Dog Field Etiquette — Meg K9 Paddock

There are certain expectations of the dog owning public when visiting private use dog fields in the UK.

As a general rule, most dog parks will write out their own terms and conditions, but there are a few ‘rules’ that are common amongst all dog paddocks in the UK.

Not all dog owners realise what is expected of them, because to be fair, many do not read the dog field rules, but to those of you researching dog fields, I’m here to help you learn about this fast growing trend in the UK.

Be clean and take your litter and poop home

Some fields have bins but just as many don’t. It’s easy to manage if your dog field is small, like mine, but those larger fields need to be able to cover the costs of commercial pet waste removal which can be expensive, especially if they are not even making a profit yet due to huge set up costs.

Noise

During the planning stage (yes you need planning permission, or retrospective planning permission), dog fields are expected to explain how they intend to manage potential noise nuisance.

Many fields are remote, but not all are. We still have to give a statement how we plan to control these risks.

We know that dogs make noise, especially when playing, but we ask that unless you know the field has no near neighbours that you don’t encourage them to be excessively noisy.

Some of us live on-site (like me), so we don’t want to get in to trouble with the council!

This is however unlikely to be a problem when you have one dog, but the more people who attend one slot do cause more noise just by talking and laughing. Please don’t do that … I’m joking, obviously, but be mindful and respectful all the same.

Parking

Parking and traffic is something else that your local district council will ask about, so this is why some place limits on vehicles attending the dog field. Park considerately when attending a dog field.

Fencing

Apart from the actual land purchase of a dog field, fencing is more expensive than you might think.

Fencing a dog field to be safe costs an arm and a leg. You know those 2+ acre fields you see (and even my relatively small 1-acre dog field), will cost upwards of £20,000. There are also the secure gates, some have field shelters and not to mention gravel work and land preparation that needs doing.

So, as a field owner, its best if you don’t let your dog dig and poke their heads through normal stock fencing.

Also, if you want to query the price of an hours slot, just remember the financial outlay of the field owner.

When you visit a new dog paddock, always check the fencing is suitable for your individual needs.

Gate and security

You’d think that shutting gates where dogs are concerned would be obvious, but not always. Always shut a gate, even if you’re not sure whether it should be shut. An open gate will always be more risky than a closed one.

Worming your dog

I always say, make sure your dog is wormed, but don’t bring them to the field straight after worming. This is because if they do have worms, they have to come out somewhere!

Hazards

A professional dog walking area, albeit less likely to have hazards, is still a field so you shouldn’t be complacent. You can still trip, cut yourself or your dog, get stung by a bee (ask Amber Heard) or catch a bug. Take the same care as you would anywhere else.

Vaccinations

We don’t ask for dogs to be vaccinated, but some dog fields do. I can see why as some dog fields are day care or boarding kennels as well.

Identification

This is not exclusive to dog parks. Your dog should always wear a collar with some form of identification on it.

Microchipping your dog is not enough.

If your dog were to be separated from you, no one would know the microchip details until it was scanned. If your dog had a collar and ID, then a quick phone call could reunite you both much quicker.

Dogs and the heat

Does this one need mentioning? You bet it does. Although I don’t like to lose business, I don’t want business at the expense of a dogs health or worst case, its’ life.

Don’t exercise your dog excessively in the extreme heat. Always provide fresh water and other safe cooling methods if you can, like a cooling coat or mat. The safest form of heat control is walk them when it is cooler.

Food and dog treats

Don’t drop food when you’re in a dog field. Some dogs have food allergies and as the owner of 2 dogs with more allergies than I can remember, it is not good when they pick something up off the floor that someone has carelessly dropped.

Broken Toys

The same applies to broken toys or toys of any kind. What’s suitable for one dog isn’t suitable for another. Even more so, broken toys. Broken toys can kill dogs. Also one to be aware of, toys/balls too small for a dog can choke and kill.

Follow the rules

It is essential that you go out of your way to find the rules for the field you are visiting. Every one is different and there may be essential things pertaining to safety that you must know about prior to your visit.

I know when people don’t read mine.

Children

I don’t allow under 16’s to my dog field for many reasons, the main one is insurance, so please check the rules for the field you are visiting beforehand.

So there you go, some food for thought. Please feel free to share and add some topics to the mix if you feel I have missed anything.

Originally published at https://megk9paddock.uk on June 3, 2022.