I think it depends on the individual child and the dog.

with our family dog, I was the one who walked him the vast majority of the time. I won't claim that I was the best handler in the world, but I was better than my mum and dad...they only got the dog for us children, had no real interest in training/walking him and couldn't tell when he was about to be aggressive or friendly to another dog.

At 15 I was probably as strong phsyically as I am now (and no doubt much fitter!).

I let my neighbours boy walk our old dog Kip - we live in a fairly small village, Kip knew where he lived and was road sensible (not much traffic anyway) and we know the other dogs in the village. So to me the risks were fairly small and it was worth it to help the lad understand what dog ownership was about (he walked him once a day for 2 weeks before he got bored!)

I would be far more cautious who I let walk Hoki and Stumpy though as the risks with those two are greater.

Thats a good point I have had a few fosters that have done a bunk and always my eldest son or hubby who caught them as am not as fit as I was when younger.

My friend's 4 year old loves to come and walk the dogs with us, she chooses which one she wants to walk and we put her 'special lead' on them. She has a lead attached to a soft quick release collar. The dog still has its regular lead and collar on as well so she is in no danger but feels involved.

My nieces are older 11 - 14 and I let them hold Selkie or Pharaoh on a walk but not Kismet, Kismet is too strong and boisterous. But only if I am with them and only once we get to the field or in the cul de sac where there is little or no traffic and I can see trouble coming.

I walked a staffie (for a stranger, I was a dog walker for them) for 4 years, from the age of 14-18. I learnt ALOT from this experience, no, I didn't do everything fine, but its the same as letting an adult with no experience do the same, its not just about being young. I learnt fast and became very in tune with the boy I walked, that experience has taught me a lot and I'm grateful they trusted me.
That said, I don't think if I have children, they'll be allowed to walk my future dogs unaided until they're old enough to at least get a paperround, and maybe then only take the dog on that.
I'm not putting down any of your points, they're all valid and I agree, mostly

No chance.

Hubby can walk them or even a good friend on here Wysiwyg did when she looked after one of mine ages ago.

But no one else, absolutely not and definately not children.

No way only hubby and I walk them, I would be worrying about them the whole time they were out.

I dont really trust anyone to walk Bruno really, hubby is ok, but am never totally happy if my mother in law or my mum walk him ( although apparantely he walks better with them !!! which doesnt say alot about me !! )

BUt i feel I KNOW him better and what sets him off - but there is no way i would allow a child or someone I didnt know to walk him. He is too unpredictable with other dogs and it be incredibly irresponsible. I also get nervous if i see a child walking a dog coming towards us as in my experience they havent been very able to control their dogs if anything kicks off.

I must admit when i was younger i worked for a charity called the Cinnamon trust as a teenager...i used to walk dogs for the elderly and help them with their pets. I remember i was about 16 and i was walking an old ladies collie cross and ****zu and the collie just suddenly collapsed on me in the middle of the road. I didn't panic and for a 16 year old i handled the situation very well. However i think this was probably down to the experience i already had with dogs by working in the kennels.

I've walked our dogs since I was about 11. Then again, they are small, and we live on an extremly quiet estate and I never let them off. Now, with Tee-J, I only walk him occasionally, and am wary of this (the dog accross the road escaped and attacked him, and tries to break down the gate when we walk past).

The only people I allow to walk my dogs are myself, my OH and my Daughter (she's 23)
Our two Grandkids (3 and 6 yrs old) are always pestering to walk them when out on our walks , and rather than say no all the time I let them hold the lead with me , this keeps them happy so keeps me happy , lol