Just Walking The Dog Trivia Quiz

Answer: Adder

The adder or viper is the only venomous snake native to the United Kingdom. It can be found all over the country on heathland, in sand dunes, in long grass in gardens and parks. I even found one in one of my compost bins. Often they will come out to areas of shorter grass to bask in the sunshine. Usually they will just move away when they sense someone coming near them, but people and animals do get bitten when they tread on them accidentally. The bite is rarely fatal in a healthy adult, but is painful and the effects can be quite long lasting. It can be fatal to children and is usually fatal to small animals. If bitten medical treatment should be sought immediately.

An adder can be identified by the V shaped mark on its head. Grass snakes, which are a similar size, do not have such distinct markings as adders, and do not have the V. However, if in doubt best to leave the creature undisturbed and pass at a safe distance.

Answer: Stinging nettle

The stinging nettle can be found all over the world. The leaves are covered in little stinging needles that act almost like a hypodermic needle, injecting various irritating substances into the skin. This produces a painful reaction which can be soothed by anti-histamine cream, or if a dock plant can be found growing nearby, rubbing a dock leaf over the affected area. The plant does, however, have a lot of good points. It is a good source of food for butterflies and other insects. The leaves, steeped in water, make a wonderful liquid fertiliser. Adding nettles to your compost bin improves the compost. Cooked nettles taste similar to spinach and are rich in vitamins and iron. Nettle beer is an old English recipe still used today. Medicinally they are said to be a good arthritis treatment.

For some reason the stings don't seem to bother Susie at all. She regularly walks through nettles without any reaction at all. Possibly her fur and the fact that her paw pads are quite hard protect her from the effects.

Answer: Frogs and Toads

Frogs and toads use a jelly like substance called spawn to lay their eggs. These eggs develop into tadpoles. Despite the fact that there are hundreds, even thousands, of eggs in one batch very few of the tadpoles make it to maturity. There are just too many predators waiting for them to appear to have a tasty snack. Frog and toad spawn appears mainly in early spring, but in a mild winter in sheltered areas it can be as early as late January. Our wildlife park asks that dogs be kept out of the water if frogspawn can be seen so that it is not damaged, and the maximum number of new frogs and toads can survive.

Answer: Pick it up and dispose of it responsibly

Responsible dog owners pick up behind their dog. Many councils and organisations provide special bins for disposal, but if they don't, put it in a bag, take it home, and dispose of it there. No-one likes to walk in an area that is covered in dog poo, plus it can cause eye diseases in children.

In some areas, such as bridleways which are covered in horse droppings, it can be acceptable to just flick the droppings into long grass where it will rot down. Not clearing up behind your dog gets all dog owners a bad name, and is the main cause of dogs being banned from some beaches and other areas.

Answer: Lavender

Lavender is a Mediterranean plant that is very popular in gardens, both for the lovely smell and to attract bees and butterflies. It is also grown commercially for its oil which is used in aromatherapy. The leaves can be used in lavender bags to scent clothes and are a good natural moth repellent.

As a garden plant it needs to be cut back hard each autumn or it can easily become woody and too large, but in the wild it is normally left untrimmed. If left it readily seeds itself. I do try to discourage Susie from sticking her head in it as I am afraid she will be stung by a bee, but they seem to accept this big head disturbing them without too much annoyance.

Answer: Comply with it

Responsible dog owners will always comply with signs asking them to keep their dog under control on a lead, or even not to go into an area. In our wildlife park this is often to protect breeding creatures or young animals from disturbance. Sometimes footpaths run across otherwise private land, and the landowner doesn't want loose dogs running across his property. Again, it is ignoring signs of this type that gets dogs and dog owners a bad name. To enable everyone and their dogs to continue to enjoy parks and walks your dog should always be under control and not a nuisance to other people or animals.

Answer: Catching the stick at the wrong angle can cause injury

Every year many dogs are injured by sticks either damaging their mouths or by actually impaling themselves on a stick they are chasing. Many dogs like to pick up sticks and carry them. Indeed, Susie has been known to spend a whole walk searching for the absolutely perfect stick to carry.

She did once find it; unfortunately it was still attached to a tree. I'm sure she thought I was a very bad Mummy for not dragging the whole tree home for her. Carrying sticks, provided there are no sharp projections, is unlikely to cause harm as if it is too long or awkward the dog will just drop it and go on to the next one. If you want something for the dog to chase a ball or frisbee is a much better object.

Answer: Pheasant

Male pheasants are very colourful birds noted for their gold colour and long tail feathers. They can be seen in fields, along footpaths and bridleways, they will even happily visit large gardens if there is a supply of food there for them. Every year a lot of pheasants are raised for hunting purposes as they are considered good to eat.

Many of these birds do escape into the wild to contribute to the wild population. They nest on the ground and have around eight to ten chicks at a time. These are ready to fly from the nest in just a few weeks.

Answer: Shetland

Shetland ponies have shaggy coats and short legs. They range from about twenty eight inches high to around forty four inches high. The American Shetland, which is recognised as a separate breed, has slightly longer legs and a finer coat than the British one.

They are used as riding ponies for small children, both adults and children use them as carriage driving horses. Many horse shows feature a scurry, where Shetland ponies drawing a carriage negotiate a course at high speed. They are considered to be quite intelligent, which has often led to them also being described as stubborn and headstrong.

Answer: No, not under any circumstances

If I were to let her off lead in a field full of sheep her instinct would be to chase them and jump at them. This could lead to the sheep getting hurt. In fact, a dog should not be left off lead in a field full of any sort of animal, Cattle will probably attack the dog, especially if there are calves with them.

It is best not to even walk a dog across a field full of cows as there have been cases of dog walkers being attacked by a herd of cows who saw the dog as a threat. Farmers are legally entitled to shoot any dog that is chasing their livestock. If you have to walk over fields where there are other animals keep your dog on a lead and under control.