AIBU to think muzzling all dogs in public needs to be mandatory?

[Peskylawnseed]

Five. I encountered five unmuzzled and unfriendly dogs on my morning walk today. Three on a flexi line. Two off lead. Not one under control.

It’s not hard to muzzle train a dog. Any adult who wants a dog should be able to do it. If you can’t, don’t get a dog! I am so sick of my dog being attacked, lunged at, snarled at, snapped at or growled at by other people’s uncontrolled dogs. And all whilst the owner stands there and either ineffectually says
’no, don’t do that, bad Rosie’ or just smiles indulgently and rubs their dogs back!! Owners who do that clearly have no idea they are reinforcing their dogs behaviour and I am so sick of my walks being ruined by these people.

Highlight of today was a woman with a bull terrier, which she knows isn’t friendly as I’ve seen it’s dozens of times now, lunging and snarling at mine whilst she just stroked its back and cuddled it. Words fail me. It’s not even about my dogs safety, it’s about her own dogs safety.

And it’s always the same dog breeds. Always.

I know any dog can be aggressive, but at least if you encounter a non friendly poodle chances are it’s on the lead or muzzled!!! I know it’s partly the owner because certain types of people are attracted to these sorts of dogs and 9.9/10 times they’re not equipped to deal with them. Or think beating the dog is how you train it. Or even think it’s funny.
But I am really coming to think all dogs should be muzzled in public because the few are endangering the many. It’s the easiest solution and the most easily enforceable.

Just off on a walk
I'll be sure to take a big stick and fend off all the snarlers and lungers...

Last week my on the lead dog was charged, barked and snarled at by a Border Collie, off lead, but muzzled. It was a horrible experience, my dog was terrified and tried to defend herself.
I would say the muzzle had made the owner complacent.

No, at the most all dogs should be on leads unless in specific areas for dogs.

Well there are certainly enough of them out there. I’ve just had an off lead dog frighten mine and totally out of control.

Another thing that needs to stop - owners leaving their dogs tied up outside shops.
As well as, given the reports in the press over the past few years, policemen.

Hope you healed up ok @TheCactusSpokes, sounds horrendous.

My dog is often off the lead. She’s got 100% recall. She’s been off the lead since 12 weeks. This is when they socialise with other dogs and learn the dog rules. As a consequence of this, my dog never gets into any kind of scrap/confrontation with other dogs. She knows how to read their body language and will be friendly or completely ignore.

I see so many people these days who don’t let their dogs socialise with other dogs. These dogs then have no idea how to behave. You see them straining on the lead and hear the owners telling them off for wanting to say hello to another dog.

All would be dog owners require proper training.

I have wolfhounds and lurchers. They happily ignore every other dog and person and amble along as if its some sort of punishment to go for a walk.
I foster dogs and overwhelmingly its the specific mixes ( poodle crosses, bichon crosses ) that are badly trained and reactive. Probably because the original owners got them for a specific look and not knowing much about the breed mixes and how they respond to the world. For example a springer spaniel is designed to channel scent into the nose and has amazing scent memory, they are very intelligent and need to give their brain a workout as well as their legs. Yet time and again they are being dragged along on a brisk walk, no chance to sniff usually by someone with headphones in.

This. Dogs are social animals.

Mine is the same. The only thing he's interested in when we're walking is his ball

Ha ha as if, The world panders to dog owners, no question.

In what ways?

There’s something about this thread that reminds me of 2020, but I can’t quite think what it is..,

Even the smallest dog has the potential to kill a human. They should all wear muzzles when out in public, except for in designated dog parks which are fenced off to protect people from coming into contact with dogs.

😂

Oh ffs

Even the smallest of children can bite. Should we muzzle them, too?

Oona has previously suggested all dogs are replaced with robots. 🤷‍♀️

How many people have been killed by the bite of a child?

How many people are killed annually by falling down the stairs in their own homes?

🙄

Yes. 5lb yorkies are famous for their ferocious bites. My dog couldn't break skin you wally

14 this year already 🫪

They could easily kill a small child if they bit them in the jugular.

Maybe not muzzle but I think all dogs should be on the lead. I have a staffy husky rescue who we keep on lead and close to us at all times (unless in a paid, enclosed field with just him) because of the breed he is, and how little grace is given to him compared to other dogs.

The amount of times walking him we’ve had (usually smaller) dogs coming up off lead and terrorising him. He’s a friendly boy but he’s nervous and jumps away, and the owners will just do the usual “its friendly” and struggle to recall it until I shout at them.

today I was out running and got jumped by a lurcher, off lead, had no recall and the women seemed rather annoyed I asked her to control her dog. It ended up biting my friend and she told us off for running past it. Just blows my mind people let their dogs off lead and running uncontrolled with no consideration of others.

I say this as a huge dog lover - but a responsible dog owner.

I disagree. My dog is trained not to approach dogs on lead. He doesn't even need the command, he does it automatically since he was trained at 6 months old. He can pick up on both human and canine cues, so frequently he sees tense looking owners grab their dogs on a pathway, and he slows to a walk and gives them a wide berth, not making eye contact. Again, he doesn't need the command now, I trained him as a pup and he weighs up the situation and makes a judgement call. If he isn't sure how to handle a situation he looks to me for commands/guidance. He comes back on first recall. We were at a NT estate at the weekend and the rules was only off lead if under control and recalls at first command. We used it as a training opportunity and he was bolting through the woods as he had been on lead for a week due to an injury. He nailed it on the first whistle every single time (it was just me whistling, not even an actual whistle). If I stop and talk to someone he automatically returns to my side without the need for instruction.

Why does he need to be on a lead?