To just let my dog off anyway

[LittleYellowIceCream]

Live on a small rural street where we are all quite close with neighbours.

At the end of the street is a farm, they don't use one of the fields closest to the road so a long long time ago they turned it into a 'dog walking' field for the people on the street (and whoever really).

There is a public footpath through the field which is clearly marked and runs up the side near the wall and then through the other fields. You have to enter this field from the road and there is a big sign which says 'X STREET DOG WALKING FIELD' and a message about picking up after them etc...

It's nice, the dogs often play on there together and we all have a chat if we happen to be on at the same time etc...

However since this warm weather I've seen about 3/4 families all sat down on the field on blankets having picnics. Not with their own dogs, just them.

It means none of us feel we can let our dogs off to run around and play.

One neighbour did point out the sign and said it may not be the best place for a picnic but was ignored.

WIBU to just let my dog off his lead anyway? He does have good recall but I obviously can't guarantee his frisbee isn't going to land in someone's 'picnic area' whilst we play fetch!

There's not many places dogs can just have a run off lead round here that are closed off and safe. There is a park where people can have picnics literally 5 minutes away!

Its really annoying me. I don't take him to the park because I don't want to get in people's way when they are trying to sit/eat/kids playing etc.. this is the one area that is supposed to be for dogs to run about off lead and I feel like I can't even let him off here now either.

[Alicemovedtothecity]

I would make the owner aware that the field is being used for other purposes then what it’s been set up for.

Maybe a new sign could be made then and put up to make people aware. If you see a family having a picnic when you enter then make them aware it’s a dog only field and that dogs will be running around loose so could they move on as no picnics are allowed.

[SeeWhoRustsFirst]

People banging on about aggressive dogs are missing the point. (That's just usual mumsnet anti-dog sentiment).

The only relevant point is that you've been given permission to dog walk in a field (very kindly) by the landowner. That landowner may or may not have given permission for picnics, but either way I'd think it was fairly obvious that it was a "picnic at your own risk" situation!!

Crack on OP, don't penalise your poor dog just because someone wants to eat a sandwich outside!

[Clymene]

I can understand your frustration, but I don't think that the details of the location ('dog walking field' versus public park, etc.) make a difference. If there are people having a picnic you have to keep your dog away, wherever you are.

Of course they do! There is a big sign saying dog walking field. If you picnic in a field with a sign saying 'Bull in field', you shouldn't be surprised if a bull tramples your picnic either

[SeeWhoRustsFirst]

I hope the picnic-ers aren't dropping glass or god knows what. Just thought of that. But not much you can really do about it.

[OneHanded]

Definitely let them off!

[AllIMissNowIsTheSea]

emz771 that's rather differnt to the OP's private land dog park scenario.

Beaches in spring, winter and autumn are "known dog walking areas" now. It's impossible to find one not overrun with dogs but they aren't private land and are as much open to non dog lovers as dog owners. I love the sea but when I visit my family who live on the coast (in non lockdown times) the local beaches are so full of dog walkers that you can't walk along them without a complete stranger's dog jumping up at you or circling you barking. Last time I sat down on the beach nearest my parents with my children on a sunny autumn day (dogs only banned June - August) my youngest's face was scratched open and the open scratch licked before I could get to him by a friendly, excitable, completely out of control meduim sized dog which jumped up on him and scratched it's claw down his cheek - no obvious owner anywhere near. Not a vicious dog, a friendly one, but a completely uncontrolled one which inflicted a small but potentially very easily infected and nasty looking injury, and meant we had to cut short our outing to go and deal with it, unlike the irresponsible dog owners.

Some public use areas have been ruined by dog owners because unlike the OP so many of them don't train or take responsibility for their dogs.

Known dog walking areas are not sacred to dogs.

This dog park is for dogs though though. The OP is reasonable.

[Thisismytimetoshine]

Is it an official dog walking space? Who owns the land, is it council owned?

[Cherrysoup]

I’d crack on. If they moan, point out the sign that says it’s for X street and for dog walking, not ruddy picnics when the park is literally down the road. It’s a designated dog field, rare as hens’ teeth, take advantage! My two are dreadful scavengers and would be straight up to anyone with food.

[Honeyroar]

Hopefully the field owner will have public liability insurance for this field that’s becoming a public space and footpath. Otherwise she could end up in a mess. Sad fact of having a footpath on your land nowadays.

[ChandlerIsTheBestFriend]

No. I was attacked by a dog yesterday and honestly think they should be kept on leads.

