Veterinarian Austin

As an Austin veterinarian one of the things that most concerns me is dogs and their need for exercise. All dog owners have the need to take their dogs out. But one thing all dog owners can agree on is that when their dog is out he isn't in his own territory and this can cause problems. When more than one dog owner goes to the same place this often spells trouble or when there are children or adults present at the location where their dog is exercising.
In some areas the local governments have passed laws which dictate how a dog should be restrained while out. These laws often differ between breeds of dogs as well. For example a smaller breed may just need a leather leash whereas a larger aggressive one might need a metal chain of a certain thickness as well as a muzzle.
While it would be wonderful if we could just let roam free all dogs while out. However this is just not possible. Probably the most compelling case for dogs wearing leashes and or muzzles is for the protection of small children. Every year many people are attacked by dogs but these attacks usually end with injuries which heal with time. On the other hand children and especially small children when attacked are often fatally injured and if the do recover are traumatize for life. So although we as dog owners may have our personal preferences of how we want our dogs to enjoy their time out we must be responsible and take care that we don't cause our liberty to harm another. When our dogs are out it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of other dogs and people. This means taking whatever precautions are necessary in order to ensure that our dogs are safe and that others are safe from our dogs.