the rights of non-dog owners and ensure that their dogs do not impede them in anyway, nor do anything that might stop them accessing green spaces. For example, when my children were small they could not access the wood our house backed on to, nor the childrens's play ground because of the amount of dog faeces everywhere.

Colls

See the anti-dog brigade is out in force again!

Anti dog! It’s just plain common sense. And most people who agree with the new rules have actually said they like dogs.

Colls

See the anti-dog brigade is out in force again!

Not anti-dog, but anti-bad-dog-owners.

We have several walks that allow dogs to roam free, but as soon as we see anyone else they get put on leads. An elderly pug cross is small but she wanders under people's feet and will not come when called (deaf), so she is always on a retractable lead that allows her to go sniffing around but pulled to heel.

The main hazard with my dog is schoolkids walking to school glued to their mobiles.
They seem to have enough attention to avoid running into adults at their eye-level, but dogs (& presumably toddlers) don't get noticed until they've walked into them (even if we've halted).
No-one's fallen over yet, but it's happening more & more often. I think I need a bicycle bell to ring when I see one of them approaching...

As for the "trust technique". It should be unnecessary. Why should ordinary law abiding people have to undertake something like this? There should be clear enforceable rules that mean people can go for a walk safely and animal owners who impair this are held responsible with consequences.

When I set out on a walk I do not have the luxury of knowing if the dogs I meet on the common will be with responsible owners or irresponsible ones .... I have to take pot luck. This is not an acceptable situation.

Witzend

I walk very often in a park where there are always dogs off the lead. I love dogs but I’ve hardly ever had any of them jump up at me. So I do wonder why so many people seem to have dogs jumping up - do they keep sausages in their pockets, or what?

It's an interesting question isn't it? I live on the edge of the Cotswolds, there are always lots of dogs and 9 times out of 10 a dog which is loose will run up to me.
The owners are sometimes very surprised and even a bit annoyed. I can't explain it but I have had a lot to do with animals in my life and I did grow up with dogs.

I would recommend a course called Trust Technique which is about learning to have a quiet mind with animals (call it mindfulness if you want, I am a lifelong meditator). Animals can read our minds and our body language, they know what we are feeling. So many people rush up to animals shrieking which will raise tension levels in most animals. Trust Technique is an online course thoroughly taught through videos. Many of the videos show people learning a better way to be with an animal, even it is an animal they have had for many years.
I couldn't help noticing on our local common this morning, numbers of local dog owners who were being hauled along by their dogs who were on lead, or the dogs were lunging at other dogs or refusing to walk. None of that behaviour is a dog under control. I am sure there will now be a torrent of disagreement, sorry, as I say, I've spent my life with animals.

And responsible owners do none of those things. As always, it is the irresponsible owners who give everyone else a bad name.

Luckygirl3

Paperbackwriter

Colls

See the anti-dog brigade is out in force again!

I don't think anyone is 'anti dog', simply anti being pawed, licked, jumped up on by dogs whose owners don't restrain them. Not a lot to ask, I'd have thought.

I do share that view.

I am happy for people to enjoy their dogs but have no desire for any of the above!

Or terrify and attack sheep or other animals.

Paperbackwriter

Colls

See the anti-dog brigade is out in force again!

I don't think anyone is 'anti dog', simply anti being pawed, licked, jumped up on by dogs whose owners don't restrain them. Not a lot to ask, I'd have thought.

I do share that view.

I am happy for people to enjoy their dogs but have no desire for any of the above!