EDUCATING owners is the key to solving the issue of ‘problem dogs’ in Weymouth and Portland, according to experts.

The comments came after a borough consultation exercise included proposals for nearly 50 locations where dog owners could be forced to keep their pets on leads.

Councillors at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council say a duty to protect all sections of society from irresponsible owners of out-of-control dogs has prompted the proposals.

But experts claimed that dog control orders were not the answer.

Cormac Linehan, who runs dog training and behaviour service, The Pet Experience with his wife Sarah, said keeping dogs on leads would not create calmer pets.

“Dogs basically have two options to deal with other dogs – fight or flight.

“If the dog is on a lead, it can’t run away and feels it has been forced into a situation.

“Creating an environment where dogs are on leads when they encounter each other risks increasing the potential for dog-on-dog attacks.”

Mr Linehan backed proposals for on-the-spot fines for owners who don’t clean up after their dogs or who ignore instructions from the dog warden.

He added: “But the council could provide more dog bins.

“Where I walk my dogs, on land near Louviers Road, there are no bins.”

Professional dog walker Cindi Mcneil-Regan claimed that a proposed order to keep dogs on leads in public gardens and green spaces risked punishing the responsible majority.

She said: “It’s like imposing a curfew on all children under 16 because a small group of them have behaved badly.”

Tackling owners on issues including their pet’s diet, and how often the dog is walked, would have a greater impact on public safety, she said.

She said: “Feeding a dog some of the pet food in supermarkets is like feeding a child with sweets and fizzy drinks and wondering why it is hyperactive.

“A dog who is taken on short walks around the block all week and suddenly let off the lead for long walks at the weekend will obviously be excited.

Her Rushton Rescue homing service aimed to tackle problems created where the ‘wrong dog’ had been home with ‘the wrong owner’, she said.

A public consultation on proposals for dog control orders to tackle dog fouling and owners who ignore instructions from the dog warden ends on September 11.

The consultation, which also suggests areas from which dogs could be excluded, and where dogs must be exercised on leads, can be found at www.weymouth.gov.uk.

Coun Ian James, the briefholder for community safety, said people should seize the opportunity to have their say on the proposed dog control orders. He added: “The consultation is bringing out strong opinions, and it’s important that anyone who wants to have their say fills out the consultation form.

“We won’t know what the majority think unless they complete the consultation – don’t waste the chance to get involved.”