Bad dog walkers!!

Don't know if I'm the only one, but I am SO sick of "professional" dog walkers! There are 3 in this area that walk between 10 and 15 off lead dogs at a time, nobody can have that much control over a group of dogs that aren't even your own? Out today they ALL ran up to Biscuit who was in a complete frenzy by this point as the dog walker was 5 metres behind shouting "they're all friendly!!" I told her to call them back and she said that she couldn't, then went on to ask if I had seen a white dog as she had lost one.

Half way up the hill and the little white dog came bombing down the hill and straight up to Biscuit. The walker was screaming at her to come back but the little dog just ignored her completely and stuck her nose up Biscuit's backside! She then had the cheek to ask me if I could bring the dog back to her!! I work as a dog walker/trainer but I wouldn't dream of walking more than 3 dogs in a group, and they would all be on leads of some sort! One dog running up to Biscuit is enough, but 10?! Horrendous    

       drives me mad silly woman!!! Just glad bis is ok Hun xx

Is there anywhere you could report her to? To walk that many dogs with no control is ridiculous, I would of had a few choice words to say to her if it had been me. It's so annoying   

We have a few round here and I completely agree it is far too many, not only are they not controlled but how on earth do you clear the mess up of that many dogs!

i wonder if the owners know? there is one lot near my parents that turn up with a van full of dogs and they do a single 15min lap of the woods with 5-6 dogs at a time leaving some of the dogs in the van then walking the rest on the second lap! makes you wonder what time the owners have paid for!

I just can't believe how greedy some people are, you would clearly only ever walk that many together for the money?! Biscuits okay bless her but it sets her training back every time this happens that was our special quiet walking place!

Don't know who I would complain to? The council maybe? Totally agree Janey, they obviously don't pick it up it's everywhere in the woods I doubt it Jules, that's so awful! I don't use a vehicle but my walks are from the time that I leave the house and I step back through the door on the hour mark, unless I lose track and go

*go over! Bloody phone lol!

Jeez what a complete nightmare, Rocky hates loose dogs coming up to him and jumping all over him too, having to shout at the owners to reclaim their dogs only then makes him more nervous.

I had another experience only today but I'm not going into it here.

I would check with the council/query with dog warden, I know some have restrictions as to how many dogs can be walked at a time (i.e. more than 3 can be classed as a pack)

Our dog warden and community wardens are great and approachable (luckily based out of one of my local parks)

i would go mad if i was one of the owners of those dogs,how on earth,even if all the dogs are well behaved would you have complete control of them all which obviously she did'nt   ,poor bis x

Thats really bad!!   

Wow that's so bad!! Owners cannot know surely. There is no way I'd want my dog to be one of a pack of 10+ dogs allowed to run wild basically.
Alfie would have reacted with aggression, what would she have done if biscuit turned on them and a mass fight erupted?! :O

Rachel33 wrote:"I told her to call them back and she said that she couldn't,    

If she is not in control of all of the dogs for the whole time she should not be walking them at all surely    Wow, a group of 10 + dogs all out of control    

I called the council when I started my business to ask if there was a restriction in numbers and they said no, but perhaps if I complain it might make them look into it a little more! I think some of the owners do know, but they undercut prices so much they want cheap services! But it's cheap for a reason.. I know the owners of a husky who had attacked a Yorkie on our road and saw the dog walker with him last week, who allowed him to run up to the chihuahua that I was walking.. Despite knowing that he had been aggressive with small dogs before. It's just so irresponsible! Luckily Biscuit was muzzled but it's just terrifying for her, I shouted at the last walker that did it, but as you said Kathy is worries her more if I argue and I try to keep as calm as possible. I was so close to picking her up to get her out of the situation

I can't believe this has happened to you?! How would she ever be able to keep track of where all of the dogs are at any one time! Poor Bis

We have dog walkers at our park but the most I have seen them with is 2. I can't believe there isn't a limit! As someone said previously what would have happened if a fight broke out, it would be devastating!

Poor Biscuit, Lola would have had a coronary if 10 dogs had come up to her! Different councils have there own rules about how many dogs you can walk (sometimes this rule only applies to their parks). There is a woman I see with 5/6 dogs and they are always well behaved unlike my girls   

Really annoys me the amount of idiots out there. Is Biscuit okay? Must have been really stressful for her

I would be mad too, knowing Pixee, if that had happened to her, she would have just ran off to get away from them, ever though her recall is brillant, its getting back to me with them lose dogs is the problem. I see a man who walks oh, not sure how many, they all black labs, got to be at least 8, they all so well behaved, pretty sure they all his, but I always cross the road when I see them, as Pixee is terrified of walking pass that many dogs. Can you speak to this woman and ask her if its her own dog business or is she under a company for dog sitters? If its dog sitter, you might have more chance to compliant????

