A SUSTAINABLE dog weekend where owners can learn about how to reduce the impact of their pooches on the wildlife is to be held at Queenswood Country Park and Queenswood Country Park and Arboretum.

Running from this Friday (March 31) until Sunday (April 2), the inaugural 'Queenswoof Weekend' will highlight sustainable and eco suppliers of dog food and products. 

Each day, visitors at the park off Dinmore Hill, near Leominster, can benefit from dog behaviour training from the Paws for Thought dog display team.

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There will also be a physiotherapy talk from K9 Gait, as well as stalls from Belmont Vets, Hereford and Worcester Animal Rescue and the RSPCA. Eco and Sustainable suppliers will also be present to showcase their products and the benefits of thinking green.

As usual at Queenswood, there will be a dog themed trail engaging dog walkers around a one-hour circuit of the Arboretum. Visitors can also explore how Herefordshire Wildlife Trust balances its nature reserves and wildlife recovery with clear, open messaging to dog owners.

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"Getting out into the countryside with your dog is great for your own health and wellbeing and great for your dog," said Queenswood manager, Max Smith.

"Queenswood is a fantastic place to walk your dog and we’re proud that it is such a popular park. We wanted to create an event to celebrate all the good things about dog ownership and thank all our regular visitors – human and canine.

"We’re extremely mindful, however, that loose dogs are one of the biggest causes of wildlife disturbance – this is particularly problematic at this time of year when many species are breeding and vulnerable either on or near the ground.

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"Walking dogs near livestock can also be a challenge and, as a venue which welcomes thousands of visitors a year of all ages and backgrounds, many people are also nervous around dogs.

"We’ll be showcasing best practice in responsible dog ownership at the event and hopefully giving people some good tips to help them ensure their dog walks don’t negatively impact their environment.”