Five frequently asked questions about walking dogs in lockdown 2

Lockdown 2 might be somewhat less restrictive than lockdown 1 in the UK, but this also has the effect of making it somewhat more confusing. The government’s guidance on what type of businesses can trade, how they can trade, what we can buy and what we can do in general are a bit vaguer this time around, which has perhaps introduced some grey areas that would be better served with clarity.

However, there is guidance in place and in many cases, areas where clarity on the rules is provided if you know where to look for them, and in this article we’ll answer five frequently asked questions about walking dogs in lockdown 2.

If you’re wondering if there’s a limit to how often or how far you can walk your dog or if you’re allowed to meet friends when out walking to allow your dogs to socialise together, this article will provide the answers.

Read on to find out the answers to five common questions about dog walking in lockdown 2.

How often can you walk your dog in lockdown 2?

During lockdown 1, people were asked to restrict themselves to one period of exercise outside of the home per day, but no such stipulation has been made this time.

People are allowed to undertake as many periods of exercise outside of the home as they’d like to during lockdown 2, and this means there are no restrictions on how often you can take your dog out in lockdown 2 either.

If your dog is used to going for several daily walks, nothing has to change.

How far can you walk your dog in lockdown 2?

There are no limits on the distance you can take your dog when you go out with them, which is good news for the owners of rangy dogs that need to spend plenty of time exercising and running around.

This means that you can walk your dog for miles if you want to and your dog is fit enough and keen enough to enjoy this!

Can you walk dogs off the lead in lockdown 2?

There are no changes to the rules for dogs being on leads in lockdown 2. There are many areas where the law or common sense mandates that dogs be kept on leads, such as alongside of roads, but there is no blanket rule about dogs being kept on the lead at all times in the UK during lockdown.

However, you might want or need to put or keep your dog on a lead in more situations than normal. This is because if your dog is apt to run up to people, you’re probably going to have to retrieve them and be unable to maintain social distance when you do this, so do bear this in mind when picking areas to let your dog off the lead.

Can you meet friends for dog walks outside in lockdown 2?

When it comes to who you can walk your dog with in lockdown 2, you can go with other people who live in your household with you, and also go with or meet other people from your support bubble.

When it comes to walking dogs with people that you don’t live with and that are not part of your support bubble, you are permitted to meet outside with one other person from another household. This means it can be just you and the other party individually (though you can take as many dogs as you like!) rather than that two households can meet.

Can you take your dog out in the car to walk them somewhere new in lockdown 2?

Many countries have imposed limits on how far from home people can travel during lockdown 2, and some of these are quite restrictive; 1km from one’s place of residence in France, for instance.

However, again in the UK there are no restrictions on how far from home you can travel to exercise your dog in lockdown 2. You’re allowed to travel to walk your dog if you want to, which means that you’re free to take your dog out in the car and go to a new place or somewhere that offers some variety or a better range of options in terms of walks if you wish.

It is wise though to try to avoid places that you know are very heavily populated or that are apt to be very busy with other people when you go, as it is really important to maintain social distance and avoid contact with people not in your household or support bubble in order to help to slow the spread of Covid-19.

You should also try to ensure that your dog doesn’t cause you to have to get into close proximity to other people because they’ve run up to them to say hello or are busy playing.