Keeping dogs on short lead at all times when out in the countryside?

[DoubleTweenQueen]

Can someone knowledgeable give me advice about the current law regarding ground-nesting birds and walking your dog?
The Gov website says to keep to paths and keep dog on a lead between March and end July to protect ground nesting birds. Other sites say short lead over this period, as do the NT.

I have a young dog I am training and use a long-lead (10m) - she behaves really well on this - potters ahead on the path, checks back with me, we can do a bit of recall training up and down the path when it’s quiet. I keep to areas where the grass is short and there are plenty of visitors, so I wouldn’t think there would be ground nesting birds where we go?

What do you all do? Do you follow the blanket short-lead (no long-line, no off-lead) when out and about? (I know this is not the case!)

I can’t imagine keeping her on a short lead at all times - we are training and short lead/loose-lead is the pinnacle of that, which takes months of work for a breed like mine.

@ilovesushi I can understand fully where there are notices, and where there are likely to be ground nesting birds, but there seems to be a general requirement in the UK as a sort of catch-all. (I always look out for notices as livestock are moved around regularly, and bulls too! Always good to check first!!)

Keepered moorland: no matter how much you might hate gamekeepers a) please don't tar them all with the same brush (I know one who is very happy to point out peregrines and buzzards over the moor he manages) and b) be aware that they are valuable breeding grounds for increasingly rare waders like curlew, golden plover and lapwing, not just grouse.

I was on a keepered moor recently and saw all those species, and others. I heard curlew calling all day.

That rant aside, I let my dogs off at the moment in some places and not others. No on the young crops, because the path isn't much used (hare as well as ground-nesters). No on the off-path young crop where I have permission to train my dogs, because now is not the time to be disturbing wildlife. Yes on the well-used footpath on the floodplain, because nothing is going to nest near the path (and I keep them on or near the path).

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman Useful, thankyou x

one of my regular dog walks is a breeding area for ground nesters - so I don't walk there in spring, my new daily walk is field margins / bridleway, lots of walkers, so no danger to birds and the dogs are off lead. Not allowed to go off the path onto the field (crops) but there's plenty for them to sniff at along the bridleway so they don't mind! (especially when they find fresh horse manure 🤮)

I was going to say what Grumpy has already said. Moorland supports other species, not just shot ones. Grassland is also used by several species for nesting. Don't assume short grass won't have birds.
To be on the safe side, keep your dogs on a leash and close unless walking somewhere like a park or an enclosed footpath, it's just for a few weeks and the birds have a hard enough time fledging young without being disturbed on the nest.

I mix and match depends where walking

Livestock always short lead same if managed gamekeeper land or if obvious signs up request

Local NT place no but I also know mine won't chase the wild deer if they there /has good recall. He just wants to mooch and sniff now older

We're sticking to major wide avenue-type paths, and keeping away from any hedgerows and longer grass. There will have been people and dogs all over where we go, particularly over the weekend so don't imagine there will be nesting going on in these areas - there are lots of quieter areas conducive to that over the thousands of acres of parkland & countryside around us.
Pup is under control and doesn't bark when we're out and about, and not allowed to roam. Although on a long line, generally means she can pootle and sniff ahead of me.
Just come back from an hour walk - skylarks and all manner of lovely birdsong. (Skylarks in the adjoining fields). Lovely morning.

I think it totally depends on where you are walking. Modern farming practices mean that most farmland is unsuitable for ground nesting birds (I'm going to mention lapwings because I think they are wonderful) so anywhere that is mown short/mob grazed/very busy should be ok if there is no stock present. Going to a nature reserve/SSSI is a different story, and a shorter lead would be more appropriate, though often there are advisory signs. A managed grouse moor is different again, as the game would be similar to stock, whatever you think about landowners/game keepers and their practices.

If in doubt, ask a local birder.

Agree with the poster who pointed out that the general public are much more damaging than dogs! One of our regular walks is a big city park which now has signs up saying dogs must be on leads from April to September to protect nesting birds so we’re going elsewhere - but honestly, the place is heaving with children, cyclists and joggers so don’t know why they think the birds have any chance at all! Plus that’s not a few weeks, it’s half the year.

I try and avoid places where there is likely to be ground nesting birds. I love on the edge of moorland and although ground nesting birds do come into it I keep my dogs close more from the adder risk than anything right now. Finding somewhere safe for the dogs to have a run can be tricky!
I do call the dogs straight back if they look like they would stray off the path and they are normally pretty good. I don't walk on the open moors at the moment too many lambs, birds and snakes. But there are plenty of fenced pathways and trails where I can let the dogs free.

The ground nesting birds in our local country park had their nests obliterated by the council ploughing the arable plots (cultivated for farmland birds, ironically) much too late. I went a day after it happened and the skylarks had vanished. You sound very aware of your surroundings so keep it up.

Thanks everyone for your useful perspectives. The blanket requirement for short lead out & about really threw me, but I will do a bit more local research and stick to well-trodden areas. Also look for any dog-fields where I can let her off.

We live next to a skylark nesting area and the sign says to keep dogs on a lead or under close control. I have let me spaniel pup off lead as she stays on the path and pretty close to me but I didn’t bargain for someone else’s dog chasing her off the path and into the field. So I keep her on lead now.