Dog-Unfriendly Birmingham

[Mac of Cygnet]

My dog was brought up among woods, fields and hills. There aren't many of these in central Birmingham. She won't even 'go' on towpaths, which is normally a Good Thing. I can usually find somewhere, but not here. Presently moored at the end of the Main Line, near the NIA, but would move. Any suggestions for anywhere she might consider?

[Guest]

Astro Turf....?

 

It's actually a semi serious suggestion as we have considered it for when we are in some of the urban bits.

[sarahavfc]

There's a small park on the Soho Loop.

[andy3196]

I usually try to moor as close to St Vincent Street Bridge and take Lyra off along the towpath out of town. Just past the little basin, there is a bit of scrubby land that your dog might like, I suppose it's about a five minute walk.

Or there is a park off the Soho loop.

There is also some nice walking round Rotton Park Reservoir.

I usually try to moor as close to St Vincent Street Bridge and take Lyra off along the towpath out of town. Just past the little basin, there is a bit of scrubby land that your dog might like, I suppose it's about a five minute walk.

Or there is a park off the Soho loop.

There is also some nice walking round Rotton Park Reservoir.

[nicknorman]

Looking at google maps etc, if you walk towards Farmer's bridge, get off the canal at the bridge before the services and turn left onto king Edwards road, come to a roundabout and then there is a modest area of parkland ahead on your left. There is a fenced off primary school at your end of the parkland, it looks like you can follow a path around the side of the school going clockwise, but failing that its a short walk on the road anticlockwise around the school to get to said green space.

Edited July 24, 2013 by nicknorman

[mrsmelly]

My dog was brought up among woods, fields and hills. There aren't many of these in central Birmingham. She won't even 'go' on towpaths, which is normally a Good Thing. I can usually find somewhere, but not here. Presently moored at the end of the Main Line, near the NIA, but would move. Any suggestions for anywhere she might consider?

Hi

 

Our dog will not poo on anything other than grass, she will not " Go " on concrete, footpaths, topwaths, roads, paths etc as she is a very clean girl and of course we always clean up after her hence we only moor within waliking distance of a grassed area. She will wee on paths etc if desperate though.

 

Tim

[PaulG]

New Main Line, north side towpath, just beyond the railway bridge?

[Guest]

Hi

 

Our dog will not poo on anything other than grass, she will not " Go " on concrete, footpaths, topwaths, roads, paths etc as she is a very clean girl and of course we always clean up after her hence we only moor within waliking distance of a grassed area. She will wee on paths etc if desperate though.

 

Tim

 

Ours is the same - he will wee on grass BUT never on anything with a hard surface.

 

It made me laugh last time we moored in Clarence dock and we were walking behind the Armouries where he made a bee line for the tiniest bit of weed that was sticking out thee gravel - that was sufficient to placate him.

[NickF]

Looking at google map there is a small park behind the NIA (opposite side to the canal) off St Vincent Street

[PaulG]

Looking at google map there is a small park behind the NIA (opposite side to the canal) off St Vincent Street

I think you'll find that's a school - dogs not always welcome!

Edited July 24, 2013 by PaulG

[Mac of Cygnet]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a look at Andy's piece of ground near St Vincent Street Bridge...Afraid Astroturf would be even less acceptable than towpaths. Being a girl, she regards a bit of privacy as her right, as our house is in the woods.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Mac of Cygnet

[andy3196]

I'll have a look at Andy's piece of ground near St Vincent Street Bridge....

Just realised I should have said it's off the North towpath so same side as NIA. There was, as is common in urban areas, a bit of rubbish lying about but I can't remember there being any real nasties like broken bottles, but would be wise to look out for stuff like that.

[nicknorman]

I think you'll find that's a school - dogs not always welcome!

Dont think so. The first bit is a school as I said, and is fenced off, but the streeview from St Mark's crescent just shows open green space.

[NickF]

I think you'll find that's a school - dogs not always welcome!

oops sorry!

[nicknorman]

Thanks for the replies. I don't want to go too far out of the centre, as I'm leaving the boat at Sherbourne Wharf tomorrow morning and catching a train home to Scotland. I'll have a look at Andy's piece of ground near St Vincent Street Bridge..

The bit of ground I'm referring to is about 5 mins walk, so not really out of the centre!

[bottle]

Mac you may want to edit your post #11 and delete the first sentence.

 

The world and his not so nice mates read this forum.

[john6767]

If you just walk down the New Main Line once you get past St. Vincent St bridge (the second bridge) the towpath is not paved, if you keep to the left towpath going out of the centre, that is the less used and hence rougher one. That is where I take our dog.

[p6rob]

There's some grassy areas up by the Tesco and Cost Cutter the other of Sherborne Wharf. I haven't tried peeing in either so not sure about privacy though.

[nicknorman]

Mac you may want to edit your post #11 and delete the first sentence.

 

The world and his not so nice mates read this forum.

If you mean about leaving his boat at Sherborne wharf, its a secure marina-type mooring.

[Catrin]

We had exactly this problem last year. There is a small patch of scrubby ground just past Sheepcote Street bridge walking back along from the NIA, on the NIA side. That was enough for Odin. There is also a gap in the wall shortly before there that takes you into a car park with shrub beds.

 

On the other side there is a weedy patch at the end of Sherbourne Wharf.

[Smelly]

Walk down toward town... lots of 'flowerbeds" outside NIA or grass at the top of Farmers Bridge as Nick rightly said.

[Neil2]

 

Ours is the same - he will wee on grass BUT never on anything with a hard surface.

 

It made me laugh last time we moored in Clarence dock and we were walking behind the Armouries where he made a bee line for the tiniest bit of weed that was sticking out thee gravel - that was sufficient to placate him.

Yep - we had the same problem at Clarence Dock, and we have three dogs to deal with. We did eventually find some greenery but ended up moving to the moorings above office lock which are much more dog friendly.

 

This is a perennial subject among sea going boaters and the wierd and wonderful measures they take to deal with their dogs toilet habits makes me realise how lucky we are on the cut.

[bottle]

If you mean about leaving his boat at Sherborne wharf, Yes its a secure marina-type mooring. I know but there no such thing as total security. Better to be safer than sorry.

[lydfordcastle]

Loads of grass opposite the Prince of Wales in Cambridge Street. Just walk through the car park at the back of the Malt House by the junction - 2 mins max. There's a paper shop as well.

[grace]

This makes Birmingham 'dog -unfriendly' does it? because your dog cant have a sh!t....