17/10/2025
⚠️A Firm Message to Fellow Dog Owners, Land Managers, and the National Trust:⚠️
Over recent years, I’ve been observing a worrying trend that’s unfolding quietly but significantly: the increasing restrictions on allowing dogs to roam off-lead in the countryside.
As someone with years of professional experience in canine behaviour and advanced recall training, I specialise in training dogs to a guaranteed recall—yes, it is possible with the majority of dogs, and no, this isn’t a business pitch. It’s simply important context to highlight that I speak from a place of deep understanding, both of dog behaviour and of the laws that govern our rights and responsibilities as dog owners.
The Decline of Freedom for Well-Behaved Dogs
It’s becoming more common to see signs going up—particularly from organisations like the National Trust—stating that “Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.” While these may appear to be reasonable requests on the surface, the reality is that many of these signs are legally misleading, and the implications for our dogs are more serious than most people realise.
Let me be clear: I fully support responsible dog ownership. I do not advocate for dogs being off-lead if their recall is unreliable, or if they cannot be trusted around wildlife or livestock. Safety and responsibility must always come first.
But what I do take issue with is this increasing trend of blanket restrictions that are not always rooted in law—and worse, that misrepresent the law to the public.
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What the Law Actually Says
Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW Act), you are legally allowed to walk your dog in most access land, including commons, heaths, and moorland. The law states that your dog must be under close control—not necessarily on a lead.
The official Countryside Code, published by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales, supports this:
“Keep your dog under effective control: this means that your dog is always in sight and you are confident it will return to you promptly on command. In some areas, dogs may be required to be on a short lead, particularly around livestock and during ground-nesting bird season (typically March to July).”
This is a vital distinction. Under control and on a lead are not the same thing.
In certain areas designated as Open Access Land, dogs must be on a lead between 1 March and 31 July (the bird nesting season), and at all times when near livestock. These are temporary and situational laws, not year-round blanket rules.
So when signs go up saying “dogs must be on a lead at all times,” they are often not legally enforceable unless:
• There is a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in place from the local authority.
• It is private land with specific bylaws or regulations.
• It’s a designated nesting or livestock area during the applicable season.
In many cases, these signs are misleading at best—and at worst, they are eroding the public’s understanding of their rights.
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Let’s Talk About Conservation
One of the most common justifications for these restrictions is the protection of ground-nesting birds and the implementation of conservation grazing.
Let me say this: I understand the importance of protecting wildlife. I understand ecological balance. But we need to approach this with common sense.
The logic that dogs should not be allowed to roam in certain areas because they might disturb nesting birds, while deer, rabbits, foxes, cattle, and ponies continue to roam freely, is questionable at best. Wild animals and livestock disturb the environment too. If disturbance is genuinely the issue, we need to apply consistent standards—and not disproportionately penalise responsible dog owners with well-trained dogs under control.
Conservation grazing, likewise, is a method of land management designed to reduce the need for machinery and maintain biodiversity. While the introduction of grazing animals serves a purpose, it should not mean that dogs—particularly those with reliable recall—are categorically banned from roaming safely in open countryside.
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The Bigger Issue: Mental and Physical Welfare of Dogs
Dogs are not ornaments. They are intelligent, social, and energetic animals that need the freedom to run, sniff, explore, and interact with the world around them. This isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s a fundamental part of their mental and physical well-being.
Constant restriction, especially for dogs that are under full control, leads to frustration, stress, and ultimately behavioural issues. We cannot, as a society, push for better-behaved dogs on one hand, and then take away the very opportunities that allow them to burn off energy and stay balanced on the other.
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My Experience: The Devil’s Punchbowl and National Trust Volunteers
I have personally been approached by both staff and volunteers of the National Trust team at the Devil’s Punchbowl, who told me I could face a fine for having my dogs off-lead—even though my dogs were fully under control and nowhere near livestock or nesting areas.
I’ve also witnessed them approaching other members of the public in a similar fashion—often in quite a confrontational or authoritative manner that implies legal backing, when in many cases there is none.
This is not just concerning from a legal standpoint—it’s having a real effect on how people engage with these spaces. I know of numerous local residents who are now actively avoiding these areas because they feel anxious, confused, or intimidated by the unclear and overly restrictive messaging.
Let’s be honest: if you continue down this path of exclusion and pressure, you will alienate the very communities who love and support these natural places the most. Families, dog owners, nature lovers—many of us moved here because of the access to the countryside. If we’re told we’re not welcome, we’ll stop coming. And once that happens, community engagement, volunteering, and local support will suffer.
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Where Are We Heading?
I’m increasingly concerned that, bit by bit, dog access to open spaces is being eroded—not through transparent legal changes or public consultation, but through quiet signage and passive pressure.
Areas like:
• The Devil’s Punchbowl
• Ludshott Common
• Frensham Ponds
• Blackdown Common
—are all slowly seeing more signs, more restrictions, and more limitations that aren’t always backed by law. These are spaces that many of us moved to the countryside specifically to enjoy, not only for ourselves but with our dogs.
And it begs the question: Are we punishing all dog owners because of the actions of a few irresponsible ones?
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A Call for Balance and Common Sense
This is not a call to ignore signs, flout the law, or behave irresponsibly. But it is a call to:
• Understand your rights as a dog owner.
• Challenge misinformation, especially when it misrepresents the law.
• Respect the countryside—including wildlife, livestock, and other users.
• Train your dog properly. If your dog doesn’t have a solid recall, then yes, it should be on a lead.
• Demand proportionality and transparency from organisations like the National Trust.
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In Summary
Dogs have the right to run.
We have the right to walk our dogs responsibly in the countryside.
The law supports freedom with control, not restriction by default.
Let’s not lose that freedom through silence or apathy.
If we don’t raise our voices now, we risk losing more and more of the open access that makes the countryside so valuable—for people and dogs alike.
Let’s protect our right to roam—responsibly, knowledgeably, and confidently.
