GUIDELINES FOR WALKS AND PLAY DATES

We cannot take liability for your dog and you will need to have your own insurance to participate in Dog Friendly Dorset Facebook Group walks and play dates. We are merely a Facebook group scheduling meet ups for members who are organising them within the community to bring their dogs together. If any issues arise these must be resolved between the owners of the dogs involved.

What we can do is offer some Guidelines…

Dog Friendly Dorset group walks and Play Dates -

Some helpful, friendly guidelines for bringing your dog:

(Remember we consult you so any suggested amends do let us know )

To donate for your play date: www.dorsetdogs.com/book

Requirements for your dog to attend:

1.Friendly with other dogs and humans (we have stress free meets for those dogs who cannot cope in a group setting. See end of guidelines)If your dog is lunging, tail tucked, barking, showing teeth, heckles up and tense, frozen, whale eye - you will know they are not able to come on our play dates and we provide help.

2. No in-season dogs to attend

3. Good recall if you want to let your dog off lead

4. Use common sense. We're a friendly bunch x

5. Do not bring dogs within 2 weeks of a kennel cough vaccination as they are still contagious

6. Do not bring dogs who have at any time been involved in a dog fight or attacked or experienced PTSD without first consulting a qualified Behaviourist.

Not all dogs will cope with social gatherings and nervous or reactive dogs or dogs in pain will likely feel uncomfortable and not be suited. We have Stress Free Meets for these dogs x (see link at end).

A 1-1 assessment by one of our group's trainers or Behaviourists is another suggestion. Please email hello@dorsetdogs.com

You can come and try a walk/play-date if you are sure your dog is friendly but still want to be cautious - this applies to dogs that take a little time to warm up or are mildly nervous. Then stay enough distance back until your dog is comfortable moving forward. And leave early if it's not for them x ONLY friendly dogs are invited to these types of social gatherings.

We do provide Stress Free Meet-ups for dogs who display reactive behaviour, such as, lunging, barking, possessiveness, poor recall, poor impulse control, squealing, tail between legs, shaking, drooling, excessive panting etc. These Stress Free Meet-ups are different to the walks and play-dates and are in a controlled environment with a trainer. We don't leave anyone out and schedule meet-ups to include our whole community. See end.

When you arrive to a meet-up/ play date:

Its best to let dogs integrate on lead before setting off for the walks and enclosure play dates. Leave them on lead for the first part of the walk. If your dog is over excitable walk them on their own at a distance to help them to cope and then join in. If play becomes boisterous, include time-outs and recall your dog before engaging in play again or decide to leave if your dog cannot calm or self-regulate. Your dog is your responsibility so see what works best.

Walks tend to be 1 hour in total and most end in a cafe social. You can choose how long you stay on the walk and or social after. Always meet at the meeting spot with dogs on lead initially. To integrate them.

Walks: if there's a range of sizes and needs and some dogs want to weave and play then a suggestion would be to split off into two groups. The high energy group sets off first with a 5 mins head start and the calm walkers group behind.

Final Note:

Disclaimer: your dogs' safety is your responsibility and there is no liability taken by the CIC or facebook group. On facebook, the admin team of volunteers are simply scheduling the meets organised by you. You must have your own insurance to attend as an owner and guardian of your dog. If dogs bump into each other, get injured in any way, is involved in a fight, bumps into humans or you lose your dog you must have your own insurance to cover this just as you would expect to on any walk you take them on in the public arena where they encounter other dogs and humans.

Please send any suggestions to these guidelines as we grow this group together. hello@dorsetdogs.com Subject: guidelines for play dates

Stress Free Meet-Ups and On Lead Walks: www.dorsetdogs.com/stress-free

Dorset Dogs CIC is incorporated as a social enterprise under registration number 13741228.