Would you hire a small dog field

[BetterCallSaull]

My nearest dog field (enclosed, you hire by the hour) is a good 30 min drive away.

I'm thinking of fencing some of my land to make a secure enclosure approx 0.5 acres in size. I'd get the relevant insurance and permissions etc, all above board. No neighbours to worry about.

The other fields 30 mins away charge £12 an hour for 5 acres.

Would you 1) hire 0.5 acres for your dog 2) pay £5 an hour?

I absolutely would.

Yes

Yes but you’d need easy online booking or I wouldn’t be bothered.

Yes I currently pay £8ph

I want to offer an online calendar system so you can see yourself exactly what times are available etc to choose and book, and pay easily.

In the fenced area I'd have dog poo bags, bins, a bench, dog toys, agility equipment and a roofed area shelter for owners to shelter from rain as well as a water station for dogs.

Very encouraging so far, thank you.

Honestly? No, not 0.5 of an acre. Also, is it just plain grassed field? If I was to hire a ‘field’ I’d go for something like the one near me - multiple acres, woodland, streams lots of sniffing interests. Although living between the beach and open countryside I don’t actually go there either tbh, but if I were to be interested that’d be what I wanted. However, I would imagine in a more urban area, and dog owners with limited outside space, it could still be popular for playing fetch off lead if there are few other options.

Just plain grassed field!

Totally take on board what you're saying.

I was thinking it would simply provide a secure area for running about, recall training, safe area for reactive dogs away from other dogs/people/traffic.

We did when our pup was in season. It meant she could have a good run around and we could make sure her recall didn't slip because her other runs were on a harness and long line in the middle of nowhere.

Yes, I pay £10 ph atm.

Can I ask what size field/area?

I would. The ones near me you can hire for 30mins too instead of only per hour. I have a small dog and an hour would just be wasted really but 30 mins is ideal and they cost between £5-£7 per 30 mins.

0.5 hectares is like half a football pitch right? Yes I’d pay £5 per hour for that. Around here most are £10 p/h but more like a hectare.

Very useful for training dogs not normally allowed off the lead.

I have no idea 😆 maybe half a football pitch? It has agility stuff in it and its just got planning permission for a covered area and sandpit.
My dog isnt interesting in the equipment we take her so she can have a gallop off lead without disappearing into the wide blue yonder.
Think its £7 for 30 minutes.

Wait sorry you said acres - 0.5 an acre would be too small imo

No I'm going for a full football pitch.

If you have a lot of greyhounds near you, their owners will pay for a slightly large garden sized bit of grass with nothing else in it. That’s my position. ☺️

Yes but I wouldn't be keen on toys being out, some dogs have issues with resource guarding that could be exacerbated. We have a cloth-eared mutt who only goes offlead in secure areas so would love to have space to run and play on agility equipment!

Wouldn't you need planning permission for change of use?

Great, I can focus on agility equipment rather than toys.

Thanks very much!

I could make the area slightly bigger... but the section I have in mind lends itself perfectly, with easy access.

There's a place near us that 1.5 acres per field (they have 4 fields) and they charge £9/hour per field.

It is usually booked up months in advance and if you want something within a week it'll be the 6am or 8pm slots.

The size wouldn't be good for me, it would have been useful when training but there are so many covid dogs that need these fields at the moment, I'm not sure many would bother about the smaller size.

And actually, just seen about the agility equipment, 0.5 acres would be fine as I'd use it for that.

Yes and it’s not too small for off lead secure training.

Yes I would. I take my boys to dog parks but they are sooo big. Would love a smaller space to start with when starting off-lead training.

Half an acre. No.

A small space would be great for training, less distractions than in a huge field.