Children - how old to walk a dog alone?

I ask because today I took Sal and Tess out with my two nieces who will be 12 in Nov and 11 in Jan. They took it in turns to walk Sal the other getting the puppy Tess I walked with them and Sal does not pull at all and actually won't go more than about 4ft in front of me without stopping. Well we saw a girl of about 12 maybe 13 (my older niece said went to Senior school last year) and she was walking a Lab albeit a nice Lab. We walked almost towards her and she said "Please don't some to close he doesn't like other dogs!!!!!"
We were walking a different way anyhow. Took Tess back home and hen I walked the girls to their house about 3 miles away. We saw the girl and she was in trouble. A loose dog "with an owner that obviously did not realise the problem at first"
The loose dog trying to playwith the Lab who was going ballistic.

I looped Sal's lead round a lampost (not sure the girls could hold her if she thought I was being barked at by another dog )
Then I ran to help the girl calling the owner of the other dog who rushed over too. I grabbed the Labs lead and with an effort pulled him back into a "sit" the owner of the loose dog put his dog on lead. The girl was crying, we I used my phone to phone her house and her mom came to get her as she was really shook up.

So how old would you let a child be to walk a dog alone?

Karen

Not sure at what age I will let my kids walk Star.

My son is nearly 13 and I dont let him walk Star alone. She is far to strong for him and I dont think he would be able to cope if a fight broke out.

i would say 16/17 for a larger dog. I had no probs walkin scruffy (bichon) when i was 14, cos he was little and altho he pulled, there were no probs. but the stronge breeds shudnt be walked but younger than 17 really. Like other day wasa rottie being walked by two wot looked like 12 yr olds and they had no control. he jmped up at me and nearly knocked me over. both of them pullin back on the lead. it can be very dangerous,.
Also my friend had a dalmation, and they paid a kid to walk it for em!! he was about 14 at the time, the dog pulled and he lost grip of the lead. the dog ran into thw road and got hit by a van. dog died instantly at about 5 months old.

17 I think Kazz

i agree not til about 16 - 17 years old

Yes that is what I thought. For a moment then I thought I was being an old fuddy duddy

Thanks

I'd say when they were competent enough to own a dog themselves (at least 1. I'd NEVER let the kids take Rocky out for a walk by themselves - wot if another dog attacked him? or he decided to run across the road, with kids holding the lead?
Definately not! Dogs are not toys! *Angry Azz*

Sad thing about this wasthe girl said "noone in the family but her takes the dog for a walk"

Karen

poor dog

i think it does kind of depend on the dog really but i agree that at least 15/16 for a good dog.