Kept on a lead?

[punkgirlyuk]

Is there a law that Rottweilers should be kept on a lead when in public?

[electricblue]

I haven't heard of it and we got rotties,though theres one opposite who should be kept on permanantly,but unfortunately the owner is a bit of a,''''''''!he should be on one too!!

[Lonnie]

My neighbour has four, showdogs, and when she walks them, they are always on a lead, gentle as kittens, don't know about the law though.

[Lonnie]

i've just checked, and there's no law even to say they should have leads, however, its upto the owners to maintain strict control, otherwise, the slightest threatening behaviour, and they would immediately come under the 'Dangerous Dogs Act', and all that that entails, including the possibility of being put down.

[punkgirlyuk]

It's just that i've got a 7 month puppy and we were walking the other day in the park on a bit called the Dog Walk and someone was walking the other way. My dog is normally good and stays at my side but this guy didn't give us any room and my pup jumped up at him. He is still only training and never is agressive, in fact its the opposite, he trys to lick them! Anyway this guy didn't have a dog and started ranting on that my dog should be on a lead, put down, etc. Also this guy really hit my dog hard when he jumped up at him. Who was in the wrong? This guy is walking on a path called the dog walk without a dog then hitting a puppy when it jumps to say hello, and he only jumped coz there was no room on the path to avoid the guy!

[wolf63]

The problem with rotties is they look fierce.

Some people in the world are morons. But it is likely that he genuinely got a fright and just said the first thing that he thought of.

In the eighties we had a bullmastiff/german shepherd mix. He would toddle around to the primary school at breaks to visit the kids, he was the gentlest dog ever. They loved him and he them. Today he would probably be shot and cause a media panic about devil dogs eating our children.

[lankeela]

There is no law specific to Rotties, but you should keep all dogs on a lead where there is traffic.

It is also advisable not to let your dog jump up at strangers, as the law regarding 'dangerous dogs' now states that people only have to 'think' that the dog was going to attack them, and if they are frightened they can report the dog. This can result in the dog having a destruction order placed on it.

This unfortunately is one of the problems with owning a breed like a Rottie. No matter how well behaved they are, people have the wrong idea about them, and you will find people crossing the road to avoid them and scooping up children and dogs when you approach.

I would advise keeping it on a lead whenever there are people about, and only letting it off when you are sure there is no-one around. Take it to training classes so you can learn to control it on and off the lead, and teach it to 'lie down' when anyone apporoaches. This will earn you some respect from the public if they can see you have the dog under total control.

[Lonnie]

Furher to lankeela's post, which is excellent advice, in my post above, I mentioned my neighbours dogs, and their nature, she's been keeping Rotties for years, and loves them like children, she still takes them to obedience classes,

[jedimistress]

I live in Exeter and they are very strict about dogs on leads. An on the spot fine if it's not. Think it may have come about due to some hysteria and homeless people and their dogs. Yet my dog never wears a lead anywhere else in the country. I think a lot is down to local byelaws.

As long as you have a dog you will have people giving you grief or scowls. You'll have to get used to it. Dogs are an easy target for people to moan at you about, even if they haven't done anything wrong.

[lankeela]

From a site specialising in Dog Law:

NEWS
Dog Control Orders
The Government has announced that from 6th April 2006 Councils will have the power to create Dog Control Orders (DCO�s) which may be applied to specified areas of land. These will relate to:


failing to remove dog faeces
not keeping a dog on a lead (the length of which can be specified)
not putting and keeping a dog on a lead when directed to by an authorised officer (again, the length of lead can be specified)
permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded
taking more than a specified number of dogs onto land


Consultation must be undertaken before a DCO is made, so you should check local newspapers for notices inviting comments.



Breach of a DCO may lead to a Fixed Penalty Notice or a prosecution which could lead to a fine of up to �1,000.

[Toureman]

To answer your question, There is no law unless it is a by law that any dogs have to be kept on a lead!

But it is law that dogs are to be under the control of their owner at all times.

On this occasion your dog was not under your control.

The first Rottie we had was an ex demonstration dog and was under our control at all times, for the five years we had her she was never on a lead even in busy towns.

She would follow every command we gave her at all times!