dogs and laws

we here on LSB often talk about dogs.
Both good and bad things.

Often we talk about that some politicians are going to toughen the laws and rules.
Just recently I read a post about that dogs running up to fence lines should be classified as menacing.

I just wonder what it is that is wrong!
Most towns in NZ has strict dog bans, you are not even allowed to take dogs on lead in to town for a walk and when you live rurally you don't dare to talk your dog for a walk since people have free running dogs that attack you when you just try to take a peaceful walk down the road with your dog on lead.

How are we to socialice our dogs when we can't bring them to places where there are people even if on lead?

Isn't it time for the people that look at making new harder laws and restrictions to just make sure that the existing laws are followed?
-dogs registered and on lead when outside properties.

is there any organisation in NZ that tries to do something, need to join something to show my opinion!

Suzanne - Where are you not allowed to take dogs on a lead? As far as I'm aware, you're allowed them on leash practically anywhere, you just can't let them off in a lot of places.

This website www.doglinks.co.nz has info. on who to contact, etc. Your local Council should have a list of "allowed" off leash areas & their local by-laws regarding dogs too.

my local town has road signs that tells that dogs are not allowed.
(not even on lead)
There is a area designed for dogs, next to highly trafficated road!
No one is ever there except for people throwing their garbage and I can when reading the garbage dumped there see that this is area where people drive late at evenings and nights.

I know Hamilton has a total ban on dogs in the central city. I think some other places do too. They are also banned around designated children's playground areas.

Makes it quite hard if you have a dog AND children that you want to take for walks/keep an eye on at playground, as we have had on occasion with nephews, gotta chose one or the other to take out!

I took my obedient dog on strict lead and walked thru town.
One person told me that I did breake the law and he was to call the council!
I checked with council: fine and also loose responsible dog owner rebate.
Every day I saw hooded people walk their pb cross look alike dogs off lead and dogs walking themselves thru town.
Just one person calling telling what I look like and dog look like and then I would be bad out since they would know who I am, since being responsible and regsitered.
(but a free running dog or dog with a hooded owner how do you describe them, espescially if not registerd dog?)
Told reason for not allowing dogs on lead is that lead might tangle up mobility scooters!

I can't say I've seen anywhere really that has a good exercise area for dogs. Nice wide open spaces for them to get some proper exercise thats not near a road or a children playground. It's a good job we're in the country with lots of space because it wouldn't be fair to have one.

As kids we used to take our dogs up the park which was huge and the dogs could run free. My dad used to take them out into the country on a bit of 'no-mans' land which was great for the dogs to run around on.

It's all a bit restrictive really, and it's just not acceptable to allow dogs to go running through fields either, and rightly so.

I take my small dog into the market in town and have never been told off... but I have seen other people in town with their dog's on leads. Not sure what the rules are, but she is registered and on a lead. If anything, because she is very cute, people rush up to her wanting to pat her which is more frightening to her than them. However, it has been really good for her social development as she will now sit quietly while a little child pats her - but with me squatting down and in contol of her!

What Councils also forget is how many urban children have absolutely no contact with animals and are therefore fearful when faced with animals. I used to have a Play Centre bring urban littlies out to my farm to introduce them to animals and it was so healthy for all concerned. To watch a child terrified of a lamb initially to feeding it a bottle in the space of an hour. Awesome. Same with contact towards the dogs,cats and all the other animals they were introduced too. It is also a great opportunity to educate them about how the animals need to be treated.

It sometimes crosses my mind with the dog attacks on children we witness just how and why it has happened and whether fear and/or inappropriate behaviour contributes. I am NOT blaming the children - but I do wonder about it. Education and contact being the key one would hope but if it is a nasty attacking dog - how is it's owner getting around our Dog Laws? No need to answer that!

My dad always taught us to be aware of every dog we came across, as they all had the potential to bite. And he never allows an opportunity to arise where a small child is left alone in a room with a dog, no matter how soft it was. All sensible really.

You reminded me of our neighbours daughter who 2 years ago used one of my kid goats for calf club, she was petrified of everything that moved, and screamed when she saw the dogs!

