Should All Dogs be Muzzled in Public?

Dogs may be a much-loved family member, but domestication does not remove a dog’s more deeply routed instincts, such as chasing and hunting. Keeping your animal under control is part of being a responsible pet owner. No animal is 100% predictable as, like humans, many factors such as stress, illness and mood can influence their behaviour.

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 addressed the issue of dogs wearing muzzles in public in Britain. It stipulates that some breeds (if they are exempt) have to wear muzzles in public. Examples are Pit Bull Terriers and Japanese Tosas. However, with the seemingly increasing frequency of dog attacks, not just on people but other animals reported in the media, perhaps this should be expanded to all breeds of dogs when they are out in public? Muzzling your dog in public may be considered part of keeping it under control.

It may be unfair to restrict all dogs because some are out of control. In 2014, new laws came into force to deal with this. One is for such dogs to be muzzled or kept on a lead in public. Is that all that is required, or is this just “shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.”? Should dog owners be more proactive when it comes to this? Along with this, there are also concerns about the effect a muzzle may have on a dog’s health and ability to behave normally.

Muzzles have to fit correctly and be used in the right way, just like any other tool. They are not behaviour correctors or devices of punishment.

A muzzle works by restricting the dog’s ability to open its mouth fully. There are two types of muzzle. The one that probably springs to most people’s minds is the basket muzzle. The basket muzzle forms a cage around the mouth instead of keeping the mouth shut. Therefore, the dog can still eat and pant. Soft muzzles wrap around the mouth to keep it closed. This type of muzzle prevents the dog from eating, panting, barking, and biting.

Dogs need to be able to pant to regulate their body temperature (this is how they sweat), so if it’s hot and the dog’s ability to pant is restricted, then overheating and heat stroke may result. This could be an issue for a dog owner who take their dog for long walks. Also, barking is normal behaviour for a dog, and not being able to may cause issues such as stress in the dog. Another issue I think dog owners worry about regarding muzzles is the perception that their dog are vicious. However, if all dogs wore them, this perception would soon disappear.

I think there has to be a shift in attitude towards our pets to some degree, especially when it comes to those such as dogs, which are easily able to cause severe damage or death. They are great companions that we love dearly, but part of that is protecting them and others from harm.

Here are the sources I used in my research:

https://www.fordogtrainers.co.uk/which-dogs-need-to-be-muzzled-in-uk-ezp-52.html

https://www.fordogtrainers.co.uk/which-dogs-need-to-be-muzzled-in-uk-ezp-52.html

The opinions expressed in this post are mine and are not a reflection of those held by Kelp Social or their users.