We are talking for dogs out on a walk on this thread aren't we??? My dogs only get 2 x 40 min. walks per day, so to me, 1hr. ish a day is all I'm talking about??? It's just that I'm getting the impression here that we are expected to have them muzzled all the time, as if they're with us all the time, and with our kids at home etc. etc. surely not???

Thats what I mean yes Helena, when dogs are exercised. With the increasing number of attacks whilst owners are present, i thought it may be a relevant solution.
Dawn.

My dogs get over 3 hours exercise a day - they live for their walks/exercise and to muzzle them whilst walking would IMO lessen this enjoyment quite considerably. I tend to walk in the wilds of the countryside too, so don't often come across lots of other people.

As an aside, what would happen if a dog ran off on a walk - as some do, and got lost ... how would they drink, find food with a muzzle on. Take the two beardies that Phil told us about, who lived for 6+ months alone in the Highland mountains, living off deer and sheep carcasses. If they had been muzzled, they would have died of starvation. I know lost dogs are a reasonably small proportion of the entire dog population - but I think it is also worth considering.

I doubt this type of measure would have any effect at all, as just like any other law, its the lawful that follow it, the unlawful that do not. That would mean the responsible pet owners would be the ones not only paying the price, but risking their own dogs welfare by muzzling them. Since the wellmannered, welltrained dogs would be the ones muzzles, and those are not the dogs causing the problem. I fail to see how this is a viable solution.

I would not punish my dog by muzzling her for crimes she has not now nor will she ever commit. She loves to play ball, she loves to swim. She loves to play with other dogs. Muzzled dogs don't play well together as they can't read each otheres body language as well. This is also likely to cause more fights, espeically frightening considering the more aggressive dogs are more likely to be unmuzzled.

Thankfully, this hasn't even been considered in the states. I'm beginning to feel sorry for the dogs of the UK with so much garbage legislation to deal with.

Thanks Dawn

Right then. If I had young dogs who needed 5 hours exercise a day, and I had 5 hours a day to spend doing it, then there is no way in this World that my dogs would be muzzled, absolutely no way!

In my current situation, however, one hour out of their daily life of having a muzzle stuck on their mouth, with no chance of even wanting to stray away from me, no risk of incurring a heavy fine either, I think we could live with that. Not ideal, but we could live with it.

I quite understand how some of you others are dead against it, and in your circumstances then I would be too, but it doesn't matter quite so much to me, fortunately. If my circumstances change, then so will my opinion on this!

dogs cant defned themselves if attacked

i dont think it would solve the attacks - not everyone would comply

i think a rule about no dogs off a lead in parks etc would ruin it for responsible owners like ourselves - so mabey this is the next best thing


i dontt think it shodul be made to happen - idiots with the dangerous dogs should be punished not us respnsible owners

hi
i voted no - absolutely not.
2 main reasons for me

i tried to muzzle bruno as a means of dealing with his onlead dog aggression and he absolutely hated it - i also found it incredibly difficult to find a muzzle that fitted him comfortably.
secondly - he isnt allowed offlead with other dogs due to his tendency to dog aggression so HE doesnt need muzzled - as is always under my control.

and finally Bruno was attacked yesterday whilst ONLEAD by an offlead black lab who bit his face ( mm from his eye) and back leg - if he had been muzzled aswell then he wouldnt have had a chance at defending himself and could of come off far worse.
This happened with a fairly respectable woman, well off etc who just didnt feel it necessary to curb her out of control dog and that he would "learn" to not approach dogs at the expense of damaging my dogs already bad karma !!

a high majority of dog attacks occur with roaming loose latchkey dogs or in the home and this is what needs to be addressed NOT the socialised dogs running around in most parks etc.
RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP is what is required and thats where money should be aimed NOT at plastic for muzzles !

I also agree with someone else who pointed out that compulsory muzzling would probably lead to worse trained dogs and more rescue dogs too !!

Agree with all Dani said and I really hope poor Bruno is ok.
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But if the Lab and Bruno were muzzled, neither dog would of been hurt and seperating fighting dogs would mean no chance of injury to humans either .

Dogs wouldnt need to if they were all muzzled, they wouldnt be hurt or bitten.

They would be far more inclined to comply if heavy fines were in force, and a dog out with its owner NOT muzzled would be exceptionally easy to see, therefore the owner easy to fine on the spot.

Dawn, i do see your point about no dogs would be attacked if all muzzled, but do you really think the idiot owners now who let the nast dogs off lead unmuzzled are going to suddenly put a muzzle on because a new law says so because i dont think they will.