She rode on her bike up the lane every night after school, by the time was all over she was bossing those dogs about, throwing the ball etc. She was a changed girl. She still hates the chooks though! Can't win 'em all eh?

"Suzanne - Where are you not allowed to take dogs on a lead? As far as I'm aware, you're allowed them on leash practically anywhere, you just can't let them off in a lot of places."

Central Wellington between the hours of 8am & 6pm (from memory). They're allowed in town on leads outside of those houirs.

Here in South Wairarapa the council has just made certain areas no go areas for dogs, and listed some dog exercise areas - but its been done as they have to follow what laws the Govt. has made.

In Wellington there are so many no go areas for dogs or they have to be on leads. Even the town belt that has wonderful tracks dogs must be on a lead unless its a specified dog exercise area. And the dog exercise areas are a joke - not fenced, near busy roads, and no poo bins provided. The subject of bins really annnoyed me when I was living down there as I always cleaned up after my dogs - and the councils response was the bins are a hygiene issue and nobody would want to empty them of clean them! Funny, as I know place like Palmerston North have wonderfull doggy poo bins and they must get emptied and cleaned.

One of the rersons I moved to the country was to let my dogs be dogs and have a better life without so many restrictions - the only draw back is a lack of socialisation which could be a problem when I get a new puppy, as we simply dont see or have contact with may people out here.

As for kids and dogs, I suspect many of the dog attacks are a result of the kids not knowing what to do, or how to approach dogs. I do remember one dog the was put down in Christchuch I think, where the child had been putting its face to the fence and annoying the dog and the dog nipped the kid on the nose - result 1 dead dog. Yet there was no parental responsibility for keeping that child under control or ensuring it was supervised and didnt cause a problem. Its always the dogs fault no matter what and thats where I get so annoyed.

I often walk my two small chinese crested dogs in town on leads... (no reg tag showing either, as the plastic irritates their skin - I keep the tags in my wallet) and no one has ever said boo to me.. well except for raving about how odd / or lovely they think Criket and Mini are. However, people soon change their tune when I walk Zak, our Pitbull in town with reg tags on full display... (on our way through to the park I might add)...
All I know is that dogs aren't allowed on beaches during daylight savings.. but to be honest that doesn't stop me walking my three on quite beaches, on leads...

Sundays

many small towns around in waikato has dog signs when you enter the towns.
signs sit high up since people used to steal them.
I checked with the council and yes dogs are not allowed even if on lead!
yes it is law and it is fines and loose responsible dog owner rebates.

It amazes me how our little dog, who is smaller than a 10 week old lamb, wags its tail at everything, and loves kids, gets given the wide berth by so many people, adults and children. Others love her and come up to say hello, but its the negative reactions that worry me.

Kids (and adults) don't seem to be taught the signals to look out for; and other kids, who are too enthusiastic, aren't taught to ask before patting, like we were always told to (and I still do, never could resist saying hi to a friendly looking dog [])

If a kid looks like it wants to come up and say hello to our dog and is with the parents I often ask if they would like to and kneel down so they can come over and pat her. I figure the more that learn that not all dogs are biters the better.

I too am shocked at how few kids have contact with animals nowadays. I couldn't beleive how many acquaintances with kids came out of the woodwork when our lambs arrived, we had a steady stream of visitors.

Of course, that also meant explaining to the kids what that funny slimy thing on the grass was (afterbirth) much to (often) their parents horror as I explained they had one of those inside mum and to come and have a closer look [}]

We were exercising our dogs on a beach during the dog exercising hours, (ya don't get too long do ya) when a man taking a walk with his wife(I assume) was obviously getting very upset by all the dogs on the beach and was clearly afraid of them, fair enough, some people are, but of he was that afraid of them why walk on the beach when he knew there would be heaps of them.

It was when Clyde passed by him on a mission to find a stick that the man turned to us ans screamed "Keep that dog away from me" Clyde hadn't gone any where near him. I nearly yelled at his wife, 'Oi keep that man away from my dog!' .....But I didn't, I just called Clyde back!

Dogs not allowed on Te Aroha shopping area! The dog 'park is a bit of muddy grass by the boat ramp!!!