So according to you of a person decides to sit down and eat in an official dog walking field all those dogs should lose the right to off lead exercise in the only place they’re allowed to do it? Really? Because a person has decided to use the private space for something else that trumps the rights of those using it for it so intended purpose? you have zero logic. Ridiculous.

[DrinkVeneer]

The owner is the one in control of what happens in the field so they should be the ones telling the picnickers to bugger off. If they don't, then follow the current government guidance which is that your dog must be on a lead at all times when around other people.

[SoupDragon]

If there are people having a picnic you have to keep your dog away, wherever you are.

"Wherever"....? Really? It's private land. The picnic people shouldn't be there at all.

I'd let my dog off (well, I wouldn't as he has no sodding recall) but I would warn them first.

[Pika09]

It's really stupid and irresponsible to be letting dogs off leads anywhere at the moment.

[MitziK]

The clue's in the name Dog Walking Field.

If they have problems with Labradors stealing their cheese and pickle sandwiches and Spaniels launching into the cocktail sausages, they need to go somewhere else. Like somewhere they have permission to enter.

I'd scream and lose my shit if surrounded by cockroaches. So I don't enter the bug house at London Zoo by sneaking into a door marked Staff and complain they've got the fuckers on display without pins skewering the bastard things. Same goes for being scared of dogs - don't have a picnic in a private Dog Walking Field then.

[ratticus4]

The people having picnics are idiots but the farm owner and the street sounds great!

[LemonTT]

The field owner needs to deal with the picnic parties. Tell her what is happening.

The path is public so open to all to use. Therefore you are responsible for keeping your dog on control in case non dog walkers use it. You need to do the right thing which is to put your dog on a lead next to a public path. The picnic people don’t give you a right to ignore rules yourself.

[unlikelytobe]

The landowner needs a new sign which should state something like:

PRIVATE LAND Local dog walkers ( X Street) allowed by prior arrangement. Strictly no picnics. No litter or dog mess please!

[emz771]

Why Pika?

[LesleysChestnutBob]

I wouldn't warn them I would just let the dog off. There are so few places that are specifically for dogs, I wouldn't let someone else's picnic stop me letting my dog off. They can fuck off to the park.

[Cherrysoup]

@Pika09 the owner has designated it as a dog walking field. Why should the OP therefore not let the dog off? Are you saying I shouldn’t have let my two run round the park this morning? How am I supposed to exercise them? There is no law forbidding off lead dogs, afaik.

[Jumble567]

Absolutely let him off! Tough luck if they don’t like it! If they are stupid enough to set up a picnic in a dog field then that’s their problem. I am absolutely fed up with non-dog owning people thinking their rights overrule dog owning people! There are many areas designated no dogs - lots of places we can’t go with our dogs that they have all to themselves - therefore they should bugger off from our dog places!

My leisure activity is my dogs - it’s the same as them going for a picnic in the middle of a driving range and expecting everyone to stop hitting gold balls across the range whilst they are there! Totally ridiculous!

I may a them the courtesy of a “you’re in a designated dog walking field, so he’s going to be off lead in a moment” warning IF I was feeling generous, so they have a couple of minutes to move out of the field if they choose too, but that’s it.

If they are chucking a ball around the field then they will lose that very quickly as my dogs would see that as a tremendous game! I’d give it back of course, with teeth marks and a good amount of slobber after I had retrieved it from whoever was quickest in getting it.

[SeeWhoRustsFirst]

@Pika09 WTF?

[Wewearpinkonwednesdays]

Yes, they're twats for having a picnic in a dog field. But do they really deserve to be bitten for it?

It's a dog, not a bloody lion. Most dogs don't bite someone everyone they are let off their leads 😂.

Of course let your dog off the lead OP. That is what the field is for, you are being responsible by only letting your dog off lead in the designated area. They can fuck off and have a picnic elsewhere, and if they approached me about my dog being off lead, I would tell them exactly that.

[ramseyspamsey]

I wouldn't warn them I would just let the dog off. There are so few places that are specifically for dogs, I wouldn't let someone else's picnic stop me letting my dog off

Those two things aren't mutually exclusive. I don't see the benefit of just doing it over telling them first "not sure if you're aware but this is a private field reserved for letting dogs run around off-lead, which I am about to do".

They may be genuinely unaware so why not try to just be nice about it? After all, the OP only has use of the space thanks to someone else being nice when they didn't need to.