Chiswick House Organised Dog Walkers was formed in 2006 by a very small group of dog owners and local residents who regularly walk in Chiswick House Gardens. At that time the newly formed Chiswick House and Gardens Trust and Hounslow Council were applying for Heritage Lottery funding for a major restoration project, and were engaged in a consultation process with regular users of the grounds.

The initial project plans included recommendations to make sweeping changes which would have negatively affected dog-walking in the Gardens. Whilst acknowledging that the overall project would be to the benefit of the whole community, a large number of dog owners – who indeed form the largest regular users of the park – became concerned that these plans would ultimately make dog-walking within the grounds impractical.

In response to a number of consultation meetings held in connection with the restoration project, CHOW convened a public meeting (filling the venue,) to formalise the views of the dog-walking community, and asked for a mandate to continue to publicise the issues.

Mr George Nissen, Chairman of Chiswick House Friends, together with Mr John Armstrong, Deputy Chairman kindly attended this meeting, and their subsequent negotiations with CHG Trustees and management together with the Project Team led to a positive outcome in that the proposals were amended. A new Code of Conduct for dog walkers in the Gardens was agreed, and the rights to access existing off-lead areas confirmed for dog-walkers.  

This Code of Conduct is available on each notice board at each of the entrances and we ask all dog-walkers to abide by this code which, amongst other things, says that dogs must not disturb other users of the Gardens and that owners should ensure they clean up after their dogs.

Today, CHOW works very closely with Chiswick House Gardens Trust to promote responsible dog-walking. We are not a charity in our own right, but see ourselves as a lobbying group promoting the interests of the dog-walking community. We are represented at meetings of Parkwatch, for example. CHOW is also involved in the production of the annual Dog Show, under the aegis of Chiswick House Friends. The new dog bins installed throughout the Gardens have been funded from the proceeds of this annual event.

We also act as a link between CHG management and the dog-walking community in the grounds. As the largest established regular group of park users, many using the gardens on a daily basis, dog-walkers will be aware of potential issues which can be raised quickly. (We can be contacted by e-mail: thechowgroup@yahoo.co.uk)

CHOW enjoys a good working relationship with the excellent CHGT Management team – both working towards the future enjoyment of the re-invigorated Chiswick House Gardens by the whole community.