Following the tragic death of Natasha Johnston, 28, from Croydon, south London, after being attacked by the dogs that she was walking as a professional dog walker, a coroner has written to the Home Secretary in the UK to recommend restrictions on the number of dogs that can be walked together. Note: some UK local authorities will have restrictions and insurance policies should also contain restrictions. One council, Fareham, insist on a maximum of four dogs. And there are claims by professional dog walkers that their livelihoods will be damaged by restrictions (see extension to the article at base).
Natasha Johnston was an experience dog walker. She died from shock and blood loss after suffering penetrating bites to her torso, neck and arms when the dogs in her charge became out-of-control and they attacked her. They also attacked a passerby.
At present there are no national restrictions or regulations regarding the number and weight of dogs that can be walked in a public place by a professional dog walker or anybody else. One District Council has guidelines which suggest that handlers should walk a maximum of six dogs.
We don’t know the exact circumstances of how Natasha Johnston’s dogs became out-of-control but we do know that she grabbed one of her dogs which had bitten another dog walker as they held their own pet. It appears then that one of her dogs in her group had attacked another and when Natasha tried to restrain this dog the other dogs became agitated and out-of-control.
The dogs also ran at a couple of horse riders, spooking one and throwing the rider to the ground. Johnston died at the scene. She was found by another dog walker, Ben Kershaw. She was described as being in “a dishevelled state. Her clothes had been partially pulled off and there was blood everywhere.”
The newspapers don’t discuss why the dogs became out-of-control. That is a very important discussion. This article plugs that hole because it addresses a possible reason why it occurred.
The point really is that dogs are pack animals and they need an alpha leader. In a large group of eight dogs as occurred in the case of Natasha Johnson, the dogs need a dog walker who takes charge. This is not to say that Natasha didn’t take charge. It appeared that something happened which signal to the group that she was no longer the alpha dog and I would suggest that under the circumstances one of the dogs in her group became the alpha dog – took charge – and they became defensive and aggressive perceiving Johnston as an aggressor. As a hostile invader rather than a leader and attacked her. And the other people and dogs around her.
Reducing the number of dogs wouldn’t change the fundamental dynamics but it would reduce the risk of injury and make the dogs easier to control.
Below are a couple of questions I posed to my friendly artificial intelligence chat bot and their response. It supports what I’ve said. For this reason I would argue that the coroner is right that there should be restrictions on the number of dogs walked by dog walker and it is entirely plausible to suggest that dog walkers should be trained in dog behaviour and certified which does not occur at the moment as far as I’m aware. They need to understand their leadership role.
At the moment, in the UK, to the best of my knowledge, anybody can be a professional dog walker even if they have no knowledge whatsoever of dog behaviour.
Question: There are dangers when a dog walker takes out a large number of dogs as the alpha male – the dog walker – has to lead the pack because without that a leader comes out of the group of dogs being walked which is dangerous for the dog walker. Correct?
Yes, you’re correct. When a dog walker takes out a large number of dogs, it is important for them to establish themselves as the clear leader or “alpha” of the pack to maintain control and safety. If the dog walker fails to assert this leadership role, one or more dogs within the group might attempt to take on that role, which can lead to dangerous behavior, such as:
- Dominance conflicts: Without a clear leader, the dogs may try to assert dominance over each other. This can cause fights or aggressive behavior within the group.
- Lack of control: If a dog from the group assumes the role of leader, the walker may lose control of the pack, making it difficult to manage the dogs, especially in public spaces where distractions, other animals, or people are present.
- Increased anxiety: Dogs look for a leader to provide structure and security. Without that, some dogs may feel anxious or stressed, which can lead to unpredictable or defensive actions.
- Escalation in behavior: When a dominant dog takes charge, it may lead the group into risky situations (such as chasing other animals or running off) that the dog walker cannot control.
Therefore, the dog walker needs to establish authority and maintain a calm, assertive energy to manage the pack effectively. This involves consistent commands, body language, and confidence, so the dogs see the walker as the one in charge, preventing any one dog from rising up as the leader.
Question: It can also lead to the dog walker being attacked in rare circumstances. Correct?
Yes, you’re correct. In rare circumstances, if the dog walker fails to establish themselves as the clear leader of the pack, it can potentially lead to the walker being attacked. This scenario is more likely when:
- Dominance disputes: If a dog tries to assert dominance over the group and perceives the dog walker as a challenge to that authority, the dog may exhibit aggressive behavior toward the walker.
- Pack mentality: In a group of dogs, pack mentality can sometimes trigger behaviors that individual dogs wouldn’t display alone. If one dog becomes aggressive toward the walker, other dogs may follow suit due to the social dynamics of the pack.
- Stress and anxiety: If the pack feels insecure or threatened due to a lack of clear leadership, certain dogs may react defensively, seeing the walker as part of the problem.
- Miscommunication: Dogs rely heavily on body language, and if the dog walker gives off nervous or fearful signals, dogs might interpret that as weakness or anxiety, potentially triggering aggressive responses from dominant or anxious dogs.
Though such attacks are rare, the possibility increases when handling large groups of dogs without proper control or leadership. This is why professional dog walkers need strong experience in reading dog behavior, managing group dynamics, and asserting calm authority over the pack to prevent any such risks.
More: Dog-walker captured on doorbell videocam giving cat a fatal kick
Some more on this
The person whose two dogs were being walked by Johnston, Glen Oglaza, agrees that there should be restrictions. They said: “The coroner makes a lot of sense. There are three things. One is limiting the number of dogs that can be walked properly to four. Second is the weight of the dogs and third is that dog walkers need to be regulated.”
Comment: I would like to add another condition which is training. I think dog walkers need to be trained on dog behaviour to best understand the mentality of dogs, the fact that they are pack animals and need an alpha leader.
The demand for increased regulations is supported by the RSPCA. They have proposed the creation of a licensing scheme. The RSPCA said: “Many dog walkers do an amazing job. But dog walkers are currently unregulated and unlicensed, meaning there are no checks on who these people are and how they ensure the needs of the dogs in their care are being met.”
This also echoes what I’m saying about understanding dogs through through better training. I think there should be a minimum requirement which a certificate which certifies that the holder of the certificate is au fait with dog behaviour.
Some councils, as mentioned above, operate licensing schemes. Under these schemes dog walkers are required to show proof of insurance and sometimes appropriate training (once again echoing what I have said).
For instance, Lambeth Council, in south London, charges walkers £392 to walk up to 6 dogs, with lower fees for those with smaller packs. Licensed walkers must wear armbands and those in breach can be fined.
And Reigate and Banstead Borough Council in Surrey, have limited to 4 the number of dogs that can be walked. This change took place in August of this year.
But as mentioned in the first paragraph, the regulations and the proposal for more regulations have angered some walkers. They started a petition which has attracted about 500 signatures. One dog walker, a former retail manager, Karen Fry, 60, said that the change could cost her about half her business.
She said: “We have been screaming for regulation for seven years.” She said that her business, Wag & Mama was used by many people who worked in emergency services. She is concerned that if she has to restrict the number of dog she walks these people will be without dog walkers which may hamper the way they operate their working lives.
