Train and control your dog

As a dog owner, you must keep your dog under control anywhere, including:

If you do not control your dog, you could get a Dog Control Notice. You could also be taken to court.

When a dog is out of control

A dog is considered out of control if all the following apply:

it’s not kept under effective and consistent control
its behaviour makes someone feel worried or scared – and their concern is reasonable

A dog may be out of control if:

To reduce the risk of your dog becoming out of control:

make sure it's supervised around children and other animals
keep it close to you in public and make sure it comes back when called
keep it on a lead in busy areas, near roads or around livestock
stay alert to things that may make it anxious – for example, other dogs, people and loud noises
choose quieter routes or times for walks if it’s anxious or easily excited

You can train your dog to stay calm, safe and under control by:

teaching it to walk on a lead without pulling
teaching it simple commands – for example, sit, stay, come, and leave it
practising commands in safe areas before letting it off lead
gradually exposing it to different places, people and other dogs to reduce anxiety
rewarding good behaviour with treats, praise or toys

You could also consider dog training classes or hiring a professional dog trainer.

You can get advice on training your dog from:

It’s normal behaviour for dogs to bark. But if your dog barks a lot, it may mean something is wrong. It can also cause a nuisance to others.

If your dog is barking more than usual, find out why and address the cause.

Common reasons include:

Speak to your vet at your dog’s next regular check-up. They’ll check for health issues and may refer you to a dog behaviour expert.

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