Told by the farmer to keep dog on a lead?

[mudstuck]

I was walking my dog through a field and the farmer came up on his tractor and complained that he had seen my dog off the lead. There are no sheep or livestock around, and I would always always put her on a lead if I there was any chance of encountering any livestock.I did raise the fact that the field was empty with him and he said there are young pheasants going about... I apologised and agreed to keep her on a lead in future. However on reflection I am wondering if he is in the right to ask that of us? My dog doesn't have a very high prey drive at all and lives happily with three house cats. I don't allow her to chase wildlife although her recall, even though it's good, is not 100% and we have had the very occasional chase of a squirrel or deer. She probably would chase a pheasant if she saw one running away but she would never catch it. What do you think? Like I said I am happy to keep her on a lead just for an easy life. I live close to the farmer and don't want the trouble/conflict. Just wondering who is in the right..

'During the Ground Nesting bird breeding season (usually April-July) keep your dog on a short lead or close at heel in areas such as moorland, forests, grasslands, loch shores and the sea shore to avoid disturbing birds that nest on or near the ground'

After the hysteria, back to the thread. 'keep your dog on a short lead or close at heel'

@JaniieJones

'During the Ground Nesting bird breeding season (usually April-July) keep your dog on a short lead or close at heel in areas such as moorland, forests, grasslands, loch shores and the sea shore to avoid disturbing birds that nest on or near the ground'

After the hysteria, back to the thread. 'keep your dog on a short lead or close at heel'

No, that’s not how you spell ‘hypocrisy’ 😂

I’m happy to eat grass fed meat, but I think even grass fed meat has a higher carbon footprint than nearly all plant based foods, and grass fed livestock is a small minority of the meat industry, so in general vegan diets are more sustainable. I’m definitely not an expert though.
I also saw something interesting about how it would be better for UK wildlife/sustainability/diversity if most upland sheep farms were rewilded and the land owners paid higher subsidies for this as sheep farming is not very profitable/relies on subsidies anyway and leads to low biodiversity. Feel free to research this if anyone’s interested-it may not be true but I thought it was interesting.

Mia don't you undertake what 'OR close at heel' means

Understand*

@LeopardSheet

I’m happy to eat grass fed meat, but I think even grass fed meat has a higher carbon footprint than nearly all plant based foods, and grass fed livestock is a small minority of the meat industry, so in general vegan diets are more sustainable. I’m definitely not an expert though. I also saw something interesting about how it would be better for UK wildlife/sustainability/diversity if most upland sheep farms were rewilded and the land owners paid higher subsidies for this as sheep farming is not very profitable/relies on subsidies anyway and leads to low biodiversity. Feel free to research this if anyone’s interested-it may not be true but I thought it was interesting.

It’s not true.

[quote JaniieJones]Mia don't you undertake what 'OR close at heel' means

@JaniieJones I don't think OP can vouch for her dog being 'close at heel' at all times, if that's what you're trying to get at.

I can’t believe you’re still banging on about this. It’s not difficult. Just keep the dog on a lead.

It's because folk have an innate need to be right - trust their own judgement. It's a basic human survival thingummy 😄

[quote DoubleTweenQueen]@JaniieJones I don't think OP can vouch for her dog being 'close at heel' at all times, if that's what you're trying to get at.[/quote]
And if dogs have to be at heel/you’re happy to keep it at heel then why would anyone have a problem with keeping the dog on a lead? If it’s at heel anyway it makes no difference to the dog whether it’s on a lead or not and it gives the farmer peace of mind and prevents an awful incident if the dog did decide to act out of character and chase.

What is the advantage of having a dog at heel but not on a lead? Just to show off to other people how well trained you think your dog is?

Is that question to me?

I have no truck with leads :) or being asked to deploy by landowner/farmer

I blame whoever added “or at heel” to the law/guidance as it makes people think that they can have their dog off lead if it’s usually well behaved,but any dog can act out of character. It should be dogs on lead in those areas March-sept no exceptions for “at heel” off lead dogs imo

Fairly easy going really

@DoubleTweenQueen oh no I agree with you, didn’t choose the best message to quote.

