I take my young dog to a small city park where lots of other friendly, family dogs play together, often off the lead. From time to time one will run up to another dog to sniff. They are all known to each other at least by sight even of they do not play.
There is a woman who regularly walks two large dogs on a lead there. One is a Labrador, the other a rottweiller. She never lets them off, but I had heard the rottweiller had pulled away from her the other day to go after a dog and she had not been able to hold him back at first as he is so strong. Everything was all right in the end. I did not see what happened myself but heard about it.
Today I saw her and thought I had better ask about the rottweiller, to find out more about it, incase our dog or another were to run up to it. I asked her what he would do if this were to happen? She answered that he would "Go for it". I asked, "Would he growl and warn, or would he bite?" She answered, "Oh, he would bite/attack it." I said "In that case do you not think it might be safer if he had a muzzle?" She said "No, because it is up to other dogs to be controlled and stay away." She said she did keep a tight hold of him and warn people to call their dog away.
I asked if there was a certain time of day she comes, and she said no she comes at all times of the day starting at 7.30.
I understand that in the law, she may be right - it is up to people to keep their dog under control and a dog on a lead which attacks another off the lead is not held responsible. But in practice, in a small friendly park where people bring their children and young dogs and puppies, and let them of the lead, in inevitably they run up to other dogs unless they are on the lead all the time.
I cannot understand her attitude, even if she is legally right. If I knew my dog was aggressive and were taking it to a small park, I would put a muzzle on it in case of an accident. A child could do something unexpected, let alone another curious dog. What would you think?
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Would you put a muzzle on your potentially aggressive dog in a public park?
87 replies
KindDogsTail · 21/07/2016 16:10
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