Professional dog walkers a menace

[Ben Reeve-Lewis]

As a walker of a single pet I want to say I am heartily sick of my dog being ganged up on by packs of other dogs being walked at Nunhead Cemetery by professional walkers with more dogs than they can properly handle.

I have already been squeezed out by the dog walking mafia at Peckham Rye park and take refuge in Sydenham Hill woods where sensibly walking is restricted to 3 dogs per person.

Today, for the umpteenth time I had to endure profuse apologies from said walkers and comments about having him 'Done' so their dogs dont attack.

Why dont you try cutting your profits by walking a smaller number of dogs that you can actually control?

I have complained to Southwark council and the Friends of Nunhead Cemetery about this.

I presume I am not the only one.

[tiddles]

Sorry to hear this Ben. What time do you walk? I walk most days in peckham and have never had my dog set upon? I certainly see a one or two dog walkers, but their dogs seem perfectly happy amongst themselves. Are you walking a lady dog who is coming into season? I am not suggesting it is your fault, but just intrigued.

[Ben Reeve-Lewis]

We walk at various times. He's a dog who we are looking at breeding so comments about having him 'Done' arent appropriate.

Dogs can get rough and tumble and I have no problem with that at all and can differentiate between rough housing and being set on and when two dog walkers have 5 or 6 dogs a piece and are walking together you get a different mentality and even normally sociable dogs are in groups they become a pack, which is a different mindset.

Our dog, a cocker, is only interested in scuttling around in the undergrowth. He isnt interested in humans or other dogs. He doesnt jump up at people or pay any special interest in other animals......apart from Squirrels.

I have no objection to professional dog walkers, we use someone ourselves when we are away but I am sick of having to jump in and protect him from 8 or 9 other dogs who walkers assure me are just being friendly.

He doesnt get set on in Sydenham Hill woods where large groups arent allowed, only Nunhead where professional dog walkers take out groups that to my mind are larger than they can control. This happens too often to be an occasional event.

[nununoolio]

Professional would suggest some sort of vocational qualification. Not sure that is the case with many I see in the area.

[KidKruger]

Have you spoken to the dog walkers themselves, i.e. the only people who can actually do anything about this ?

They do not own the cemetary and may be willing to work with you to improve the situation for your dog.

[frizz1]

The sensible solution firstly is to not make "money" the object here with "packing them all in" (walking as many as you possibly can) - its about the dog... or secondly, if the dog walkers are going to be walking with large packs, don't go walking with your mate who also has a pack him or herself, so that anyone passing by, does not feel intimidated by an approaching "set of hounds", wondering if all are tamed/aggressive as we have to remember, not all are dog-lovers out there and actually fear dogs ??!! Especially if half of them are not on leads !!! I have walked my dog simply on a stroll in Peckham Rye Park and I often can see those who are actually not keen on dogs - just from their actions/behaviour where they may just create a distance as they pass you by... Dog-walkers should limit their numbers to 3 per head - as they do in Sydenham Hill and other named parks...

[pommie]

Can I ask what breed your dog is

[Ben Reeve-Lewis]

Pommie, what on earth has this question got to do with the price of eggs???

Whether my dog is a Pitbull, a Pomeranian or a Border Terrier is irrelevant.

The point at issue is that whenever I walk him at Nunhead cemetary and pass a pack of hounds he gets attacked.

I re-state what I said above. I have no problem with dog rough and tumble. I am talking about 10 dogs (where two commercial walkers merge) going into pack mentality and causing me to have to drag my dog into a place of safety.

If this wasnt the case then why do the commercial dog walkers jump in, drag their charges off and apologise profusely?

Today I took him to Sydenham Hill Woods, where the Dulwich Wood society prohibits commercial dog walking. The result being our dog has a lovely time. Being an un-neutered male he occasionally gets unwarranted attention but because it is just one dog it isnt a problem and their owners and I share a joke about it.

The breed of dog has absolutely no bearing on the problem we encounter.

[frizz1]

Let me put a scenario to you Pommie... parent(s) with children strolling thru' the park/cemetery and this is something I regularly see there whilst on walkabout with my dog too..... lets take for eg...On approach is a Handler/Walker with a number of dogs in hand walking towards them - 2 running off-lead... one of the dogs playfully comes at the small child followed by another and knocks the child over... child starts to cry... Handler/Walker apologises profusely... Please don't tell me that the question that springs to mind is, what breed is the child or has he/she been done...??!!!

Surely the point here, is that this number of dogs on approach to anyone, whereby 1 or 2 are not fully under control because the handler is trying to manage firstly all the leads in his/her hands and at the same time the dogs off-lead, is just simply unacceptable !!

[kibris]

If people walked there dogs then we would not need professional dog walkers and would not have this problem

[KidKruger]

Pretty wanky opinions being expressed here TBH.

[Ben Reeve-Lewis]

@KidKruger....and your point is exactly?

[Huggers]

there were community police officers in Nunhead Cemetery this morning doing dog monitoring.

[ourbubbleonline]

If anyone is walking a Pitbull - Well thats illegal in itself!

[frizz1]

KidKruger - the name speaks for itself - time to grow up and be an adult with your opinions methinks.. if you have nothing worthwhile to say, say nothing at all...

[pommie]

Wondered if the dog was a pedigree or not as to the reason why you want to breed it considering there are hundreds of dogs already awaiting homes

[Saffron]

ourbubbleonline Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If anyone is walking a Pitbull - Well thats

> illegal in itself!

Not strictly true. If you have been granted a court exemption, you can own and walk a 'banned breed'. xx

[Ben Reeve-Lewis]

pommie? are you for real? What has breed got to do with commercial dog walkers running more dogs than they can handle who become a pack and start harassing my dog?

[frizz1]

I think Pommie you are truly missing the point here... nobody is discussing pedigrees/dogs in homes etc - I have friends who only care for dogs who DO need homes/Rescues - did you read the original post about the fact that 5-8 dogs per Handler/Walker is what we are discussing here... I have nothing against Walkers/Handlers but just the number per person is the problem.... maybe you should read from the start..

[ourbubbleonline]

SAFFRON - Yeah and how many off these youths who haven't even got a job have that Licence - Pffffff

More than likely to be in court because they are walking/owning a illegal dog! XX

[lindylou]

Omg

Poor little soul integrate ur dog. This is south London u sad sod

[Ben Reeve-Lewis]

Thank you Lindylou. Very articulate, very helpful.

Goodnight all

[Jeremy]

Ben - I'm not a dog owner (or walker) but nevertheless I sympathise, and I think your complaint is entirely reasonable. Some people here making themselves look quite stupid IMO. Views on breeding is surely a seperate discussion.

[frizz1]

I agree Jeremy - I was speaking in terms of being a dog-owner myself as well as looking at the perspective too from those who aren't and I cannot believe the intelligence of the response of dear ole Lindylou - its sad she actually hasn't got much regards for the place she was perhaps raised within by damming our great South London... If she actually met me, I think she'd think twice before using such words as "integrate" to my face to be perfectly frank - obviously also lacks education along the lines methinks...

[ourbubbleonline]

Love the response Frizz1 :-)