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 ?

Mine does both.. my girl needs a good off lead run every day so the walker takes her and up to two others to country parks, fields well away from traffic and others. But she's very active, loves to play with other dogs and chase balls so it's fine. If she was a plodder it wouldn't work.
I think it's a useful addition to a walkers's tool box but only with the dogs that will run around happily!

@Chaotic45 yep, I know what you mean!

I currently have two dogs with poor recall but they're both young and could really do with a place to run and burn energy. In some ways I think...great, they'll get tons of exercise but then is it a substitution for regular walks to new places?!

I think if we had one nearby I'd hire it a couple of times a week (with owners permission) and do normal walks the rest of the time. The rest of my dogs have excellent recall so do loads of off-lead exploring anyway :)

Could you market the field walks differently so that you could expand your clients.

eg you are happy to :_
walk reactive dogs
do training walks for dogs with poor recall or need loose lead training
introduce activity treasure hunt walks eg scent work and trailing games for dogs who need stimulation but less exercise
bimble walks for the oldies
use the field as an introduction to the groups before you go off roading etc.

Our dogwalker has taken him to hired field a few times with a buddy to play which is great as its safe. He can be reactive out of fear so he is booked on solo walks, she's since introduced him to a few calmer dogs including her own so he has an occasional walking buddy now . I know my walker has had to cancel or delay on me before because one of the dogs has got scared & run off or just refused to recall that day, so imagine for them having a secure area & not having to deal with interference from other people's dogs would be preferable.

I know my walker but if taking on a new one my only concern with field only would be if the walker was using it as an easy means to unload a van full & leave the dogs to it, however even that is less risky in a private secure field. I guess it would be fairly easy to turn up unannounced to check in if always at the same place.
The councils 6 per person rule wouldn't apply but I assume the walkers insurance cover would have a limit the number in their care at one time? Would they even want to still take on solo dogs?

My dog wouldn't get anything out of being taken to a field. He would literally just stand there, or follow the Walker. He never chases a ball/toy and instead much prefers to be on the lead sniffing at every lampost/bush that we go by. In a field he just lays down or sits beside me. I doubt very much he would run after the other dogs if let off the lead either.

Thank you so much to everything has responded it's very much appreciated.

A mix of thoughts which is interesting.

Sounds fine to be. Off lead exercise in a secure field would be great.

I'd prefer this as my dog would much prefer a good run round off lead chasing the ball than an hours lead walk which is what she currently gets with our dog Walker.
When I get home and do her second walk she has so much pent up energy!

We have a playing field near us which my dog would be happy to go to every bloody day. She loves it. I take her on a different walk most days, we have 3 woods in different areas, a huge park. Farm walks. Her favourite? The field. She practically leaps out of the car when we arrive. But it’s so boring for me so I mix it up.

The reason we stopped using a dog walker who only used a field with a pack of dogs was because she had no other option in awful weather, and the field would get really muddy. Off lead labradors love to roll in mud...
I'd get home from work after the dog returned and my very muddy dog would have shaken mud all over the walls and need a full bath. The dog walker had no running water at the field of course, and wouldn't clean him before she dropped him home.
Now we have a dog walker who mixes things: if it's going to be really muddy and there'll be no-one home when ddog is dropped off, she sticks to pavement walks (I'm perfectly happy with a muddy dog if I'm home to intercept him when he returns and bundle him straught inti the bath before he coats the house in mud!).

Could you offer a grotty weather alternative to a muddy field?

I'd get home from work after the dog returned and my very muddy dog would have shaken mud all over the walls and need a full bath. The dog walker had no running water at the field of course, and wouldn't clean him before she dropped him home

Not cleaning your dog is shocking! I walk lots of dogs who LOVE mud and I would never dream of returning them in a muddy state. The lack of water at the field isn't really an excuse imo. I'm not surprised you switched walkers!

My dog sitter uses this after muddy walks.

www.muddaddy.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAtqL-BRC0ARIsAF4K3WG4YDQDKukqAMLLw5dXUTsYDId18iYexXtwupqmoS1BoOdboO_lxyEaAnJkEALw_wcB

depends on the dog. Do you mean just hiring a field and then them letting them do what they want? I dont think it would work for my dog as she likes to sniff about and follow me, but she doesnt run and play.
Dps dog would play so it would be ok, but not that interesting really

I'd be ok knowing that it's a secure space and they could go off lead rather than staying on it.

Are such dog walkers actually hiring fields though, or just taking the dogs to a random field (that may or may not have a path through it) and letting them off the lead? I know there is a disease which dog faeces causes in cattle and apparently dogs also - I can't really see a dog walker running across a field to every spot to pick up dog poo, but I can see dog walkers needing to be price competitive by not actually hiring a field.....

www.countryfile.com/wildlife/mammals/neosporosis-the-hidden-danger-that-dogs-pose-to-cattle/

Dog walkers should be picking up dogs poo regardless of where they are walked.

Dogs need to eat dead stock or afterbirth to pick up neosporosis so usually you would know and regular worming prevents infection. It is spread by any canids eg foxes as well as unwormed dogs

I can't really see a dog walker running across a field to every spot to pick up dog poo

Then you must know some pretty poor dog walkers.

I pick up every single poo without fail.

Depends on the dog. If you've got something like a spaniel that will run around in circles with its nose glued to the floor, then a field is probably fine. Mine, on the other hand, will simply sit down near my feet if I stop walking for any length of time, so I'd prefer that there was some mileage done on his walks!

If it was a completely enclosed field, with no escape routes and no livestock, I'd be totally fine with it.

I would love this. I don't actually use a dog Walker so possibly irrelevant but I know when my dog goes to kennels how much he enjoys running about in a field with other dogs . The majority of the time we take him out it's on a lead so an off lead run is a big treat for him .

You would need to make sure that all the dogs were dog friendly though