Hi all

thought we'd update you on the progress of the SDWG. the first walk was a success, with 12 walkers and 9 dogs enjoying the Mayfield valley in the sun. All were well behaved, both on and off lead and the walkers had a good time too

We've had a fair bit of interest from the listings in the Sheffield Telegraph. which is great

Our next walk is a circular route from Hathersage Moor to Grindlford and return. This will be on Sunday the 1st of November.

We look forward to welcoming new members.

Victoria http://www.peopleanddogs.co.uk and Chrishttp://www.hikinghounds.co.uk

hi is it free to join? think this would be a good way to socialise diamond maybe?

Errr I replied in the walkers group, so here it is again :hihi:

I didn't know that there was DWG in existance what a good idea :)
I have been thinking of putting up a thread for a while now to see if anyone in the Shiregreen area would fancy a leisurely stroll in Concord park every now and then? I have dogs but it doesn't matter if you have or not, just some company a chat and some motivation would be nice some days :hihi:

i long for a friend for my girl maybe this is answer?

Hi Diamond.

We do have a small yearly membership fee, of £17.50 for the 1st dog and £25 for 2 dogs. This covers our insurance, a newsletter, socials, our admin time and hopefully soon a website. If you email us at sheffielddogwalkinggroup@hotmail.com, we can send you a membership pack.

Pleasde note that this is a social walking group for dog owners, it is not a group to address social issues! If in doubt please get in touch. We look forward to welcoming new members.

Kind regards

Victoria

ps: I shall re-post the sdwg info as it appeared on here a few weeks ago for your information, or you could just search 'sheffield dog walking group' and you will find it.

Sheffield Dog Walking Group

Invites like minded dog lovers along for fun social group dog walks, organised by experienced dog walkers and dog trainers.

The Sheffield dog walking group has been set up in association with Victoria Cooper of People & Dogs, along with Chris Bird of Hiking Hounds. We have realised that a group gathering of dog owners who can socialise together on an organised dog walk would be a great way to spend a Sunday morning.

Other walking groups might restrict dog owners and not allow their dogs to attend their group sessions and some owners might feel isolated in where they can walk in safety. The purpose of this new group is to achieve a friendly social atmosphere amongst our members of all ages, who in turn can create friendships between other owners and their 4 legged friends. We aim to guide you on differing routes in distance, difficulty, duration and location and a Cafe or Pub stop will hopefully be included along the way.

Dogs may need to be lead walked for long periods on the walk due to livestock or any other restricting issues. This means that your dog should have had basic training and to be proficient at lead walking as not to upset other walkers in the group and other people. Failing that, the use of a Halter or Stop Pull harness, can make the walk more comfortable. You will also need a long training type lead or a Long Line.

Please note that dogs with serious behaviour issues such as aggression would not be able to attend due to safety reasons and for the comfort of all members. Although Victoria will be present, unfortunately she cannot offer in depth behavioural advice on the walk as it is not the purpose of the group. However if your dog does present issues then brief advice can be requested a long with either the request for group training courses or behavioural 1-1 help as required.

Sheffield dog walking group is run on a membership basis, anyone wanting to be involved will need to fill out the registration form and pay an annual membership fee.

Please email or call on the details below:-

For all general enquiries : Chris Bird on 07517468974

For questions regarding dog suitability: Victoria Cooper on 01142 747665

All emails are to be sent through to: sheffielddogwalkinggroup@hotmail.com

Hi, Sheffield Dog Walking Group now have a small blog website. You can view it and out photos at http://www.lancastermedia.co.uk/sdwg

thank you Victoria

What a brilliant idea Victoria - I didn't know it existed either.

If you want to email us on admin@rainrescue.co.uk and ask Sue to put a little bit of it with a link to your blog or phone number, ask if she would put it up on the SHEFFIELD page - then send her maybe a few lines about what you do and how to contact u all, or aa link to your contacts - maybe more members will come off the rain site

I think its a fantastic idea and would love to join but at the moment, i only have 1 fit enough to walk a distance and he's a nightmare with other dogs. the others that are sociable - are pretty much max'd at 1 mile.
maybe later though and good luck with it
its a brill idea

Hi there,

thank you so much for the warm response. Chris (Hiking Hounds) and I set up the group about a month ago. We've had very postive feedback inlcuding from the BBC Radio 4's program Ramblers, who are coming to interview us and walk live with us next February.

Chris and I had both been members of other walking groups and found that our dogs were not always welcome. Through our jobs with dogs, we also found that some people are nervous to set out alone in the Peak District and countryside, so we decided to set up a group. the first walk was a big success. Everyone had a fun time and we are looking forward to the next walk on the 1st of November. We'll post full details on the blog site and also on here. thank you for inviting us to post on your site. Very much appreciated. I know what you mean though about 'oldies'. My 2 are 10 and 12 and can't do more than an hour, or about 2-3 miles or so. So for many of the walks, I'll be walking alone :0( although I expect members will be picking my brains for training and behaviour advice ! :0)

all the best Victoria