To think that it isn't safe for one man to be responsible for 8 dogs and a toddler all at the same time?

I'd not be happy about the 8 dogs to 1 human ratio - without the toddler involved.

Dogs can be as well trained as you like, but even if these dogs all live together as a group and know one another very well, it takes VERY little to rock that dynamic and cause a problem - an over friendly labrador bouncing into the middle of it - someone decides to walk their cat on a lead close by - a squirrel falls out of a tree squealing (happened to us, think it had a heart attack, I know I nearly did!) and then everything can go to shit in a second.

The chances are though that these dogs do not all live together, and the sense of calm and control is false, that many of them are suppressing emotions/behaviour because they are in close confinement with relative strangers and are on leads.. and so some pretty minor catalyst could cause a catastrophe.

Just dangerous and irresponsible, too much of a risk with 8 dogs but another level with a toddler in the mix.

The chances of 8 perfectly behaved dogs with no prey drive and reliable recall in all circumstances, and a perfectly biddable 3 yo are zero.

Doesn't even make any difference if all his charges do fit this bill - he's out in public, with no knowledge of what other factors there are. If some other dogs attack his, he's buggered to even cope with the dogs, let alone keep the toddler safe.

I think it depends on the dogs. Also 8 of your own dogs that you know very well and know eachother, is much different to 8 dogs that you don't live with and aren't used to eachother.

I used to know a lady with 10 Afghan hounds and I always loved seeing her walk the magestic beasts, it was like something from a fantasy film. She was also very very rich, well dressed and a bit mad, which added to the eccentricity of the interactions.

The chances of 8 perfectly behaved dogs with no prey drive and reliable recall in all circumstances, and a perfectly biddable 3 yo are zero.

Much more likely that he's struggling for money and childcare and is compromising the care of both dogs and child to solve that. It's just dangerous.

I agree that it isn’t safe. I have one golden retriever and I don’t even take him out with my toddler on my own because I couldn’t guarantee that I’d be able to keep both of them safe if something spooked the dog and he tried to run away. I can control him if I’m on my own but I would struggle while also being in charge of a toddler. I definitely couldn’t manage 8.

Sorry to be a pedant but she was actually killed by her own dog an XL bully. Yes she was walking others at the time and they were there but none of the other dogs bit her, it was proved that it was her own dog that actually attacked and killed her. Very sad though

I think 8 dogs is far too many - if something really set them off there's no way he could control them all - and also must take up so much space that it's a public nuisance. I wonder if their owners know that he walks 7 other dogs at the same time as theirs? The child makes it much worse but it's not an ok set up to begin with.

I don’t know. Some 3 year olds are very predictable. I had one who I would happily have around water/fire, riding her bike quite far ahead of me, etc because she was extraordinarily sensible from the moment she could walk. My other - not so much!

That said - I’m not a dog owner and @Blistory makes really valid points so I’m going to err on the side of the OP is being reasonable!

It sounds like he has a job as a dog walker and can’t afford childcare, or has otherwise chosen to look after his child while working. I don’t think it’s hugely practical or safe no.

Where I live you can only have a max of 4 dogs per person. Ive got a dog & would struggle with 2 so can completely agree that a max of 4 is appropriate.

In answer to your question, I don't think he could safely be in charge of 4 dogs (no matter the size or breed) and a pre-schooler. Utter madness

Okay, if that works, great—but the toddler? Cleaning up after eight dogs, even if they were robotically perfect, would mean regularly taking attention away from the child and leaving no hands free to grab them should they need it.

Holding eight dogs in one hand is also risky. What if one of the dogs were to lunge at the toddler, but the walker had both hands occupied? Not sensible.

Way too many potential lose cannons. 9 unpredictable beings is too many for one person to be responsible for and keep safe.

The problem is, 3 year olds are unpredictable. Even the most well behaved child can suddenly get spooked / distracted/ unsure of foot / etc. If they fell over into water, how quickly could he SAFELY get to the child without causing harm to the dogs / other people? If she runs off, how competently can he chase her with all those dogs?

Unless on reins I can still hold, I'd never take a toddler somewhere like that unless I constantly had a free hand for just in case.

I think that with well behaved, well trained dogs and one owner, there is a sense of complacency that is misguided and I wouldn't want a child any where near that.

If the dogs are with a dog walker who doesn't know the ins and outs of each dog, I'd double down on not wanting a child anywhere near that situation.

All it takes is for one dog to get a whiff of a squirrel or prey for example and the others can join in. I trust my own dogs as far as I can but if one reacts unexpectedly, the other can join in and and it ends up with misdirected agression. That can be difficult to predict and impossible to control. Add in another 6 dogs all reacting to instinct rather than training and it becomes clear that control is an illusion. Very few dogs are trained well enough that prey behaviour can be completely surpressed when in a group of dogs all reacting individually. I wouldn't put a child, a dog or myself in that position. It doesn't need to be a sustained attack but simply a poorly placed bite or two to cause fatal injuries.

8 dogs at a time without the child is pushing it imo.

I imagine the same way as everyone else. Stop. Instruct the dog(s) to "wait". The dog(s) sit(s) down, you hold the lead with one hand and pick up the poo with another. Give the dog the release command, carry on your journey.

One large -well trained- dog and a toddler is enough for me, wouldn’t be comfortable with another as I need one hand for each of them. How does he pick up the poo?!

If they’re walking obediently I don’t really see the issue. They could potentially all be his - some people do have a lot of dogs! My friend had to call the dog warden here about a dog walker we saw who had her twin toddlers with her and neither the dogs or the toddlers were under control at all. In the end one of the toddlers nearly got hit by a car in the car park as she was trying to get the dogs back into her van (without much luck) - my friend had to grab the child to stop her running behind a reversing car. But your situation sounds really different.

I have 4...i can manage 3 and poop scooping.. 8? Local council here banned walking more than 4 owned /as a walker a few years ago.

I agree. I can't manage two labradors on my own and we walk them separately.