None of the three main national secure dog field directories we normally check (British Dog Fields, Dog Walking Fields, Waggly Tails) carry a confirmed Hertfordshire listing — that absence is itself worth knowing. A smaller, less prominent directory (Pawsfield) does list 19 Hertfordshire sites, but marks none of them as independently verified bookable, so most needed checking one by one. Two real, usable finds came out of that process.
Grow Walkies
A multi-site operator with its own website, company-wide policy of “exclusive use of safe, fully-fenced fields,” and genuine customer reviews corroborating sole use. It runs named Hertfordshire fields at Amwell (Ware), Flamstead (St Albans), Graveley (Hitchin), Hertford, Shenley, South Mimms (Potters Bar), and Tewin (Welwyn). The clearest site-specific detail we could confirm is the Shenley field (WD7 9EN): 2.5 acres, 6ft digger-proof fencing, secure phone-activated access, agility apparatus, shelter and water. Individual acreage, exact postcode and price for the other sites weren’t available beyond general location — phone or email the operator directly (0800 260 6915) for per-site specifics before booking. A separate Grow Walkies site in Barnet, EN5, is in Greater London, not Hertfordshire, so it’s excluded from this guide.
Country Boarding Kennels, Baldock
Primarily a dog-boarding and training business, but its own site confirms a bookable exclusive-use field: a 15-acre open field plus a smaller enclosed park fenced to 6ft with CCTV. Published prices: group walk from £6 (weekday) / £6.50 (weekend); 30-minute exclusive use from £11 / £12; a 60-minute group meeting (up to 20 people) for £40. Serves Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock, Royston and Biggleswade. Exact postcode not published — contact the operator directly.
What we couldn’t confirm
Two sites have planning permission for dog-exercise use but showed no evidence of actually trading when we checked — a Welwyn Hatfield-approved field at Meadow Farm, Northaw (near Potters Bar), and another on Wych Elm Lane, Welwyn. Neither has a website, booking system or social media presence, so we’re not presenting either as bookable. The remaining Pawsfield-listed sites (including one in Much Hadham called Adventure Bark, which does have some local recognition via a community podcast episode) couldn’t be independently confirmed in this pass — worth checking directly before planning a visit around any of them.
A secure field is brilliant for a nervous or reactive dog who needs proper off-lead time without the worry of other dogs wandering in. If yours still takes a while to settle even with the field to themselves, a calming bite before the session can help take the edge off, alongside whatever training you’re already working through. For ongoing reactivity, talk to your vet or a qualified behaviourist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a secure dog field in Hertfordshire?
Yes — Grow Walkies runs several named exclusive-use fields across the county (Ware, St Albans, Hitchin, Hertford, Shenley, Potters Bar and Welwyn areas), and Country Boarding Kennels in Baldock offers a bookable exclusive-use field. None of the three main national secure-field directories list any Hertfordshire site, so these are worth knowing about directly.
Is Grow Walkies guaranteed exclusive use?
Yes, the operator states this as a company-wide policy on its own site, and customer reviews corroborate it. Individual site details beyond the Shenley field weren’t separately confirmed, so phone ahead for specifics.
Are there secure dog fields planned for Hertfordshire?
Two sites near Potters Bar and Welwyn have planning permission for dog-exercise use, but neither shows any sign of actually trading — no website, booking system or social media found.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who treats any field with a gate as an invitation to run laps.
