Farmers dogs on public footpath

[Cuppateeee]

Just been on a lovely walk in the countryside, only to be spoiled by a shouty farmer. Need a different perspective on it otherwise it will just wind me up. Will include picture.

Walking with my dog on a lead through a field, staying on the public footpath when I see two border collies barking in the distance. I stay where I am to look for a farmer to check if they are aggressive or not, no one in sight, they are staying where they are but still barking and in the way of where I need to walk, so I went back and walked down the other side of the fence.

I get to the bottom and see the dogs have gone, also notice the gate was open so they could have got to me anyway, never mind I’m there now and go over the stile back onto the public footpath.

Only then I notice the dogs have come back, so again I check to see if I can see the farmer because whilst they weren’t growling they were barking which is intimidating enough.

At this point there is a fence between us so not a problem but I check to see where the public footpath leads and you’re supposed to join the farm track but their gate is open. The dogs are following me and my dog down the fence, still barking, so I decided to walk away from them not wanting to risk what would happen when we reach the open gate. I am at this point on the farmers field.

After a few steps a farmer comes running shouting for my attention, I stop and see what he wants. He said ‘the footpath doesn’t go along there, you’re damaging the crops’. So he was clearly watching me, and would have been able to see that I was uncomfortable with his dogs around.

There is snow on the field so I wasn’t sure what I was walking on but either way I said, sorry I appreciate that but your dogs were being aggressive towards me and my dog so I felt I had no choice.

He kept repeating that if I can’t stick to the path then I shouldn’t go on the walk, which in normal circumstances I totally agree with, but in this case I felt it best, to protect me and my dog.

He insists his dogs are not aggressive, they are with him at this point, still barking but I admit not growling or coming closer, just staying with him, but I said again that I was not to know this and didn’t want to risk anything happening to my dogs.

In the end I walked away because he clearly could not see my point of view.

So was IBU waking on his land or was he. And if he was is there anything I can do to stop if happening to someone else. Sorry for the long post, thanks for reading.

@Scrowy

Anywhere the public have a right of access is a public place as far as the dangerous dogs act goes.

That includes the access to your front door, as there is an assumed right of access there for anyone needing to deliver, knock on your door etc.

Believe me if you let your dog bite someone or give them reasonable apprehension of injury in your front garden, you will have committed an offence under the DDA.

A public footpath is the same, the OP had reasonable grounds to fear the dogs would access it, and would cause injury if she carried on.. because the dogs were out of control (no owner present = out of control) and with the gate open, had access to the path.

And whoever it is thinks dogs can't clear a 4ft stock fence needs to give their head a wobble, my tiny tibetan terrier can clear that, my salukis would hop over it without a second thought. Do you also believe dogs can't look up?

The farmer is a food producer, we should try to make their lives easier, not harder.

Foot paths used to be genuinely vital in the days when the only way many of us peasants had of getting about was to walk (pre motor vehicles). Nowadays we use them largely for recreation and should consider which we value more - recreation or food.

They were working dogs and barking.
You knew where the path was and chose not to use it.

I'm afraid the farmer was right to be annoyed. It's common sense not to walk across fields.

And whoever it is thinks dogs can't clear a 4ft stock fence needs to give their head a wobble, my tiny tibetan terrier can clear that,

TT's are fantastic jumpers. My friend's TT is the only dog that has ever leapt into my arms. They're brilliant at agility, and really seem to love it.

@Milliy

I don't know, I typed 'dogs jumping fences' and it came up, seemed appropriate as hounds are athletic dogs and a poster was arguing that no dog could jump more than 3 feet - even large athletic ones like a gsd. Interesting though that it was one of many pics used to promote fences designed to keep dogs in that jump over fencing.

“and a poster was arguing that no dog could jump more than 3 feet ”

Nope.

@StreetwiseHercules

My comment is in bold, your response in italics.....

“A German shepherd, collie or other larger athletic breed is perfectly capable of clearing 4 ft from nothing. Also perfectly capable of jumping onto a gate as leverage.

Terriers perfectly capable of getting through sheep netting. Sheep can't do that and as already stated the farmer fences to keep his sheep in, fencing designed to keep sheep in will not keep an athletic dog, whose instinct it is to chase and is not under control, out.“

Dogs jumping 4ft fences is very, very unlikely. I’d love to see a German shephard that can do that. 3ft maybe but 4ft? Come on.

Metal gates should have wire on them as well.