I think it would be an unusual dog indeed that could do an hour or two walking in the country, all 'at heel'

'And if dogs have to be at heel/you’re happy to keep it at heel then why would anyone have a problem with keeping the dog on a lead? '

Well, they walk at heel whilst walking on public rights of way in farmers fields, then in open places without anyone waving a gun they can wander off. It's nothing to do with 'showing off'.

I can't believe how far this debate has degenerated into vegans having a go at meat eaters. To all those vegans out there, I suggest you spend a bit of time googling the damage that is done to wildlife in trying to grow all those products you eat. Any combine harvester will probably kill numerous animals in each round of the field, and the damage caused by soy production is just horrific even before all the transport miles are taken into account. When you can guarentee that no wildlife was harmed in the production of your vegan food, then I will stop eating my locally produced, high welfare organic meat that is beneficial to the environment.

@JaniieJones

'And if dogs have to be at heel/you’re happy to keep it at heel then why would anyone have a problem with keeping the dog on a lead? '

Well, they walk at heel whilst walking on public rights of way in farmers fields, then in open places without anyone waving a gun they can wander off. It's nothing to do with 'showing off'.

But they are not allowed to wander off in open places - that is the point! The wildlife in open access areas are particulalry vulnerable.

[quote mudstuck]@Scrowy

The male lambs will nearly all go for lamb chops when they are between 6 months and 12 months old. By this point the average person off the street are unlikely to recognise them as being 'lamb'.

So they get slaughtered after just six months of life? How long would they naturally live for? 😳[/quote]
Longer if they aren't killed by dogs that have been allowed off lead by owners who think that a previous history of chasing wildlife doesn't apply to anything that might appear on the horizon.

@JaniieJones

'And if dogs have to be at heel/you’re happy to keep it at heel then why would anyone have a problem with keeping the dog on a lead? '

Well, they walk at heel whilst walking on public rights of way in farmers fields, then in open places without anyone waving a gun they can wander off. It's nothing to do with 'showing off'.

I know I live in a different country but dogs are the same anywhere. Dogs are unpredictable animals. No dog should ever, EVER be allowed in public off-leash unless in an off-leash park.

It strikes me as odd that in the UK you all go on about Pheasants or game or lambs or whatever, but do children never walk with their parents through these farms? If your dog - and your dog is an unpredictable animal - ever mauled a child or elderly person or killed them, could you ever live with yourself? Could you? Forget Pheasants and whatever, what about humans? What about a CHILD mauled to death by an out of control dog? Dogs can NEVER be trusted, not 100%. If it is a public thoroughfare, then that means children, elderly, those with disabilities etc could be walking there at the same time as you, right? I am grateful my country would never allow dogs anywhere in public without on a leash, because that is responsible dog ownership. That irresponsible dog owners on here are arguing the toss over pheasants and everything and anything, doesn't detract from the fact that a moral responsible dog owner will have their dog on a leash at all times in public. That people are arguing that they should just be.......trusted that their dog sticks to heel is absolutely unbelievable and I wonder that dog attacks are not sky high there.

You can never, NEVER trust a dog 100%, even one attack is far too many. Dogs are unpredictable animals. NO dog has 100% 'recall' or whatever that is. They are animals and should always be leashed. Because, you know, that is what an intelligent and responsible dog owner would do. I have no doubt why dogs and dog owners have such a bad wrap when I read the absolute irresponsible and neglectful garbage on here. Keep your dog leashed 100% of the time like any decent responsible member of society would. It is really not that difficult to understand basic morals, societal responsibility and responsibility.

Tbh coke I am very responsible and my dog is on the lead a lot, except when well away from other people (and farmers).

However I can't get wound up about someone whose well controlled dog is walking to heel.

@CokeDrinker Well if you inserted velociraptor in for dog you'd have a point otherwise it's nuts. If you take the hatred you clearly feel for dogs out of it and look at risk perspective then you'd need to outlaw a whole lot of things - starting with the car you drive!

Each to their own, but I had no idea it was such a hardship to clip a lead on through farmers fields and then clip it off again when it’s safe to let them off. Just to respect the farmers land/give them peace of mind and prevent any awful attacks (even if your dog is unlikely to attack it’s not impossible)