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..

Hate these threads. If you’re on someone else’s land, listen to them.

You want a field to go off lead in? Buy one.

@JackieLavertysWeirdVoice
My dog is not startled by loud bangs or fireworks, no. If a dog came up to her she would any to play.

This is the doghouse not AIBU!
OP this post is coming up on my trending threads so I can only assume the people commenting think it’s AIBU. Can be the only explanation as to why the comments are so harsh.

You did nothing wrong and have taken the advice going forward. No further action required!

Of course yabu - you're on his land. Do as he says.

@JudgeRindersMinder

It’s in Scotland so we have public right of way and access laws..

I’m also in Scotland. Did you know these rights come with responsibilities?

Yes, ofcourse. Hence why my dog is always on a lead around any livestock. Pheasants ain't livestock but having been asked to keep her on a lead I will do so cause I'm a reasonable person. Doesn't mean I have to like or agree with it though.

@iforgotyourenotbono

Of course yabu - you're on his land. Do as he says.

We're in Scotland. We have every right to walk there.

I once saw a dog sprint across three fields chasing after distant sheep that could barely be seen, deaf to the screams of his owners. A real 'Fenton' moment.

Just because you can't see any sheep in the immediate field you are in, can you be so certain there's none in any of the adjacent fields easily accessible to your dog through a small gap under the hedge that you don't even know is there?

The idea that pheasants, which are essentially battery farmed for shooting, matter more than a dog is utterly insane. And I don't believe a farmer can legally shoot a dog that is doing no harm, however much they might wish to. Particularly not in a field where there is no harm to be done.

OP: read The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes, if you're interested in the ways in which the rich have privatised and enclosed land for centuries.

Are you James Haskell OP?

Of course your dog should be on the lead. If you want to let him off buy yourself a field!!!

For all you know there could have recently over-seeded the field or sprayed the field. No doubt you would be moaning if your dog picked up chemicals on his paws from trespassing onto the field. Yes if you dog leaves the right of way your dog is trespassing.

@Gothichouse40

He asked you to put your dog on a leash, he could have shot the dog or reported you. It was not an unreasonable request. The farmer will be more aware of what wildlife/livestock is in his own land or surrounding areas.

Shot or reported my dog for what exactly? SHE WAS BIT WORRYING ANY LIVESTOCK. We weren't anywhere near any animals, never even saw a pheasant only afew hares and she wasn't interested. Farmers can't just go round shooting dogs cause they feel like it. This is nuts.

My dog lived happily with cats, he's still rip apart an animal/bird given half the chance on a walk. Farmers land - yes even in Scotland with access rights, you still do wha is asked of you on someone else's land!

WAS NOT*

[quote mudstuck]@FrangipaniBlue
I have and will continue to do as asked. That was always going to be the case. Just wanted to get some more understanding... bloody hell. Wish I'd never posted on here now. You're all nuts. [/quote]
Good grief.
You set yourself aside already by giving a psychoanalysis of your dog which raises him above basic courtesy to the farmer, and now you set yourself aside by proclaiming us all nuts when we point this out.

You have a problem with anybody else's point of view.

@mudstuck

Wtf.. my dog was off lead but walking to heel with me in an empty field. She hasn't attacked any animals or rushed up to any children. We had very right to be in that field. I already agreed to keep her on a lead. This pile on is unhelpful. I was just looking for some advice

And you got some. At least you know about pheasants and other ground nesting birds now.

Glad to read you pick up after your dog, OP, I also live in Scotland and the amount of dog shit littering the ground in popular dog walking areas around here is disgusting. Since lockdown, it is pretty obvious the locals are responsible as we've had no visitors! While you have the right to access, your dog doesn't, so for the sake of peace I would put my dog on the lead going through that bit of land. I have a neighbour like this, who is very keen on dogs always being on the lead on his land, so I do it, it keeps our relationship civil (I don't think he does friendly!).

That's disgusting. Pheasants are not livestock, google it! I hope your neighbours took it to the police. These farmers clearly think they're above the law and can do as they please just cause they own abit of land.

If you want to walk your dog (who you said doesn't have 100% recall) off lead buy a bit of the countryside you so wish to walk all over then. This annoys me. I had a woman recently take her dog and child on a bike into one of our fields and use it to exercise said dog and child then left, leaving the gate open. Just because it's vacant and there are no livestock within your view it doesn't mean there are no live stock around. If your dog decides to fuck off and not come back I'm sure it would happen upon some fairly quickly.

Captive Pheasants are classed as livestock, once they are released then they are no longer livestock.

You've explained about the dogs temperament but how is the farmer supposed to know what your dog is like? Dogs are dogs and now he's told you the situation with his land, listen to him. Not sure why this needs so much discussion? Being on a lead won't kill your dog but not being on it will (in the farmer's eyes, who doesn't know your dog) risk livestock being killed or even worse your dog being shot at. No brainer really.

We're in Scotland. We have every right to walk there.

But, presumably, not the right to do whatever you like there.

This is totally illegal. There are very strict circumstances as to when a farmer can shot a dog, they can't just do whatever they want just cause the own the land. They are not above the law!

The thing is, that may be technically the case, but it won't help you when your dog is dead. You could take the farmer to court for shooting your dog, but it won't bring your dog back and the farmer is unlikely to get anything except a fine.

I'm a dog walker and the dogs are ALWAYS kept on lead on farmland, no matter how much I trust their recall. It only takes a second and the risks really don't outweigh the benefits.

If I want the dogs to go off-lead, I take them somewhere where there's no risk of them running after livestock, trampling crops or going on farmland. It's safer for them and far less stressful for me!

Question......who in the right?

Answer......The farmer.

Shot or reported my dog for what exactly? SHE WAS BIT WORRYING ANY LIVESTOCK. We weren't anywhere near any animals, never even saw a pheasant only afew hares and she wasn't interested. Farmers can't just go round shooting dogs cause they feel like it. This is nuts.

Don't know why you started this thread then? As you think the farmer is in the wrong carry on with your dog off the lead. Accept any consequences. It seems from the above response you've no interest in anything anyone says here.

@coachmylife

The idea that pheasants, which are essentially battery farmed for shooting, matter more than a dog is utterly insane. And I don't believe a farmer can legally shoot a dog that is doing no harm, however much they might wish to. Particularly not in a field where there is no harm to be done.

OP: read The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes, if you're interested in the ways in which the rich have privatised and enclosed land for centuries.

The pheasants are the farmer's livelihood. OP has the right of access, but not to do anything that risks his livelihood. A dog off the leash is a threat.

It's not about which creature is more important in the hierarchy of living things . It's about one of them being the property/business of the person who owns or rents the land.

@SoupDragon

We're in Scotland. We have every right to walk there.

But, presumably, not the right to do whatever you like there.

Exactly. The right to walk there with respect for the livestock and wildlife, not just doing as you please.