People who use a dog Walker how would you feel about them taking your dog to a field rather than 'on a walk'?

[Chaotic45]

I'm a dog Walker. I take my job as providing enjoyable, safe, enriching walks very seriously. I'm insured, complete ongoing training and do everything I can to do a fantastic job.

I walk no more than four dogs at a time. We use lovely local footpaths in the countryside.

More and more walkers are now hiring a field to exercise dogs in rather than taking them on a walk.

I've resisted this so far, but I can see the positives and am having a rethink. There are a lot of challenges in the way I do things atm, and a field would make things easier for me.

I'm tempted to ask my customers how they feel about it. But first, I thought I'd ask fellow mumsnetters for their thoughts ?

I would be fine with this. I think I would actually be happier in some ways as the dog would be getting more exercise in that it can run and play etc rather than just walk

id be fine with this

I think I'd want a mix of walks and this. I wouldn't want them just to be taken to a field all the time. They need to be exposed to the world too.

I would actually prefer it if it was an enclosed field as my dog’s recall with anyone other than me is not great and therefore she stays on the lead with the dog walker. I’d love it if she could run around in a field instead.

Could you offer both? So have say 2 days where you have the field and the other days with walks

I don't have a dog Walker but if I did I think I would be happy with either but actually prefer the field as less likely to have a run in with another dog.

I would be fine with this - I had to use a dog walker last year because of an injury. I felt terrible for him because he got no off-lead time (his recall isn't great and we couldn't risk it)

Actually, I'd be more than fine with this, I'd have been overjoyed if this was possible for him then.

I would be fine with it some days.

If I only used you occasionally or 1-2 days a week I wouldn't mind but if I used you every day I wouldn't want my dog going to the same field every day & not going to different places & seeing/smelling different people & dogs.

My worry would be (as the owner of a small dog) if the dogs are loose on the field it would be hard to stop one dog going for another. I know this would be a rare occurrence but it would be a concern for me.

If he fine on occasion. My dog doesn’t have great recall so would be nice for him to be off lead, however he also doesn’t really play with other dogs much so I worry that in a field he would just be left to wander around which isn’t as exciting or energetic as a wander around the countryside.

I would be fine with it. They will get a good run around in a safe setting.

My dog wouldn't get any exercise if you did this. Even off lead with other dog's she knows she just follows me or the dog walker. So if a dog walker just stood in the field she would just sit by the dog walker and I'm not sure I'd believe a walker who said they'd March up and down for an hour.

My dog Walker does a combination of field play and walks and it suits our dog perfectly. She checked with us that we were happy with this before starting it.

@Squiginawig sounds like a good plan. Business wise though I guess I'd need to get a decent making do use out of the field if I'm hiring it, but it's food for thought.

How often does your Walker use the field vs actual walks? Did she / he agree this with you- or do you leave it up to the Walker?

Our Walker does 2 days per week (out of 5) in the field and the other 3 days are either beach or forest walk (we are very lucky with where we live - aware not everyone has these options!)
She did ask us if we were happy with this, which we are.

Our walker uses the same fields all the time for walks - she walks round the edges though. My dog is not one of the ones that dashes about - he's a plodder who likes sniffing. If they only went to the field and let him off without walking round it he'd get virtually no exercise. To be honest I do get a bit peed off that they do the same walk ALL the time - but she's had him since a puppy, loves him to bits and he loves her so I just leave it. If I was to choose a new walker though I'd want someone who actually took them on walks.

Mine typically gets walked in different forest type areas. Mine would be bored with just the same field each time so for me I wouldn't choose that setup. And in summer the ability to hunt out a stream on a walk means they don't suffer when it's hot.

Our dogs walks are always off lead and varied. The walkers know loads of places that are remote and safe - woods, drained reservoirs, wind farm, along rivers where they can jump in etc. They have different places they go in the summer and winter when some places can get muddy.

The dogs enjoy the variety of being walked through different landscapes and different walks every day, like a pp, my dog would focus on the walker and would mostly just walk around near them and not get a full run/exercise in a field. It would be ok occasionally but wouldn't like as the norm.

I would want a combination (say at least 50:50) it would also be good if in the field there were sometimes different combinations of dogs and "play" offered?

As long as DDog is safe I don’t mind where our dog walker takes him. Safe for my DDog means on lead unless in an enclosed field/space.
He is usually taken to a park or through the woods.
Safety my key concern, we trust our dog walker, I would like the idea of DDog having some variety in his exercise - so walks about in the street, through a park or the woods and crazy time in an enclosed field from time to time. I know he would enjoy the different locations as he certainly does when he’s with me

Both of my dogs would be happy with this but while one would race around, the other would stay with the human. So I would expect the walker to actually walk around the field and interact with them.

I'm a dog walker too and I know this is becoming increasingly popular. Sadly we have no enclosed fields around here at all (nearest is two hours away) so it's not an option for me, but there are some dogs I'd definitely use it for.

I have some dogs who have little recall but who could really do with a safe space to run off some energy. I wouldn't take them everyday as I think it would be boring (for me, let alone for them!) but once or twice a week it would be a good option.

I'd only use it for dogs with poor recall or socialisation issues, though. Otherwise part of the fun is going to new places and exploring with the dogs - I love finding new tracks, woods or fields to take them to!

One of the fields to rent locally wont allow dog walkers on it. Me I wouldn't care.

@vanillandhoney hi!

It's really tricky.

I feel like someone is waving the opportunity for a more easy life in front of my nose .

I can't help thinking maybe it's a more lazy option, and it could create or ingrain some bad habits.

I would interact constantly and do bits of training, but it's not the same as exploring paths etc..

It would allow me to take on more dogs without good recall, and ones with tricky behaviour. So I'd be able to say yes to more dogs.

I worry that I'd be bored, there would be too much constant play, some dogs might get bored, some dogs might not do enough exercise.....

My dog hates an enclosed field. He just stands at the gate and barks to get out - he would do this for a full hour if left to do so. He doesn’t want to play and run about with other dogs, he wants to explore and sniff and cover distance. So, it depends on the dog if they are getting a benefit from the field.