Happy holidays for you and your dog

By Steve Jenkinson, Access and Countryside Advisor to the Kennel Club

I travel all over England with my dog Teal, working for the Kennel Club and Natural England to make great places for people and nature – and that includes dog walkers.

Sunnier summer days, school breaks and public holidays mean ever-more opportunities for exploring the great outdoors with our four-legged friends.

I love my dog, and I love nature too, so here’s my tips for happy, healthy dog walks this summer.

A man sits on an outdoor picnic table seat, facing the camera and smiling. His dog sits on the table top, next to him, also looking at the camera. In the background there are green hills, and cloudy sky. — *Steve with Teal, August 2023*

Planning the route

When on a long journey I always plan my route and stop off points using resources like the Forestry England website to find great places to walk Teal enroute, where we can stretch our legs and keep ourselves and the car cool in the shade.

Most have places for off-lead exercise providing your dog comes back when called and you keep it in sight. Look out for signs or ask local dog walkers about the best trails to follow.

Natural England’s Countryside Code also contains great advice about how to safely exercise your dog in town, coast and countryside.

Apart from keeping your dog safe, the Code also helps you avoid causing problems for other people, wildlife, horses and farm animals, which otherwise can be bad news for your dog and spoil what should be a relaxing day out.

'Paws on paths'

From now until late summer some of our most treasured birds and animals breed and feed their young on the ground. While issues like habitat loss and fires can be the biggest hazards for wildlife, preventing ourselves and our dogs from needlessly disturbing wildlife really helps often rare species recover from other threats.

A great way to help is keeping paws on paths, whether your dog is on lead or not. Throwing fetch toys like balls along a path or track, rather than to the side, can really help wildlife and still be rewarding for your dog.

A fun game I play with Teal is discreetly dropping my hat or glove on the path and walking a short distance away; I then send her back to find it in return for a treat. Hats and gloves are an easy and rewarding find for dogs, as they carry a lot of human scent. Or you can use an old sock if you don’t want dog hair and slobber on your best accessories!

Keeping your dog safe

Paws on paths also helps minimise risks to your dog from adders or other dangers in the outdoors. How can anyone intentionally put down poisoned meat for dogs? Alas it does happen in rural and urban areas, so please prevent your dog from eating anything it finds.

While adders, our only poisonous snake, live all over England, you are more likely to encounter them in spring and summer, sunning their zigzag-patterned skins.

On rare occasions they may bite you or your dog if they feel threatened; if your dog is out of sight, the only initial sign your dog has been bitten may be a yelp – or there may be no immediate symptoms at all. But lameness, swelling, bleeding, and serious complications can soon follow.

If you think your dog has been bitten, keep it as calm and inactive as possible and contact a local vet immediately: you can quickly find one here, but always call first to ensure they are open.

There’s more information about dog walk dangers and how to stay safe on the Kennel Club’s website.

*Adder. © Natural England/Allan Drewitt*

Environmentally friendly and enjoyable

When exploring a new area, it can be hard to know where best to go with your dog, especially if it has a good recall and enjoys some off-lead exercise. For many years the Kennel Club and Natural England have been encouraging local councils to be much clearer about the best places for dog walking, rather than just saying where you can’t go. For example, these projects in the south of England make it easy to find an enjoyable and environmentally-friendly dog walk:

These online guides also help you avoid livestock, but if you are ever near sheep, cows or horses, always clip on the lead and keep your dog at your side to ensure everyone stays safe, two legs and four. Never go in between groups of cows, calves or horses – go around them and divert off the path if need be. If you feel threatened or are chased, release your dog to get to safety separately.

Pick it up!

And finally, to avoid getting all dog walkers a bad name, always carry plenty of bags and never leave your dog’s poo behind, anywhere, not even in a bag. General waste bins in the outdoors, at home, or where you are staying are fine for bagged poo; you are not restricted to just using dedicated dog poo bins.

Apart from dog poo being unpleasant for other people and children, unlike horse, cow or sheep poo it can transmit fatal diseases to farm animals and wildlife. And leaving poo behind in a bag can make the risks of infection and injury even worse.

*Happy dog. © Bruce Cutts, Natural England*

Whatever the weather, for work or pleasure, I love being in the outdoors with Teal. Thanks to the Kennel Club and Natural England I hope these tips help you enjoy happy, healthy and hassle-free walks with your dog this summer.

For more information on how to enjoy the great outdoors safely and respectfully, please visit the Countryside Code website, or check us out on social media: Instagram and Facebook.