Don’t find yourself put in the dog house

Being a dog owner is so much more than just taking your dog out for the occasional walk and sitting on the sofa jumping their stomachs. There are increasing numbers of people complaining about inconsiderate dog owners and some local councils are inundated with calls about people who are not clearing up after their dogs or whose dogs are barking loudly into all hours of the night.

Here are a few things to do to make sure that you don’t find yourself in the dog house.

Following the law on dog ownership

The first is to makes sure that you comply with all relevant laws and guidelines relating to dog ownership. Including ensuring that when your dog is in a public place that they are wearing a collar that has a tag on it that contains you name and address. You can find Dog Collars and Leads through Iwoof and you may look at different Dog Collars and Leads for different times with your dog, for example you may change them due to age, training or nervousness.  The second regulation is that all dog must now, by law, be microchipped. This is as much for their safety as it is for everyone else’s and it helps to make sure that a lost dog is returned to its owner as quickly as possible. #

Training your dog for good behaviour

Training your dog to walk by your side, to stop and sit at a kerbside and to come straight to you when called are incredibly important in helping you to ensure that your dog remains under your control at all times. This will help to minimise any issues should you dog come across children playing and be natural inquisitive or perhaps approaches a dog that is less friendly or is nervous around other dogs. Once again it helps to keep your dog safe as well as other people and their dogs.

Cleaning up after your dog

You must always ensure that you clean up after your dog. It is your responsibility to make sure that you bag and legally dispose of any dog waste during your walk time. Equally you should make sure that if your walk takes you into countryside areas that your dog is well trained or on a lead and does not disturb or chase after animals, like sheep, that may be grazing in the fields.

Finally, it is important that you register your dog with a local vet and have their microchip registered, as well as ensuring that all of their vaccinations are up to date.

Summary

This article gives advice for responsible dog ownership, covering the importance of complying with laws such as having an identification tag on your dog’s collar, training your dog to walk properly and come when called, cleaning up after them, and registering with a vet and microchip service. It aims to help owners avoid complaints from neighbours or councils.

Questions this article raises

• What are the legal penalties for not cleaning up after your dog in the UK?
• How long does it typically take to train a dog to come reliably when called?
• Is microchipping a legal requirement for all dog owners?