Rules on dog walking now

[SunshineCake]

What would you do ? My dog is used to a walk in the morning of 1-2 hours and then most afternoons she goes out for another hour. As I am only allowed once a day we have been taking her after lunch to split the day but yesterday was the first day I was able to go out in my own, as I've been ill and it was stressfully busy.

Is it literally once a day for the dog and if so when would you go to make it the best option for the dog? No one else to walk her most days.

[WhoEatsPopTarts]

You just need to experiment with different times. I don’t know where all these people walking dogs have come from, they’re not normally around.

[SunshineCake]

I will try that and hope it goes better. Also, if the humans stay apart are dos allowed to play together? My dog hasn't seen her best friend for a month and when he escaped into the garden when mine was there they immediately started jumping around together so happy .

[GatoFofo]

Yes, once a day, unless you can get someone else to take the dog out too, at a different time, as part of their one exercise session a day.

[DogInATent]

All the new dog walkers are family members taking a turn that would normally have been happy to leave all the dog walking to one person. It's a bit like all the toddler-walkers that have appeared.

If there are two of you, you do one walk each. If there's only one person in the house or only one able-bodied person then you go twice - keeping to routes where social distancing is easiest.

[SunshineCake]

See two have given two different answers which is why it is difficult.

A couple are walking their dog together twice a day but they aren't ones to be known to follow any rules tbh.

[Ihaventgottimeforthis]

We share the morning and evening walks, but on a couple of occasions I have done both walks - for example if I'm taking someone's dog who is staying at home, if DH is out at a shop...
We're going at around 7am and 7pm and see very few people at those times - I am lucky enough to have access to large open areas within a short street walk.

[fessmess]

I think it's best if you can go out once for about and hour. BUT I go out with mine up to an hour and a half, even two hours and then if no-one in my family is able to I take her for her round block walk at 5pm. My dog needs this to poo and to get rid of poodle energy. I also play at home and do training. I always keep away from others but for me it's a balance. I know of neighbours who have family visit and people who meet friends for walks so I imagine a lot of people bend the rules. I always think I do not know how it is to be them, mental health is important.

[SunshineCake]

I agree very much that MH is important however I feel I have had the virus and don't want to risk catching it again or giving it to someone if I somehow are still infectious. I haven't walked her in four weeks and this will be only my third time out with her, second on my own.

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

Unless you're in Wales, the law doesn't restrict you to only exercising once a day. There's no law on how long you can exercise for either, even if you are in Wales.

I've not seen anything to say that dogs can't play with other dogs. Obviously if you have the virus in your home it's not advisable, but if you do you're probably not walking the dog anyway.

I suspect the "new" dog walkers you're seeing at the moment are either people who would normally walk at a different time of day, would drive to a location further apart, or use a dog walker.

[Tara336]

I’ve been going twice a day to try to stick to his normal routine as when I tried one walk a day he was going nuts as no energy burnt off, I’ve just varied the times going earlier and later to avoid the crowds that seem to have appeared in our woods.

[Ihaventgottimeforthis]

Our dog still plays with his friends if we see them. I don't let him approach people though.
Can you choose a time to walk when you are less likely to encounter other walkers & dogs?

[Elieza]

Avocados - the law does limit is to one exercise session per day in England and Scotland as far as I know. Don’t know about Wales or Ireland.

It doesn’t tell us how long to make it. It could be four hours long!

After which I think the guidance was we should just walk pets until they have emptied themselves and then it’s straight home.

[WouldShouldCould]

There is no law to limit your exercise. You can go out more than once with your dog. Stay away from people and walk from your front door.

[AllTheUserNamesAreTaken]

@Elieza the law does not restrict amount or length of exercise

Restrictions on movement
6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need

(b)to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household;

[Stellaris22]

Been sticking to one walk a day, in the morning, mostly on lead as we are in an urban area. But we have a hound who is happy to just potter in/out of the garden and sleep (it's why I love hounds). For higher energy dogs then as long as you're using common sense and social distancing, then a family member using the walk as their personal exercise shouldn't be a problem.

[SunshineCake]

We had a lovely walk and she did brilliantly at coming to me immediately when we saw anyone. Until right at the end as we were about to leave a the field and a dog she thought was her neighbour around the corner arrived. She ran half way to them then came back so no contact and she did okay.

Before all this she didn't behave any differently in the evening whether she had an after lunch walk so maybe one long walk in the morning and then all day access to a big garden will be okay.

[jinxpixie]

Exercise once a day which can be dog walking -there is no time limit on exercise.

I would NOT let my dog interact with other dogs during this time (but I am probably being paranoid!)

I am finding it very peopely out at the moment so have been walking very early to miss the crowds -ironic that lockdown has actually increased my interaction with other people!

[Elieza]

On the gov.uk website in the questions section Number 1 and number 3 say quite clearly ONE form exercise a day. Read it any you’ll see what I mean.

Nowhere does it say multiple dog walks or exercise trips a day are ok.

Why do many of you think that’s wrong? It’s in black and white on a government website.

[SunshineCake]

It's fine as I'm not well enough to go out twice, it was more to see if dh is allowed to go out with her for a second walk and it seems he is as it is his first and her second.

[decisionsdecision]

There are lots of things you can do to physically and mentally exercise your dog whilst at home. So mind games, scent work. If you have a garden play ball. Learn some new tricks. Dogs can and will adapt you just need to put the effort that you'd put into a second walk into some fun bits to do at home

[AllTheUserNamesAreTaken]

The gov.uk website is guidance not law. The guidance on that site says ‘one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household’

However, the actual law, which is what I quoted from in my earlier post, is here www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/made

The LAW does not specify how many times, the type or for how long people can exercise

I am not suggesting people should go out multiple times per day, just because it is permitted in law, but nor should people feel they are only allowed to walk their dogs once per day - that is simply not the case.

I am fortunate my dog is happy with a walk once a day so I don’t need to worry about that but there are occasions I will go out twice a day - if I occasionally go for a run first thing in the morning and then walk the dog and child in the late afternoon

[Bel93]

Op if you are still here, could you make a makeshift flirt pole with household objects and a dog toy (google how to make one) 10 mins playing with a flirt pole is equivalent to 1 hour of walking for a dog. Still take her for 1 walk but it should help to expel her extra energy.