Dogs To Be Muzzled?

[annieigma]

Another child in intensive care because of a dog attack. This seems to be a regular occurance.
is it time to bring in laws to protect innocent children from being killed by someones pet dog?
Something must be done. they ( the breeders ) bred the aggressiveness out of Alsatians some years ago, so time to to do the same to other potentially nasty breeds, and meanwhile pass a law that ALL dogs of certain breeds must be muzzled.

[Mamyalynne]

Coming just two days after a dreadful incident in my home town where people were hurt and two dogs shot in the street, I suppose my reaction should be , yes muzzle them all.

But in truth I'd prefer tighter controls or at least the controls we have to be better enforced and reports from neighbours etc acted upon when received.

[wolf63]

Some people breed dogs for money and the dogs are often poorly bred and not socialised at a young age. This can cause many problems.

Some people who have dogs do not understand dog behaviour and body language. They shouldn't be allowed to have a dog without some sort of training.

Most dogs are well loved and cared for and cause no problem at all. Puzzling dogs won't prevent dog attacks at home.

[jourdain2]

My small, frightened, rescue mixed-breed was attacked by other free(well-bred) dogs whilst he was on the lead 2 years ago. His response was to start to go for them first - he really wanted to inflict damage - and my first response was to muzzle him. In a week he rubbed his nose and mouth on the ground to a bleeding mess and I resolved that he would never be muzzled again. Some dogs can't take it.

It has taken a long, long time but he now has canine companions and trusts us to protect him. You cannot judge all dogs by one or two attacks - horrific though they are.

Locally there are two large, terrifying-looking Staffies. - now I have got to know them they are gentle, friendly, well-trained dogs. No excuses for owners who do not know/control their dogs - none at all - but there will always be idiot owners who acquire dogs they do not understand. Hard to legislate for that.

No, I don't approve of breeding and using dogs as weapons, but you simply can't categorise certain breeds without categorising pairings with certain types of owner. It is impossible and penalises the dogs - not the irresponsible owners.

[wolf63]

Puzzling dogs should, of course, be muzzling dogs.

[jno]

oh, I don't know, wolf, they won't have time to attack children if they're busy with sudokus all day

[wolf63]

Jno, you can actually download games for cats. I'm not really sure if a dog would have much fun chasing fish on a screen

[mikey4444]

Muzzles ?....no, of course not. we have millions of dogs and children in Britain, and to make all dogs wear muzzles would be over the top.

[johnk]

Irresponsible Dog owners are the problem not the dogs, especially those that spoil their dog until the dog thinks it can do what it wants whenever it wants and the owners who deliberately want an aggressive dog to gain a sort of macho image

[murraymints]

agree that much of the dog's behaviour is down to the owner, however, there are some breeds , that have already been identified as dangerous breeds, that ought to be muzzled whilst out and about incase their natural attack instincts are triggered by smaller dogs and children....

[Deskdiary]

For irresponsible owners read chavs.

Chavs favour Staffordshire bull terriers and (as the media calls them) 'pit bull like dogs'.

It is too much of a coincidence for me that pretty much all reports of dogs going nuts tend to involve these types of dogs, so I'd happily see Staffs and the like added to the DDA. Add irresponsible owners into the mix and it becomes a case of when and not if.

[youngmafbog]

Before compulsory muzzling there are many things that can be done first.

1) Enforce current laws
2) Mandatory registration (chipping) of dogs.
3) Compulsory insurance (linked to the chip)
4) Dogs on a lead at all times in a public place.
5. Compulsory training for owners from a registered body.

If the owners dont do this then 1st time a fine second time large fine/jail third time dog is removed/destroyed.

This is nothing more than I do so it is not a problem.

[Deskdiary]

To clarify.

Where I say "Add irresponsible owners into the mix and it becomes a case of when and not if." what I mean is when irresponsible owners own these types of dogs, it is not a case of if their dogs bite, it is a case of when they bite.

[ummmm]

If dogs have to be on the lead at all times how do they get adequate exercise?

[B00]

Think this needs to be tackled from 'ground zero' as it were.

Make all dog breeding illegal unless it's from a licensed breeder. I would like to see this happening regardless of the spate of dog attacks recently.

[Peter Pedant]

and they did it with devil dogs twenty years ago
( the dogs that look like hairy pigs - rottweilers ?)

the big dogs have a shorter life span 8-10 y and so it is easier to do so.

the dog club refused to give a cert to any dog that had an attack history or its offspring

[Tilly2]

Hairy pigs? Rottweilers? :-)

[Boto]

Do you stop all people having children because some parents kill their children? Do you stop all people driving cars because some people cause accidents? etc, etc.

[murraymints]

Tilly..egg at Rutland too !

[Tilly2]

I know, Minty. Thanks anyway. x

[chanel5]

I agree that irresponsible dog owners who do not sufficiently control their animals are to blame for most of the problems and the horrendous attacks that have taken place. But, without taking away from the need to address this terrible problem, I would also suggest that some parents also need to control their children better.
I have a six month old collie cross. He is extremely friendly and loves everyone, to the point where he wags his tail and his whole body at everyone we meet. He is endearing, and naturally children are drawn to him. Having only just begun puppy training classes, he is still quite boisterous when he gets attention, so I keep him on a lead at all times, and a very short lead when he is meeting children. The other day at the beach, one small child (about 4 years old, with her mother) was really taken with him - she petted him for a long time, while I held his collar. He loved it and so did she. We walked on, the child ran after us. I stopped again, I held his collar and allowed her to pet him again. This happened four times, while the mother made no attempt to stop the child running after us. Eventually I asked the mother if she could prevent the child running after us as we needed to walk on and the dog was becoming over-excited. We walked away, I released the dog's collar (he was still on his lead), the child suddenly reappeared, took me by surprise, the dog, already excited, was overjoyed, leapt at the child, and knocked her down. Thankfully, she was unhurt, but she was shocked, and cried. The dog thought it was great fun. The mother was furious because the dog had knocked down the child. I was furious because the mother did not control the child. Had this gone to a complaint, the dog would have got the blame. It was not the dog's fault, nor the child's fault. It was the mother's fault. But I would have been penalised and my dog may have been perceived to have "attacked" this child. I do not want this story to seem to minimise the seriousness of attacks by dogs, especially the horrendous attack by a pack in a park, during which two dogs were shot dead. But some parents need to learn common sense when their children are around dogs.