You quite clearly say there "3ft maybe, but 4ft? Come on"

Arguing your point that a dog can not jump a stock fence, maybe I should have said 'arguing a dog can't jump 4 feet'

But regardless of the pedantics of exactly who said what, I think you've seen that in fact dogs can jump stock fencing, be it 3 foot or 4 foot. Something which you said they can't.

I now have terriers. Completely different. Stubborn little buggers.

I had terriers when I was growing up. Some 15 years later I used to walk my landlady's border collie. It was such a shock to the system. With the terriers I was perpetually on high alert and wrangling them. I could almost forget I was out with the collie. Almost freaked me out to be honest.

I said they can’t CLIMB stock fences. If you are going to try to be picky, at least pay attention.

@StreetwiseHercules

Already quoted where you say a dog JUMPING 4ft is very very unlikely. If you're going to make ridiculous arguments at least remember what you've said........

But for good measure here's a quote of your post. Again.

Dogs jumping 4ft fences is very, very unlikely. I’d love to see a German shephard that can do that. 3ft maybe but 4ft? Come on.

Anyone else feel as though we are going around in irritating circles here?

““and a poster was arguing that no dog could jump more than 3 feet ”

None of this is true. Not one word.

I said 4ft is unlikely (not that it couldn’t be done) and that dogs can’t climb stock fences.

Why are you lying?

So despite saying

Dogs jumping 4ft fences is very, very unlikely. I’d love to see a German shephard that can do that. 3ft maybe but 4ft? Come on.

Metal gates should have wire on them as well.

You now say that you didn't say it? I did qualify the confusion between 3ft/4ft in previous post.

I agree you said that dogs can't climb stock fences.

However it would seem now you've been proven wrong with the whole dogs jumping fences thing you've decided to backtrack, and although the wording and tone of your post is absolutely clear, you insist you didn't say it.
Ok then.
Not sure where to go from here tbh because it's there in black and white and you're still calling me the liar.
Utterly bizarre.
Please stay out of the countryside for your own and everyone else's safety, you'd be a liability.

The Op should be able to walk footpaths. It sound like she could have done that but was nervous of doing so. I doubt the dogs would have done much more than bark but if she really felt threatened she could always call the police. I write this as a farmers wife and a member of the Ramblers.

Some farmers are w***s who do go out of their way to provoke, but luckily there are less of them around as it tended to be a generational thing and they are dying.

Now I'm going to bait the bear that is Streetwise

1. Farmers should fence their crops. Crops are not just corn, wheat, potatoes etc. Grass is a crop, it is what farmers grow to feed their stock during the winter.
2. It is rare for fields to have footpaths running through the middle. We have 4 fields with footpaths, not one path runs along the edge of the field they all run diagonally.
3. Farmers should find different uses for fields with footpaths. Lets cover them with solar panels.
4. All fields should be fenced with 4 ft wire fencing. Hear the screams as I rip out miles of Devon banks, wouldn't that ruin the neighbours view. Just imagine that damage that could be done by such an act. Boundaries marked on Domesday maps destroyed because dog walkers can't be bothered to be responsible. Our banks are over 6 ft in places and provide a safe habitat for thousands of species.
5. Dogs shouldn't bark. I'm glad that our farm dog barks it alerts us to the presence of others, very important due to our isolated position. Quite a few on MN indulge in their right to mouth off, why limit our dogs.
6. Never "criticised farmers". Your first post stated "I loathe farmers". No explanation, just that one statement.

You appear to be quite irrational.

My pointers and my neighbours Labrador can fly over a normal 4ft gate
with ease - my current dog is nearly 19 and still pops the gate when he feels like it. Hounds and collies are very used to jumping farm gates and stock fencing. Deer fencing will stop big dogs but not terriers.

Sorry dog is 10 not 19!

@Biggerknickersagain

You have claimed repeatedly that I said dogs could not jump 4 foot fences. I did not.

So, you agree that a 4ft fence won't keep dogs out.

Oh come off it streetwise you are the most contrary, argumentative poster I've seen in a long time

Deliberately so.

“So, you agree that a 4ft fence won't keep dogs out.”

I think it a good 4ft stock fence stands a very strong chance of keeping most uncontrolled dogs out.

Streetwise I think you should go for a nice calming walk (away from any farmland), you are coming across as quite bonkers.

“Oh come off it streetwise you are the most contrary, argumentative poster I've seen in a long time hmm”

I’m not really interested in your opinion of me, but thanks for sharing I guess.