Help your dog be a Good Dog
National research shows that between a third and a half of countryside visitors have a dog with them.
With over 180km of Public Rights of Way in Dedham Vale AONB and over 385km in the Stour Valley Project Area there are plenty of places to walk with your dog!
When you take your dog into the outdoors, always ensure it does not disturb wildlife, farm animals, horses or other people by keeping it under effective control.
This means that you:
- Keep your dog on a lead
- Keep it in sight at all times, be aware of what it’s doing and be confident it will return to you promptly on command
- Ensure it does not stray off the path or area where you have a right of access
Special dog rules may apply in particular situations, so always look out for local signs. Dogs and open access land - there is a total of 20.2 hectares of Open Access Land southeast of Nayland in Dedham Vale AONB and a further 91 hectares in the Stour Valley Project Area.
The access rights that normally apply to open access land require dogs to be kept on a short lead between 1 March and 31 July, to help protect ground nesting birds, and all year round near farm animals.