10 to 15 dogs i would report them immediately to the warden or council they are not legally supposed to do this how bad :9 my god where do you live.
My girl isnt keen on others she would have a heart attack

I think it scare me to death that many dogs coming towards me. as others have already said report it and see if something can be done

i'm a dog walker but i have a policy i wont walk anymore than 3 dogs at one time as long as they all get on, and i judge whether or not to let them off lead! Does make me mad when some people walk up to that amount together its against the law!!!!

kattie wrote:i'm a dog walker but i have a policy i wont walk anymore than 3 dogs at one time as long as they all get on, and i judge whether or not to let them off lead! Does make me mad when some people walk up to that amount together its against the law!!!!

That's nice to hear, someone with some common sense

Agree it's annoying, but personally would only report another person with dogs to the Council as a completely last resort. The Council round here are incompetent idiots and certainly have neither the brains nor the sensitivity to deal properly with such a situation. It could even backfire:

"So, Ms Rachel33, I see you do not like other dogs coming up to your dog. Hmm. So why would that be? I see your dog is wearing a muzzle, now do we have a banned breed situation here? Perhaps we had better take that doggy Biscuit to the station for a little questioning...."

But, yes, it is supremely annoying and I have the same situation here - not so much with dog walkers, but with lone rangers that appear out of nowhere with the owner just a little dot on the horizon. To protect the wee gentleman from getting himself into any trouble, given that his 'rugged good looks' mean that he's always likely to be blamed -that is our main objective.

Thanks for the comments guys, she's been awful today, just scared of everything and really reactive! Going to walk her with a clients little dog tomorrow to give her a positive experience. Biscuit won't run away she just freezes, lying down and wetting herself and then goes into a barking/lunging frenzy to try and get them away from her, it's heartbreaking. I try so hard with her and she's always on lead and muzzled just in case when dogs are about, but people just f*** it all up!

Called the council and they have said there isn't a limit on the amount of dogs that can be walked together here, but if I can find out the name of her business they will issue her with a warning, but she wouldn't tell me and I can't figure it out from online. It's not just her though, a lady last week had about 20 off lead and an assistant following with 5 little ones on lead, no word of a lie, that were barking and lunging at us, I was minding my own business walking down the track and she just shouted "I can't stop you'll have to move" but Biscuit had already frozen, had to pick her up (4 stone staffy cross!) and go and stand in the river until they had passed! I'm in North Plymouth Wendy! The woods we walk in are really quiet, apart from these walkers, generally only see 2 other people at the most in a 2 hour walk which is so good for us as Biscuit is a nervous aggressive (men and unknown dogs) rescue.

Totally understand what you're saying "yeahbut" luckily for me Biscuit has already been assessed and passed at the RSPCA centre under the type law so I don't have to worry about that too much. Plus its my clients little dogs as well, a toy breed being loomed on by 10+ big dogs is bound to be terrifying!

That is awful and very selfish of both dog walkers. I remember an incident a few years ago involving an off lead rottie that came charging at me and my sister. It did not try to bite us but had us back up against a low wall barking. A policeman came along on his motor bike and scared it off then went and had a word with the owner. It was very lucky for us because where it was there are fields and few houses. It is nothing more than a dirt track and most people do not drive on it.
A call to your local community police explaining there is a dog walker with a lot of dogs off lead and unable to control them in an area where families walk there dogs. Its worth trying to see if there is anything they can do

On a professional level, I'm disgusted that people who claim to be "professional dog walkers" behave so dangerously and stupidly, however there are a idiots in most business sectors, and I've seen a lot over the years. I only walk for One family at a time, I do not double up my dogs, and I do not allow dogs off leads without having tested recalls in secure areas first. I would be interested to know what insurance she has that covers that many dogs off lead in a public place?? If you want to find out who your local dog walkers are, I would have a quiet word with your vets and local pet stores...a simple "I'm looking for a dog walker who takes groups so that my dog can be socialised" should be enough to get you details of who you are after, check out your local Facebook pet groups too, I see a lot of "dodgy" walkers advertising on them ( a lot of good ones too!!!). And then report to Street wardens, and the Dog wardens, also environmental health, 10 + dogs running around I hope she carries a lot of bags and picks it all up?
Hope Biscuit recovers and starts to enjoy her walks again soon

How awful the council said that i would not take it further, the dogs are seriously not under control if she has more than 3, I myself would not even walk 3 together ok maybe tinys but not middle sized dogs
Is this a company? i think i would be posting it all over and telling the unsuspecting owners of these poor animals what is going, they may not be aware the idiot is taking out so many dogs at once. |Its a disgrace and they need stopping. Would your local paper be interested? might get the word out what an awful business this is and the idiot is putting all the dogs at risk in the area.

