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Dogging

Dogging is a slang term for having or watching sex in public or semi-public spaces, typically in car parks, lay-bys, or other secluded outdoor locations. The term is believed to have originated in the UK in the 1970s, used to describe individuals who claimed to be 'walking the dog' as a cover for engaging in or watching public sex.

Over time, dogging has evolved into a distinct subculture within the UK and has occasionally been featured in tabloid media and documentaries. While the activity tends to centre around heterosexual couples having sex, this is not always the case, and the male spectators may engage in the sex while watching. 

Dogging often involves voyeurism, where people watch others having sex, and exhibitionism, where individuals perform sexual acts to be seen. Group sex or spontaneous participation by onlookers may also happen. While some dogging is spontaneous, some drive to known locations and/ or are pre-arranged online through forums, chat rooms, and apps. Despite the informality, the dogging scene often adheres to unwritten codes of conduct, eg: flashing car headlights to signal interest while open windows or illuminated interiors may indicate an invitation to watch.

Consent is a core principle in dogging, despite its public setting. All participants, including spectators, are expected to understand and respect one another’s boundaries. Consent is usually communicated non-verbally or negotiated briefly before any activity begins. Care must be taken to ensure that non-consenting members of the public are not inadvertently exposed to sexual activity, as this can lead to legal consequences.

According to Wikipedia, BBC News reported the "new" dogging craze in 2003. It cited the Internet and text messaging as common ways of organising meetings. Referring to voyeuristic activities, the Oxford English Dictionary notes that the term "dogging" was used within the context of British railways by at least 1951.

The law
Although there is no specific law in the UK that prohibits dogging by name, public sexual activity may be prosecuted under several existing legal provisions if witnessed and reported. These include:

• Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, which addresses behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress
• Section 66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which criminalises the intentional exposure of genitals with the intent to cause alarm or distress
• Common law offence of outraging public decency, which applies to lewd* or obscene acts in public if seen by two or more people and deemed to offend public sensibilities

* Rude, lascivious, licentious, indecent, obscene, smutty, dirty.

Importantly, these laws are generally enforced only if someone witnesses the sexual activity, feels offended or alarmed, and makes a formal complaint. In practice, the police often exercise discretion when responding to reports of dogging. Since 2010, guidance from the former Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has advised that arrest should be a last resort, encouraging officers to take a more measured and proportionate response. If accurate, this cautious approach is partly informed by the historical legacy of discriminatory policing, particularly the past targeting of gay men for public sexual activity. 

Dogging etiquette Leicestershire Live News, May 2019

1. You have to wear a condom, to prevent any STDs or unwanted pregnancies. It's even advised to take a box to share around with fellow doggers.
2. Do not 'dog' in front of children or unsuspecting passers-by.
3. Refrain from disturbing the peace or attracting attention.
4. Anonymity is key. No one should reveal the identity of other doggers and you should create a dogging name to protect your identity.
5. Do not destroy public property or trespass on private property.
6. All condoms and rubbish should be collected and discarded of in a bin.
7. Legal driving and parking should always be practised.
8. Agree a signal or safe word in case one of the you wants to stop.
9. It is not generally accepted for a woman to turn up to a dogging location alone. It is advised that she takes a man she trusts with her to protect her interests.
10. Steer clear of areas known for prostitution and drug dealing.
11. If watching, you should not touch unless verbally invited to do so.
12. If you're happy for people to watch flash your interior light. If you want the watchers to come closer or join in roll down your window.
13. Don't leave on headlights when arrived at the scene.
14. When finished, drive around for a bit or stop for food to make sure you're not being followed.

14 dogging etiquette rules and where the activity originated from | Leicestershire Live News | 11 May 2019

Dogging outside the UK
While the concept of public sex exists globally, “dogging” as a named, 'organised' and semi-coded practice is distinctly British. Fragmented variations exist in other countries, usually part of cruising, swinging, or spontaneous public encounters, often shaped by local attitudes toward sex, privacy, and legality.

• USA: There isn’t an exact equivalent, though public sex culture does exist, eg: car meetups or swingers' gatherings, parks, rest stops, or “hookup trails”
• Germany: A strong culture of Freikörperkultur (FKK) or "free body culture", which is more about nudity and body acceptance than sex.
• France: public sex is practised, eg: in wooded areas outside cities, but typically under the banner of "échangisme" (swinging) or cruising.
• Australia and New Zealand: Dogging-like activity does occur, particularly in car parks, beaches, or bushland areas.

Dogging jokes/one-liners

• “I told my wife I was going dogging. She asked if I was taking the Labrador. I said no, but I might pick up a stray.”
• “I bought a satnav secondhand from a guy who’s into dogging. It keeps taking me to lay-bys with steamed-up windows.”
• “Dogging must be the only outdoor activity where people hope for poor visibility and no barking dogs.”
• “Joined a dogging group online. I was the only one who brought a dog. Still, everyone seemed very friendly.”
• “Dogging: the only time people leave their lights on to not be seen.”
• “People say dogging is wrong, but it gets me out in nature and keeps me social. The NHS should prescribe it!”

More

Dogging | Wikipedia
Dogging (sexual slang) | Today in Sex History

News

Many of these articles include ads. 

Outrage over dogging hotspot where people 'have group sex in broad daylight' | Daily Record | 8 Jun 2025
Dogging Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas | Dorset Eye | 16 Dec 2024
Getting Frisky Al Fresco: I’m a mum and a secret dogger – I play with up to 8 men a night in the back of cars – what lights flashing really means | The Sun | 14 Oct 2024
Couple who nearly split during lockdown say dogging saved their marriage | Joe | 21 Apr 2023
The Parliament Politics | 10 Feb 2023

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