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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Countryside walks

33 replies

Sunnypiddle · 05/08/2023 21:23

How do you navigate country stiles with your large pooch?

I'm wanting to adopt a dog (lurcher) and I live in the country with stiles everywhere, thinking this is a pain if the dog can't independently get over the stiles?? Some are quite high and difficult to get over...and the dog would too heavy to carry!

How do you manage?

OP posts:

Random789 · 08/08/2023 12:29

Those very hefty 'Julius'-style harnesses with a carry handle on the top might be a useful aid to lifting a moderately large dog over a stile? My current dog is small enough to lift over when needed, but many years ago I had an Italian Spinone, and we quite often had to trun back in the face of unmanagable stiles.

ErrolTheDragon · 08/08/2023 14:55

It's generally best to avoid circular walks unless you know them, apart from maybe finding an impassable stile you do occasionally come across cattle you don't think would be wise to pass with a dog.

BarnacleBeasley · 08/08/2023 15:02

My (small) lurcher could get over that, as he can jump over a 5'' wall no problem, but the issue would be that he's probably a bit too thick to get what he was meant to be doing. I reckon I could train him to get over them using biscuits though, as he is quite greedy. Do you have a specific lurcher in mind, and can you find out more about what he or she can do?

JaimeLannister · 09/08/2023 12:24

I went on a very long, new circular walk recently. Was 3 hours in and happily following the footpaths. Came across a solid stile covered in fencing with one very high step. I could barely reach it to get over, no way was my 40kg dog going to do it. And honestly my mum really struggled with it and shes a very keen walker. Had to turn around and find a longer detor round.

KnackeredBack · 09/08/2023 12:31

Honestly, we don't. We have a v tall hound also (ridgie) and he refuses point blank to try to go over/round and really can't get under them (or if he can, he can do it one way but won't go back). It's just not worth the hassle.

Sitdowncupoftea · 09/08/2023 14:05

Sunnypiddle · 05/08/2023 22:01

The stiles here are barely human friendly! I'll try send find a pic. Def no crawl spaces or gates

If you cone across a damaged stile report it to the council in that area. They should not be inaccessible to humans. The more people report them they will get fixed.

Definitelyrandom · 10/08/2023 09:20

Some lurchers are vertical jumpers so may be able to manage stiles themselves. Our 32kg greyhound is a horizontal jumper (cattle grids - eek!) - and it took him a long time to be happy about going through low dog gates.

I can’t lift him over but my husband and I can just about manage between us. Our adult sons will each lift him and walk up and step over fairly easily…….

FoodFann · 10/08/2023 16:10

My 18kg Vizsla would get over that OP. It might take a bit of practice, I had to teach mine how to, but she flies over them now.

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