UKH

Two things have boomed in recent years - the number of people going hillwalking, and the number of dog owners. Perhaps you're new to dogs on hills, and unsure how to keep your pet safe and happy in the great outdoors? Mountain Leader and keen dog owner Sharon Kennedy offers her hard-won advice.   

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It is a little disappointing that nothing is said about interactions with others - people and dogs - on the hills. Most hill-goers will have experienced the whole range of well-trained dogs properly under control to untrained uncontrolled dogs which are unpleasantly and unnecessarily intrusive and/or obstructive. The former are a delight, but the latter can cast a pall over a day out. 

From a walker's perspective, I would say that retractable leads are a pain in the arse. They are too frequently let out to their fullest extent, spreading a trip hazard where ever the dog chooses to go. I would ask that if retractable leads are used, they are drawn in to a short length when in the vicinity of others. Apart from anything else, this gives others the confidence that the dog owner has their dog under proper control. 

Dog owners should also be aware that some walkers do not welcome the attentions of dogs, and indeed, some people may be genuinely phobic. If your dog jumps at a walker, an apology after the event is not good enough - the dog should not jump in the first place. If a walker likes dogs, it is for them to signal their approval before any interaction. 

The same comments apply to dogs interacting with other dogs. I recall one walk with a friend on Sgor Gaoith, with his well-trained collie, who was properly under control. As we walked, we passed two young men with an ill-trained dog, who spent a considerable time chasing and attacking my friend's dog, to the extent that the attacking dog was pulling fur from my friend's dog. The two young men did nothing to restrain their dog, and indeed told us to f**k off when we asked them to control their dog. 

This latter was clearly an extreme example, but I would urge all dog-owners to give adequate consideration to other hill-goers when taking their dogs with them. To my mind, there are no down-sides to training dogs properly. 

I totally agree, dogs need to be under proper control not just near livestock and ground nesting birds, but also around other dogs, and more importantly other walkers. People may have a phobia or simply not like or want a random dog coming up to them, and that is entirely their prerogative and should always be the first concern of any dog owner (I say this as the owner of a too-friendly dog).

However, I wouldn't think this is a particular consideration on hills per se, more an everyday courtesy thing whenever and wherever folk are walking their dog - be that the street or the park. The article is hill-focused, it's not intended as a general dog owner's manual, so I'm not sure it could really manage to cover more general advice like that.

What you say is entirely valid though.    

I see your point, although as a non-dog owning hill goer, I am very sympathetic to Harry's point too! Unwanted attention from other people's dogs, I find is more of an issue when cycling and rock climbing than hill walking, although it definitely has happened when I've been walking. Having gone through this myself recently, I would also note that some small children (probably more likely to be from non-dog owning families, I suppose) are terrified of dogs, even ones that most adults would find cute and unthreatening. I think because so often people in the hills and moors are letting their dogs off the lead, both for kids and for adults, this is a hill-going specific issue. In the Peak District there are lots of signs going onto access land asking for dogs to be kept on leads because of ground nesting birds, and those signs seem to be close to universally ignored, so it seems you are far more likely to meet dog off the lead than ones that are leashed. Actually, I have no idea if those signs from the National Trust or Eastern Moors Partnership are just advisory or not, but they mainly seem to be treated as if they are only advise - which is then ignored. Indeed I watch and off lead dog run into a field and chase a ewe and her lamb just a few weeks ago in the southern Peak. The owners shouted to the dog to come back, but the dog was having none of it. We were some distance away on a cliff so couldn't do anything but it was upsetting to see.

I love dogs having grown up with them and they seem to love me but my friend and usual walking companion doesn't, having been bitten twice by dogs that weren't under control. Unfortunately "under control" too often seems to involve someone yelling, "get 'ere, get 'ere now, get 'ere", whilst the dog does whatever it wants.

My friend has been spending a lot of time recently walking abandoned dogs for a dog sanctuary and she seems to get on well with them but she is still not keen on random dogs running up to her and often jumping up. When I am with her I try to get between her and the dog and if it continues to harass her it is likely to get a very hard kick.

I did this to a large dog on the Langdale Pikes last year which was running a considerable distance from its owner. It kept pushing past us on a narrow pitched path creating a serious trip hazard. Eventually it got caught between my well aimed foot and a rock which it clearly didn't like and at least the owner put it on a lead after that.

On more than one occasion I've also witnessed lovely family pets bring down sheep. So keep your dogs properly under control please. In reality most people do but it's the negative experiences that are more often remembered.

As the article says there are around 9 - 12,000,000 dogs in the UK which makes an interesting comparison with the numbers of our only remaining and much persecuted wild dog, the Red Fox, the population of which is somewhere in the region of 250,000 - 450,000 depending on which sources are referenced.

I'd love to have a Border Collie like the gorgeous dog my grandparents had when I was little but I don't think I could give it the life it needs. As I said I love dogs and if your dog is well behaved it is likely to get a friendly and enthusiastic response from me. However, if it harasses my friend and jumps up at her I probably won't be so friendly.