Keeping your dog on lead
Always keep your dog on a lead near livestock or where there might be livestock nearby.
If you decide to visit an area you’re not very familiar with, keep your dog on their lead at all times. Even if your dog has a great recall (they come back to you when called), it’s always much trickier to hold their attention in new places.
What’s more, a field that doesn’t have livestock may look safe, but many hedges and fences in the countryside aren’t dog-proof.
Need to work on your dog’s recall? Watch our video here!
Understanding the rules
You can often find guidance and warnings on signs in the area where you walk your dog. For example, they might give information about wearing leads, off-limit areas, livestock, wildlife, or electric fences.
It’s important to follow the rules. Livestock worrying (chasing or attacking) is a criminal offence. Your dog doesn’t have to physically harm a farm animal for you to be prosecuted. There are also cases in which, as a last resort, farmers are legally allowed to shoot dogs who worry animals on their land.
Essential walking gear for your dog
Your dog needs a well-fitting harness, collar, and tag. A short lead is essential, too.
If you can handle your dog’s strength at a distance, you might want to use a long-line lead which clips onto your dog’s harness for countryside walks. But when you’re near traffic, livestock, machinery or difficult terrain, keep them on a short lead.
Dog training and engagement
Keep things interesting for your dog! Take tasty treats, keep them busy with cues like small recalls and sits, and practice other basic training on your walk. This helps them focus on you, walk more calmly, and ignore moving livestock and wildlife. After all, what’s better than a delicious snack and some attention?
When they’re engaged with you in this way, it’s also easier for you to prevent or interrupt chasing behaviours.
Find out more about using food in dog training.
Top tip
Every time your dog sees something interesting, give them a tasty treat. Eventually, they’ll turn to you whenever they see something that earned them a reward in the past. This helps bring their attention back to you and away from the interesting thing.
Scoop up the poop
Sadly, poo bags left by dog walkers can be very dangerous for wildlife and livestock. So, wherever you walk, pick up your dog’s poo and take it home or put it in the right bin.
This prevents both litter and disease. Did you know that dogs can pass serious illnesses to other animals through their waste?
It’s also important to make sure your dog is up to date with their worming treatments. This not only protects your dog but can stop them making livestock and wildlife unwell, too.
Leave the area as you found it
Always shut gates and replace any barriers you moved to get to footpaths. This is important even if you can’t see any livestock around.
Understanding livestock behaviour
Different types of livestock behave in different ways. But it’s never a good idea to walk between adult animals and their young. It can make them panic or try to protect their young.
Below, you can find tips and advice on how certain animals might act around dogs.
Sheep
Sheep usually run away from dogs, and it’s important not to allow your dog to get excited and start to chase them.
Cattle
Cows and bulls sometimes ‘mob’ (surround) a walker and their dog. This can be very scary and dangerous. If it looks like this may happen, choose another path instead.
If you can’t choose another path, farmers may be okay with you leaving the footpath and walking around the herd , following the safest route to the path’s exit.
If cattle start to mob or chase, you could let go of your dog, who is likely to easily outrun them.
Horses
Horses, like cattle, sometimes approach walkers. It’s best to move safely around the outside of the group, perhaps following the edge of the field.
When you see horses exercising, always keep your dog on a short lead and well under control.
Most horses are used to seeing dogs. In fact, they might become very frightened if you try to hide yourself away by ducking behind a hedge or wall. So, when passing horses, talk to your dog calmly to reassure them, stand in clear view and be patient.
For more information on walking your dog in the countryside, take a look at the UK government’s Countryside Code.
For more dog safety advice and behaviour tips, read our articles on Ask Woodgreen today.
