Doggy Do’s (and Don’ts!)
Dogs are welcome at Ashridge but please …
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The Ashridge Estate covers nearly 8 square miles. With an extensive network of public rights of way and 20 or so free car parks, it’s no surprise that visitors flock here in their hundreds and thousands to enjoy the beautiful countryside. Up-to-date studies indicate that we can expect dog walkers to be the most frequent visitors, sometimes making several visits a day in all weathers.
Ashridge ticks all the boxes for the needs of the dog walker:
- A place close to home – Ashridge is close to many large towns and villages
- A place away from traffic
- A place that the dog can be exercised off the lead
We recognise that Ashridge is a popular dog walking destination and we welcome responsible dog walkers. Unfortunately, there are times when things go wrong and dog related problems seem to be on the increase. Here are some examples of these problems and some tips to help avoid them.
Dog training and control
We’re sure that the vast majority of dog walkers that visit Ashridge exercise the pooch responsibly. Unfortunately, instances involving dogs being completely out of control are becoming more common. Tackling these issues is very complex and begins largely with training /behaviour when one acquires a dog in the first place.
Please exercise your dog responsibly. A dog can be let off the lead to run free as long as the dog can be called to heel at any time.
This is where things fundamentally go wrong. If the dog isn’t trained, it doesn’t take notice to the owner’s calls and comes when it’s ready!
Top Tip: Train your dog and practice calling it to heel. Remember that Ashridge is visited by lots of people and not all of them will like dogs and may even be frightened of them. If your dog doesn’t respond to your commands, don’t risk it. Keep the dog on a lead.
Dogs disturbing wildlife and livestock
It is inevitable that dogs disturb wildlife. If an area is regularly visited and dogs are let off the lead, nesting birds will undoubtedly suffer in some way as a result.
Given that dog walkers are the most frequent visitors to open spaces, encouraging responsible dog walking is essential for safeguarding livestock and wild animals.
Dogs chase and kill deer regularly at Ashridge and often the dog owner is nowhere to be seen.
Top Tip: Try to keep your dog close. Stick to well used paths and abide by any notices. It will help us to protect wildlife and keep livestock safe.
Dogs causing accidents
If dogs chase deer at Ashridge, there is every chance that the deer will be chased across a public highway. There are around 70-80 collisions involving deer at Ashridge every year and around 30,000 collisions nationwide.
This causes a considerable amount of stress to the deer and often concludes with deer fatalities and on occasions human and dog fatalities. There is also a terrific amount of damage caused to vehicles.
The roads are not the only places where accidents involving dogs occur. There have been many instances of horse rider injuries from dogs frightening horses and riders being thrown off.
Top Tip: If you see deer or other wildlife, call your dog to heel immediately. Don’t allow your dog to run up to horses or other visitors. Again, if your dog doesn’t respond to your calls, don’t risk it. Keep the dog on a lead.
Dog fouling
Dog mess has become a serious problem at Ashridge. This is largely due to confused messages about how to deal with it. We, like any other land owner would ask that people move dog mess when it is likely to be trodden in. Quite simply, there are two options:
Option 1: Bag it and take it home with you, no one wants to see litter in the countryside, least of all a bag of dog poo next to a sign or hanging in a tree!
Option 2: Encourage your dog to poo off the tracks in the long grass. That’s fine with us as other visitors are less likely to tread in it and it will degrade quickly and naturally. If the dog does poo on the path, find a stick and flick the poo into the undergrowth – Easy.
The Benefits
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If you can adopt these simple suggestions, it will make a great difference to all at Ashridge.
Top comments (?) from dog walkers at Ashridge:
Visitor: “ I can’t understand why someone would pick up dog mess, put it in a bag and just leave it behind or hang it in a tree”
Visitor: “Ashridge is such a beautiful place to walk the dog and it’s right on my door step”
Visitor: “I can’t call for my dog, I don’t know where he is!” having been asked to control the dog by National trust staff.
Visitor: “Can my dog be shot for chasing deer?” Warden answer: “No” Visitor: “That’s a relief, he chases them all the time!”
Visitor: “He won’t hurt the deer” after their dog had just chased and killed a muntjac.
