Navigating the Countryside Code with Your Dog

The UK countryside offers some of the most beautiful and rewarding dog walking experiences in the world. However, these landscapes are not just playgrounds; they are working environments, habitats for wildlife, and homes to livestock. To ensure that these areas remain open and welcoming to dog walkers, it is essential to understand and follow the Countryside Code.

The Countryside Code is a set of guidelines designed to help people respect, protect, and enjoy the outdoors. For dog owners, the code has specific rules that must be adhered to. The most critical of these relates to livestock. By law, you must control your dog so that it does not scare or disturb farm animals or wildlife. On open access land and at the coast, you must put your dog on a lead around livestock. Even if your dog is usually well-behaved, the sight and smell of sheep or cattle can trigger their chase instinct, which can cause severe stress, injury, or even death to the livestock.

Another key aspect of the code is leaving gates and property as you find them. If a gate is closed, close it behind you. If it is open, leave it open. This simple act prevents livestock from escaping and mixing with other herds or wandering onto roads.

The Countryside Code also explicitly addresses the issue of dog waste. The rule is simple: always clean up your dog's poo because it can cause illness in people, livestock, and wildlife. As discussed in previous posts, dog waste can transmit diseases like Neosporosis to cattle, which can be devastating for farmers.

The challenge in the countryside is that public bins are incredibly rare. You are expected to take your litter, including bagged dog waste, home with you. This is the reality of rural dog walking, and it requires preparation.

The DickyBag is the perfect tool for adhering to the Countryside Code. It empowers you to be a responsible visitor to rural areas by providing a secure, odour-proof way to carry your dog's waste until you return home or find a suitable bin. By using a DickyBag, you are demonstrating respect for the farmers who work the land, the wildlife that lives there, and the environment as a whole. It is a small investment that makes a significant contribution to preserving the countryside for everyone to enjoy.