I may be wrong, but I thought the Law now was that the Police had to act if someone reports that they were
scared by a dogs behaviour.

Trouble is with these 'so called dog walkers ' is that they get paid about £10 + an hour to walk dogs so if
this woman was walking 15 she would be earning about £150 for one hour! My reaction would be to
report her (if you can find out who she is) to the Inland Revenue. I'm sure they would be more interested
than the Police as she is potentially earning £750 - £1000 a week for one hour a day, and I bet she is doing more than one hour each day! Doubt very much whether she is declaring that or taking out any insurance.

I'm not a nasty person but I'm afraid if anybody upsets my dog I will go to any length to make sure they don't get a second chance to do it again.

I agree she need reporting.

Well, well, well.. Just had the lady call me on a private number having a go down the phone stating that she had heard that I was asking about her and that she walks in the woods every morning so if I would want to avoid her that would be great, but she won't be walking any less dogs, won't tell me her business name and won't be changing her policies. I told her that it was not only irresponsible but also dangerous walking that many dogs and she simply said that she disagrees and all of her dogs are friendly and "want to say hello"     

I am fuming!! Literally shaking i'm so angry!

What a complete numpty, all her dogs may well be friendly but all other dogs may not be, are you able to carry one of those small video cameras with you, just one you can clip in a top pocket. This way you have all the evidence you would ever need.

Film her and post on FB someone must know who she is, its appalling!

I'm really torn as to what to do I know the owner of one of the dogs that she walks, not overly well but we've met a few times out walking and exchanged numbers, I sent a text saying "Hiya, hope you don't feel that it's inappropriate for me to ask this but I'm having a few problems with the lady that walks Wookie in a big group and wondered if you could help; the group have been allowed to charge at me, Biscuit and my foster dog on a few occasions now, scaring them half to death, whilst the dog walker has shouted from afar "they're all friendly!" She had 15+ dogs off lead and a group of little ones on lead, and had also lost one who I found half way home and followed me for 5 minute before I did the kind thing and brought her back to the walker. I'm concerned for the safety (and sanity!!) of my dogs that she is continuously allowing to harass and would like to resolve this politely and personally, but I don't know the name of the business that she walks for. Any info that you could provide would be really helpful!"

She didn't reply to my message so I assumed she didn't want to get involved, and yet today I received a call on an unknown number to my mobile, saying that she had seen the lady this morning and she had given her my private contact number to "get it sorted." Obviously given that Biscuit is a staffie and I understand that some people aren't keen on the breed, I'm always extremely careful and responsible with her especially as she is so nervous; I'm so worried that somebody would try to report her so I don't want to make enemies if that makes sense. But I just don't understand why this lady would want to walk so many dogs. She's stated that she's "friends with everybody in the area and nobody else has a problem" (which isn't actually true as I had 4 people warn me about her within the first month of moving here!) so "I'm on my own." Also that because the dogs are all friendly and "not like my dog" it should be fine that they're all allowed to run riot. But I also walk a dog for an elderly lady who loves it in the woods, but he's a tiny toy breed and they've trampled him before, he's so scared of them I don't want to put him in that situation, at the loss of his favourite walks. Argh I don't know what to do. Should I just avoid her?

Poor you and poor Biscuit.
I would avoid her if the authorities can't do anything.
Can you go somewhere else to walk? Better than dreading bumping into her   

Mika and I had a situation with a bad dog walker yesterday. Had Mika on a walk before I went to the gym when a big black dog came running at her and started jumping all over her. Poor Mika didn't know what to do. The owner was miles away and made no attempt to get over to his out of control dog. Annoys me so much

Our dog walker only walks one family at a time, we feel very lucky to have found her. At our/her initial interview she was talking about this kind of thing and how irresponsible it was. Molly would hate that many off lead dogs (she wouldn't be keen on 15 on lead dogs! ).

A rubbish situation the woman sound horrible and def not acting in the dogs best interests.

What about your local dog warden, i can see why you dont want to make enemies, maybe a DW would be able to find out more go and have a word with this person and tell her how silly it is, most will come out and you can tell them your concerns. I would give that a whirl

I think I would go through the local dog warden too rather than get personally involved with it, this is where any evidence you can collect would be very useful. Hopefully if the dog warden was to have a word with the dog walker this should resolve the issue.

In the meantime try to avoid any contact with the dog walker if possible.

I'm sorry to say that I would just avoid her, I'm so scared of causing problems because of Axl's breed I'd just rather not. Not helpful I know, and it definitely lets the culprite get away with it but I'd ask myself is it actually worth the arguments.

Do you know what times she walks the dogs? Maybe go a different times when its less likely she's going to be around. Not the best solution but in my eyes the solution with the less grief in the long run