"professional" Dog Walkers Walking Muzzled Dogs...

[Staranais]

Totally agree with your post.

There is a lab I see at a beach dog park that wears a muzzle because he had obstruction surgery once before from eating seaweed. I dont automatically see a muzzle and think aggressive dog.

I'm afraid I do....

Better safe than sorry.

If i see a muzzled dog I start heading in the opposite direction, with my dog on lead.

Interesting. I've just had my girl out for a 2 day hike in the bush, & every person she met out there was really keen to say hello to her despite her Hannibal Lector face.

The only issue we had was with a young hunter who first got muzzle thumped in the groin as the dog scooted over to say hi, then as he bent over in pain he got smacked with the muzzle in the face as she jumped up for a kiss (sorry dude!)

Seriously, though, perhaps it depends on the local culture & circumstances? I'd have been far more upset if I'd seen anyone with an unmuzzled dog, due to the fact there had just been 1080 dropped in the area.

Also, I wouldn't let my dog run up to yours without asking, muzzled or not - she comes back to my side when we see strangers in the bush, and waits for permission to go say hi. So you'd probably be happier seeing us out and about, than if my girl was zooming round in an uncontrolled fashion with a muzzle on?

[Rusky]

If you go to a dog park with off leash dogs and you are worried then you shouldn't go there. You don't know the reason the dogs had a muzzle on. The dogs were just being dogs and from your post it would seem that there were dog walkers.. not just one walker. Dogs who need to be muzzled because maybe they have a thing about birds or other creatures still need a run. The dogs didn't attack anyone, I don't see what the problem is.

Mind you I did tell a lady to put a muzzle on her dog because it was a magnet dog and she got distressed because in the street or park all and sundry would run up to it. Doesn't happen now...people stay their distance and the dog gets separate social time with dogs it can cope with.

[halfthewords]

We've had fox bait dropped in an area where I regularly walk my dogs. One of them is a gobbleguts, they are all kept on lead but as an extra precaution, she is muzzled.

I see many unmuzzled greyhounds at the dog park. My sister and I rode our horses in a local showground which is available to horseriders and dog owners at any time, and our horses were chased by greyhounds without muzzles. My horse kicked at one of the dogs and thankfully missed, but if he'd struck how could he be at fault? He and the mare had bite marks on their hocks when we checked back at the stable.

It's worrisome when I go to my local beach and see "dog walkers" with 7 or 8 dogs in the back of a truck or van. There is one woman who has decent enough control but all are large dogs and only respond because she carries food with her. I don't know how you can keep tabs on that many dogs at once. I have enough trouble with my 4, and one is leashed 24/7.

[becw]

Yesterday before a training session out of my usual area, I saw a dog walker walking two muzzled dogs off leash (in an off leash area). They also had sveral other dogs with them as well.

Luckily I saw them early and was able to call my dog (also off leash) and put her on the leash and start walking away from them.

However they followed us and kept trying to interact with my dog using what i would say was very dominant posturing and behaviour. Luckily my current puppy is quite a submissive and non-confrontational dog, so a situation did not arise. I asked the dog walker to get them away from us only to receive the reply that it was fine they were muzzled?

As far as I know dogs can still attack and do damage when they are muzzled. They also could have scared the s*** out of my dog, who is potentially gonna be a guide dog.

Surely a dog that needs to be muzzled is not suitable to be walked off the lead in an off leash area, especially by a dog walker and not their owner, who presumably knows the dog better and has more control.

I was not able to identify what company the dog walker was from unfortunately otherwise i would be contacting the company about my concerns.

Additionally another "dog walker" let his several dogs run up and jump all over a lady carrying a baby/toddler. When she asked him to get the dogs away, he just said they were all friendly (so??) and then said to me if you don't like dogs why go to a dog park? He compared it to having a picnic in the middle of a dog park (which frankly, I don't find an issue at all, my dog isn't bothered by that kind of thing)

Am I alone in thinking there is a huge difference between not liking dogs and not liking dogs jumping all over you???

