Wanting to open a dog walking field, does anyone use one?

[Swifey40]

Could I please pick your brains?? We have about 1/2 acre, which we would of course fence up to 6 foot high. What do we need amd how much do we charge?? I need to make our land profitable, so please help me!!
I am a dog owner, but have never used one of these fields, so am in the dark.
Thank you in advance ☺

I think you could use the small size of the land to your advantage though. It’s still bigger than no garden which will appeal to people who have dogs but live in flats etc. Also suitable for small dogs and puppies early outings. As long as you define your target market and advertise accordingly I think you will be OK.

There used to be a brilliant one near us. It was completely walled so very secure and massive. I used it when our doggo was in season and I wanted to let her have a run around. Also used it when we were dog sitting a dog whose recall was a bit iffy. We took visiting dog plus our dog so they could run around together like loons. There were some agility posts in the field so good for also practicing weaves.

The deal with poo was you took it home with you. I think there was a fine if you didn't clean up afterwards. As well as the agility stuff, there was a sheltered area with a table and chairs which was a nice touch. I went in the rain once and was very glad of the shelter and the sit down!

There are several where I live, all around £6/30 mins with some slightly more/slightly less. Some are very basic, just small square fields. Some are badly maintained (poor fencing, hazards lying around, mud bath underfoot). The very best ones which book up months in advance are well cared for (mown grass, mud mats down in heavily used areas, longer grass/natural areas for sniffing, shelter for humans, picnic benches, agility equipment, a small stream or paddle pool etc.). One even has human toilets and an honesty "cafe" (portable building) with tea/coffee/dog treats and an honesty box for charity donations in exchange for refreshments. All have bins on sight where dog poo bags are left, and secure gate code e mailed to you via automatic booking system. The main thing I would worry about in your case with just half an acre is the ground getting churned up/people not picking up their poo properly and it turning into a stinky mud bath. Some around here limit the numbers of dogs in an attempt to prevent that, but I think it might still be challenge with half an acre in the depth of winter.

I would say higher than 6foot fences as some larger breeds whose owners might use a secure field can get over 6foot fences.

Be cautious with agility equipment. If people aren’t trained on how to use the equipment or of the equipment isn’t a suitable height / texture etc then injuries might happen more easily. On of the secure fields I use has a pipe tunnel which is smooth inside so I don't encourage my dogs to use it in case they slip. The other field I use has a standard agility tunnel which I’m happy for them to use as they all do agility training anyway. Same with things like dog walks, a frames, see saws and tyres - you could be opening yourself up to problems.

Natural areas work well for encouraging sniffing and exploring. I’d much rather a wooded area or logs, tree stumps etc for them to explore. One we use has a small pond with two different levels (not too deep) which some dogs love.

Two gate / air lock style system for parking and entering / exiting the field.

Poo bin and spare bags of possible.

Half an acre isn’t huge so don’t overfill it and be mindful of how much space larger dogs need when running.

I used one which was £6 an hour (a bargain!)

You book online.

The instructions say to bag and take poo home.

The field has a few agility obstacles at one end.

Car parking nearby is essential. Also the field I used had two gates, an inner and outer one. The grass was mowed regularly so never got too long.

The gate was never padlocked. You just let yourself in. It was in a farm, down a country lane.

Maybe worth contacting local dog walkers , dog sitters, home boarders who could hire your field at less busy times at a reduced rate.

Probably need public liability insurance.

Ours didn’t provide water - you brought your own.

We never saw anyone connected with the field when going to and from it.

Zombie thread -started 2022

Get that but I wanted the original poster to update about the progress etc.