By David Alderton

It’s a problem in New York just as it is in London or Tokyo. As more people live on their own in cities, how can canine companions be incorporated into what is often a hectic working and unpredictable lifestyle? It’s ironic that as scientific studies are revealing the increasing health benefits associated with keeping a dog, some would-be owners are actually finding it much harder to do so.

Dogs out for a walk in a London park. Copyright CmdrGravy

Cultural differences apply to this debate as well. Whereas the business of “loaning” dogs to busy people took off to a limited extent in both the U.S. and Japan, the mere suggestion of this idea aroused a furor in Britain--even attracting censure in parliament.

“The concept of renting out dogs as a ‘timeshare’ equivalent is detrimental to the dog, leading to all kinds of confusion for the animal, said Caroline Kisko, Secretary of the Kennel Club. “It also raises many questions about the kind of person who is making money at the dog’s expense, what happens when the dog gets older and no one wants it and what happens in the situation where people who are renting the dog don’t want to give it back?

“It is also of concern that different people will have different ideas about house rules, leading to even further confusion for the dog when it is not given any consistency with which rules to follow. There are already plenty of opportunities in the U.K. for people who don’t feel they have enough time to own a dog to be able to take part in dog-related activities. These include volunteering to walk dogs from a local rescue center, or helping dog-related charities which run schemes to send their dogs ‘out’ for the weekend to socialize while they are in training, such as Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. These dogs need our support first-- and there’s no charge to people for the privilege!” she added.

The rising popularity of small breeds, such as the Chihuahua, is evident of a change in the canine population caused by modern-living circumstances. In some ways, these breeds are more suited to an urban environment than their larger relatives are. Even so, they are not necessarily any quieter, with Chihuahuas themselves being particularly vocal. This may lead to complaints from near neighbors, particularly those living in apartments.

The other issue, of course, is exercise. Unlike cats, it is not feasible to keep dogs as house pets, because they do need to go out regularly for exercise. This has now given rise to a new industry, in the guise of professional dog-walkers. The dog is collected, often in a vehicle, and then taken to a nearby park each day for exercise.

This sounds fine in theory, but an increasing number of dog-related complaints have been made by people in London using parks and open spaces, such as Hampstead Heath, an 800-acre area located just 4 miles from Trafalgar Square. There have been reports of packs of dogs chasing after runners and cyclists, upsetting children and generally making a nuisance of themselves.

Such incidents are frequently linked to the activities of professional dog-walkers who take groups of sometimes as many as 20 dogs out at the same time, and allow them to run free. Aside from the great difficulty of being able to control this number of dogs, which are essentially unknown to each other, there is also the problem of clearing up after them when they are out together.

The situation has become so bad on Hampstead Heath that officials from the City of London Corporation, which is responsible for managing this area, are now looking to introduce general restrictions on dog walking and making it mandatory for those who are walking dogs in groups of six or more to be licensed. Furthermore, they also want to ensure that professional dog walkers are properly trained.

At present, anyone can set himself or herself up in this business. These proposed new rules will apply not just on the heath, where many celebrity dog owners, such as actor Hugh Lawrie and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell can be seen exercising their pets, but throughout the 10,000 acres under the Corporation’s control.

Simon Lee, who is superintendent of Hampstead Heath, perhaps inadvertently revealed another aspect to the debate, when he pointed out that dog walking was the only commercial activity on the heath that was not licensed. In an interview with The Times newspaper, he said, “The dog walkers may have good control but when dogs start acting in a pack manner, their playful behavior can be intimidating. It’s important that people are not frightened and are able to enjoy their visit, because the heath should be for everyone to enjoy.” <HOME>

David Alderton is a journalist based in the U.K. who writes about all things pet-related. He is also the editor of a herp magazine in Britain.