Sometimes i think these dog walkers lack respect for other park users (including other dog owners) and give responsible dog owners a bad name and often make normally nice people who tolerate/like dogs, start to not like dogs which is not a good thing

I run a small dog walking/pet care business in Western Sydney. I gotta say, I'm disgusted that people are out there giving us such a bad name with their behaviour! I agree that it is impossible to control several dogs all at once, especially if they are all from different families. What works for one pack may not work for another.

I only take dogs from the same family out at the same time - and if they are a new or even new-ish client, we do not go to off-leash areas until I have an excellent idea of their level of training, their temperament and reactions in certain situations and any other relevant information. You can't get this stuff off an owner - it's only by watching the pooch in certain situations that you can full understand their position on various things like larger dogs approaching etc.

I also think it's terrible not to even attempt to control dogs under your care when they are all over someone. I think we've all been there - moments when our animals just won't do what they'e been asked, even though we know they know what is expected! But to not even attempt to stop them from jumping all over a lady with a child - asking for trouble in my opinion.

In terms of the muzzling - it's not something I have experience with since if an owner told me they take their dog to an off leash park but they must be muzzled, I would respectfully decline their business. Each to his own - I can see that muzzles have their place - but for me and my business, it's an area I'd rather stay away from since I am not the dog's owner and I would never forgive myself if I was in charge and something happened that led to people or animals being injured.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Troy

[Meea]

This whole string is beyond me - the OP SAW a dog and it had a MUZZLE (!) - whip me with a feather - nothing happened

[Greytmate]

In terms of the muzzling - it's not something I have experience with since if an owner told me they take their dog to an off leash park but they must be muzzled, I would respectfully decline their business. Each to his own - I can see that muzzles have their place - but for me and my business, it's an area I'd rather stay away from since I am not the dog's owner and I would never forgive myself if I was in charge and something happened that led to people or animals being injured.

Dogs may wear muzzles for a variety of reasons. To make a blanket rule without looking at the dog as an individual is very disrespectfully declining business. Especially since you admit to having no experience with muzzling.

A muzzle prevents biting, so your attitude to muzzling makes it much more likely that your dogs will cause injury than a muzzled dog could.

This whole string is beyond me - the OP SAW a dog and it had a MUZZLE (!) - whip me with a feather - nothing happened

LOL. Many people are scared of a muzzle. It is shame that some so-called professionals are as well.

[Red Fox]

Yesterday before a training session out of my usual area, I saw a dog walker walking two muzzled dogs off leash (in an off leash area). They also had sveral other dogs with them as well.

Luckily I saw them early and was able to call my dog (also off leash) and put her on the leash and start walking away from them.

However they followed us and kept trying to interact with my dog using what i would say was very dominant posturing and behaviour. Luckily my current puppy is quite a submissive and non-confrontational dog, so a situation did not arise. I asked the dog walker to get them away from us only to receive the reply that it was fine they were muzzled?

As far as I know dogs can still attack and do damage when they are muzzled. They also could have scared the s*** out of my dog, who is potentially gonna be a guide dog.

Surely a dog that needs to be muzzled is not suitable to be walked off the lead in an off leash area, especially by a dog walker and not their owner, who presumably knows the dog better and has more control.

I was not able to identify what company the dog walker was from unfortunately otherwise i would be contacting the company about my concerns.

Additionally another "dog walker" let his several dogs run up and jump all over a lady carrying a baby/toddler. When she asked him to get the dogs away, he just said they were all friendly (so??) and then said to me if you don't like dogs why go to a dog park? He compared it to having a picnic in the middle of a dog park (which frankly, I don't find an issue at all, my dog isn't bothered by that kind of thing)

Am I alone in thinking there is a huge difference between not liking dogs and not liking dogs jumping all over you???

