Rottweillers and muzzles

Rasmus

Hi,
I am wondering about something. I read that rottweillers are a restricted breed in Ireland, and they need to be muzzled and on a short leash while in a public place. If this is indeed the case, is it enforced?
I am not a dog owner.
Thanks!

gud4u

It would be very unusual to see a rottweiller off lead but many are un muzzled. It is supposed to be enforced but I think wardens and guards have bigger fish to fry. I have never been approached for unmuzzled RBs but I would never have them off lead or in crowds.

Rasmus

gud4u wrote: »

It would be very unusual to see a rottweiller off lead but many are un muzzled. It is supposed to be enforced but I think wardens and guards have bigger fish to fry. I have never been approached for unmuzzled RBs but I would never have them off lead or in crowds.

Thanks. I saw a couple of unmuzzled ones (on the lead) out for a walk with their owner. I didn't know if that was the norm or not.

andreac

There are very few that are muzzled tbh. I own 2 Rotties and i dont muzzle mine but they do wear their dogmatic headcollars and are never off the lead in public.
It isnt really enforced, not that ive heard of anyway.

gud4u

Unless you felt intimidated or that the owner was not 100% in control I wouldn't worry. I have two rotties, they can be quiet lazy and are not the savages people think. But an owner should be mindful that the laws are there even if not enforced. There are unmuzzled but leashed rotties in our local park with some hoodies, I don't like being there when they are and if I thought there was a threat I would report them to the warden.
Possibly double standards on my part, but no one even notices me and my dog, the guards passed me yesterday and said nothing, but then, I could meet one today that would fine me. It's a risk I take, but the muzzles are very uncomforatable.

I use a soft one on my german shepherd.

Rasmus

The ones I saw look friendly and gentle to be honest. I was surprised to see them unmuzzled, but glad to hear there's lots of responsible dog owners out there.
Re: above - should german shepherds (are they called that here?) be muzzled? I see them roaming about all the time, leadless and muzzleless!

tk123

I've only ever seen one rottie off lead - the guy strolled into the park as we were leaving one day and just said "she's fine" there was a westie in front of us on the way out - the rottie got afraid and came to me for a cuddle!

gud4u

Rasmus wrote: »

The ones I saw look friendly and gentle to be honest. I was surprised to see them unmuzzled, but glad to hear there's lots of responsible dog owners out there.
Re: above - should german shepherds (are they called that here?) be muzzled? I see them roaming about all the time, leadless and muzzleless!

Yeah....they'd be the ones owned by unresponsible owners:rolleyes:

There's a full list of RBs that should be muzzled/never off lead. German shepherds/Alsatians included. In public, that is.

There were 2 GSDs running wild on the beach the other day, I had to get back in the car with my guy and go elsewhere as I didn't want any altercations. I have good control on my gsd, but when outnumbered, I opted for no confrontation at all.

gud4u

tk123 wrote: »

I've only ever seen one rottie off lead - the guy strolled into the park as we were leaving one day and just said "she's fine" there was a westie in front of us on the way out - the rottie got afraid and came to me for a cuddle!

Sounds like my gsd.:)

jupiterjack

i cant believe im reading some of these from so called dog owners. is this perhaps an april fool..rottweilers are one of the more friendly breeds...give a dog a bad name..

Evac101

jupiterjack wrote: »

i cant believe im reading some of these from so called dog owners. is this perhaps an april fool..rottweilers are one of the more friendly breeds...give a dog a bad name..

Whether we can rationalise it or not we're all affected by the historical hysteria drummed up by (mainly) sensationalizing rags for profit and opportunistic politicians "for the sake of the public" in the past. In my case it's only since getting our dogs that we've had the chance to really socialise with 'RB' dogs and their owners and while I would have protested in the past that I was of the "it's not the breed it's the owner" mindset, I have to admit that it's only now that I've had this interaction with the dogs that I'm really embracing that as opposed to spouting it because it's what I wanted to believe.

Hrm - a little too much honesty for this early in the morning perhaps... :P

ISDW

jupiterjack wrote: »

i cant believe im reading some of these from so called dog owners. is this perhaps an april fool..rottweilers are one of the more friendly breeds...give a dog a bad name..

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're struggling with, having read all of the posts, who is giving the dogs a bad name? The law is there, so people need to be mindful of it, I can't see where anyone has said that these particular breeds should be muzzled, but it is the law, which is what the op had asked.

gud4u

Evac101 wrote: »

Whether we can rationalise it or not we're all affected by the historical hysteria drummed up by (mainly) sensationalizing rags for profit and opportunistic politicians "for the sake of the public" in the past. In my case it's only since getting our dogs that we've had the chance to really socialise with 'RB' dogs and their owners and while I would have protested in the past that I was of the "it's not the breed it's the owner" mindset, I have to admit that it's only now that I've had this interaction with the dogs that I'm really embracing that as opposed to spouting it because it's what I wanted to believe.

Hrm - a little too much honesty for this early in the morning perhaps... :P

Two years ago I would have said 'no way' to owning a rottweiller. Then I took one as a rehome, with a plan in place in case I got cold feet. Not only did I fall in love with the dog, but also the breed. I have since gotten a rotti pup.
I have struggled with the thought of muzzling him so young, but I realise now, while it's law, I will get him used to the muzzle, but socialising him really well is going to be a better route. I walk alone, sometimes in a nearby wood, so I don't meet many people.

But I will always respect that people, no matter what their reason, will have a fear of my dogs, some becuase it's a rottie or GSD, and some simply because it's a dog. My best friend just isn't a dog person so I always put them out when she's here and as her husband once said, 'there's no point in ruinning a great lifelong friendship over a dog bite' and he's right.