Dog Walking: How Many Dogs Are Too Many?

Should you be allowed to walk as many dogs as you like at once? Many say no. Auckland recently joined Christchurch City Council in reviewing its dog bylaws on the maximum number of dogs you’re allowed to walk at the same time. Dog walking is increasingly under the spotlight, with news of a terrier being mauled during a pack walk last year pushing the issue to the fore.

Below, we look at both council’s proposed changes as well as share insights from certified dog behaviour consultant Maria Alomajan on pack walks.

Auckland dog bylaws changes proposed

So what are Auckland Council’s proposed changes, exactly? A cap of six dogs per walker with no more than three off-leash at any time in council-controlled spaces. Other proposed rule changes include:

Revising rules on where dogs can go in 14 regional parks and 64 local parks, including Waitawa, Whakanewha, Wenderholm, Shakespear, Te Ārai, Scott Point, and Mahurangi East.

Clarifying that dogs classified as menacing, including those relocated from outside Auckland, must be neutered.

The public had until 23 February 2025 to give feedback on the proposed changes and a final decision is expected in the middle of the year. This would include decisions made by the Governing Body on the policy and bylaw (including regional parks) review and by local boards on the local dog access rules review. Keep an eye on Auckland Council’s proposed dog bylaws page for updates.

Christchurch City proposed dog bylaws

This follows similar suggestions by Christchurch City in August 2024 to their Dog Control Bylaw and Policy. Proposed dog bylaws include:

• Clearer rules for off-leash dogs: Explaining what “under control” means when dogs are off their leash.
• Limit on dogs per person: Setting a limit on how many dogs one person can walk at the same time to two when off-leash and four when leashed. Professional dog walkers and/or people who can prove they have the appropriate skills to control a greater number of dogs can go through a process to be exempt from this rule.
• Updated leash and no-dog zones: Reviewing areas where dogs must be on a leash or are not allowed.
• Better perks for responsible owners: Updating the benefits and rules for being a “responsible dog owner.”
• Protecting nature: Better rules to protect native plants and animals near rivers, wetlands, and estuaries.

Public feedback closed in December, with no date set yet for a final decision. Keep an eye on Christchurch City Council’s proposed dog bylaws page for updates.

Pack walking dangers

A big focus of the above proposed changes is on professional dog walkers who take out several dogs at once – also called pack walks. The idea is that the dogs, walking together as a group or “pack,” can socialise and exercise together. This can be beneficial for their mental and physical health. However, it requires the walker to have good control over all the dogs to ensure they’re safe and well-behaved.

This was not the case in an April 2024 incident in Auckland, when a terrier named Kippa was brutally attacked by four large dogs during a pack walk led by a dog walking business. The walker had dogs tethered to her waist as well as the four dogs that had escaped her grasp.

The incident led many East Auckland residents to share similar frightening encounters with the same dog-walking business and bought issues around pack walks and dog bylaws to the fore.

Six may still be too many

Auckland Council’s proposed restriction is six dogs per walker. However, dog behaviour consultant Maria Alomajan urges people to walk no more than two dogs at a time.

“There’s a whole bunch of brain-hurting physics involved in calculating a dog’s pulling power: size, weight, velocity, distance to gain velocity, energy absorbed by leashes, the angle of the pull, and goodness knows what else,” she says. “But the basic premise is pretty simple. We only have two arms – and even then, that doesn’t necessarily mean we should walk two dogs.”

It’s all dependent on your own weight and experience with walking dogs. A 52kg woman walking two adult Great Danes, for instance, is different from a 90kg man walking two Pekingese. Unexpected situations, like dogs reacting suddenly to loud noises, other animals, or distractions, can quickly turn dangerous.

“The question is, ‘can you manage a sudden bolt?’. And if you have multiple dogs, can you handle the possibility of all of them bolting at once?”

Dog bylaws pushback

On the other side of the conversation are professional dog walkers. Some argue that a pack walk bylaw will restrict their income and raise the price of their service. Others say that this one-size-fits-all approach is unfair to professional dog walkers who know how to handle packs.

As Checkers Dog Walking owner Julia Knoef told Checkpoint:

“For professional dog walkers, what we’d normally do is we’d get those dogs together very carefully before we agree to take them out. Even individually, but certainly before we take them out as part of a smaller group to start with. And then gradually build that into a pack of, you know, up to six or more dogs for the more experienced and trained professionals.”

Additionally, there are worries that the limit might inconvenience dog owners who rely on dog-walking services. This could potentially lead to fewer exercise opportunities for their pets.

There have also been calls to instead rather require walkers to have certain credentials. In Wellington, for instance, dog bylaws require that all commercial dog walkers have to do a course and pass an exam to be able to walk dogs in public spaces. Either way, it’s clear that something needs to change so that incidents like the above don’t happen again.

Insurance for the unexpected

Having dog insurance can be valuable when your dog is injured or ill because you can get them the right treatment quickly, with fewer worries about the cost. Pet insurance could mean the difference between having to choose between the treatment your fur kid needs and the amount you can afford to spend. The last thing you want to consider at a time of need is the cost of surgery, prescription medication and a range of other treatment costs.

If your dog has bitten someone else’s dog, your insurance will also help to cover your responsibility to pay for the damage (your legal liability). This is as long as doggo doesn’t have a history of violence). Third-party liability is part of all PD insurance pet plans. This offers you protection in case your pet causes damage to other people or their pets or property.

Click below to start your pet’s plan today.