Sometimes i think these dog walkers lack respect for other park users (including other dog owners) and give responsible dog owners a bad name and often make normally nice people who tolerate/like dogs, start to not like dogs which is not a good thing

This whole string is beyond me - the OP SAW a dog and it had a MUZZLE (!) - whip me with a feather - nothing happened

I got the impression that the OP was more concerned about the fact that the dog walker did not have the dogs under effective control, that they were posturing over her dog and jumping on other park users, than the fact that some of them were muzzled

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

The NSW law doesn't say it's ok if the dog is muzzled.

16 Offences where dog attacks person or animal

(1) If a dog rushes at, attacks, bites, harasses or chases any person or animal (other than vermin), whether or not any injury is caused to the person or animal:

(a) the owner of the dog, or

(b) if the owner is not present at the time of the offence and another person who is of or above the age of 16 years is in charge of the dog at that time—that other person,

is guilty of an offence.

And

4) A dog is not considered to be under the effective control of a person if the person has more than 4 dogs under his or her control.

http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/maintop/...6+2006-01-13+N/

If the (professional) dog walker does not sort things when politely asked - then call the council and ask them to send the ranger - or just tell the dog walker that's what you're doing.

I don't think I must "remove the dog if asked" though. If my dog is not harrassing anyone, keeping a polite distance and not doing anything wrong - especially in an off leash dog park - why should I remove her just because someone else doesn't want her there? I do put her on lead when we're going past toddlers at the beach because I don't want to deal with potentially freaked out or even completely nonchalant parents. Not sure what's worse. A parent who freaks out at every dog, or the one that lets their children rush a dog and hug it. I really like parents who talk their kids through the process starting with asking the owner if the kids can pat the dog.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Mrs Rusty Bucket

[becw]

In terms of the muzzling - it's not something I have experience with since if an owner told me they take their dog to an off leash park but they must be muzzled, I would respectfully decline their business. Each to his own - I can see that muzzles have their place - but for me and my business, it's an area I'd rather stay away from since I am not the dog's owner and I would never forgive myself if I was in charge and something happened that led to people or animals being injured.

Dogs may wear muzzles for a variety of reasons. To make a blanket rule without looking at the dog as an individual is very disrespectfully declining business. Especially since you admit to having no experience with muzzling.

A muzzle prevents biting, so your attitude to muzzling makes it much more likely that your dogs will cause injury than a muzzled dog could.

This whole string is beyond me - the OP SAW a dog and it had a MUZZLE (!) - whip me with a feather - nothing happened :D

LOL. Many people are scared of a muzzle. It is shame that some so-called professionals are as well.

If a muzzle is worn as you say it is, to prevent biting - well I'm pretty sure I don't want to be in charge of Bitey McBite if he's not my dog! Again, I'll re-iterate - muzzles have their place, and I'm not saying otherwise. I am saying as a dog walker, if you know that a dog has a biting habit and needs to be muzzled to prevent it, why would you take the risk that they may bite while under your care? The job is risky enough - people often claim their dog is better trained than is the actual case etc. Why would I want to take on something I KNOW is an issue waiting to happen when I can focus my efforts on dogs that don't require muzzling to prevent them biting? There are plenty of them out there in my experience!!

N.B I know that each and every dog has the capacity to bite of course. My point is if it's been such an issue in the past that a muzzle has been purchased to prevent the biting - it's not an area I want to play in. In all the dogs I've walked, I've not had one incident where there has been a serious bite. Rough/mouthy play has been the worst it's got - and I've no issue with rough play, being the owner of two adolescent male dogs! Perhaps I've just been lucky and I'll change my tune - who knows.

[Greytmate]

A dog may be wearing a muzzle for reasons other than a biting habit.

No I wouldn't take a risk with dogs in my care. I use muzzles routinely with other people's dogs in my care, as a risk preventative, not because any of them have biting habits. If they had a known biting habit they would not be out mixing with other dogs at all.