Pets' Corner: How do I stop my dog gatecrashing picnics?
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.My dog invaded a picnic in the park and I was mortified! Now all he wants to do is eat picnics. I've resorted to keeping him on the lead. Is this cruel? Elizabeth May, London
Oh dear – how embarrassing! But just count yourself lucky that you live in a city where you are allowed to let your dog off the lead. If you were living in New York, you would not have the luxury of letting your dog run freely in the park. The park is obviously for everybody, not just dogs and their owners, and we need to be respectful of that. Some owners think it is cruel to keep their dogs on the lead, while others would never dream of letting their dogs run free.
You need to make the walk fun for both of you but remember, different dogs need different amounts of exercise – make sure you don't over-exercise them. You need to have a balance. What you don't want is your dog to keep practising this behaviour, so for the summer months you should avoid going near picnics. I would invest in a long, retractable lead and try not to go at peak periods to the park. If you have time at the weekends, you could take your dog out to the countryside or to one of the larger London parks, such as Richmond. As he clearly loves his food (he is a dog, after all), take some treats or dried food with you and keep him regularly rewarded. This should keep his mind off the picnics! Anyway, if this summer is anything like last summer you won't have many picnics to worry about.
Send your queries to: petscorner@independent.co.uk. Remember that if an animal shows signs of distress or discomfort, an early visit to the vet is always recommended.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments