'If they're threatening, put them on a lead'
BBCDog owner Linda Clarke said her two chihuahuas Buddy and Max are "extremely friendly" and "very well known" locally.
The brothers are regularly walked on Coldham's Common in Cambridge, where the council is revising its city-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) on dog control.
Under the measures the council has proposed giving officers powers to ask anyone in charge of a dog to put it on a lead if it is "out of control or a threat to other people or animals".
Linda, 68, welcomed the idea and said: "It is very worrying when you have got friendly dogs because there are a lot of unfriendly dogs. If they're threatening, yes, put them on a lead."
A report which will be presented at a Cambridge City Council cabinet meeting on Wednesday, said the proposals were to "ensure the safety and wellbeing of the public".
They include introducing dogs-on-leads controls in the nature reserves at Byron's Pool, Church End and Fulbourn Road.
More than 800 people responded to a consultation on the new PSPO earlier this year, with most supporting dog control measures and some calling for more patrols, dog wardens or higher fines.
However, when it came to the proposals for nature reserves, some people surveyed were concerned about the loss of opportunities for dogs to be off the lead.
The current PSPO includes Coldham's Common which is restricted to four dogs per person. It also states dogs must be kept on leads in Newmarket Road Cemetery, Tenby Close park, and the pond and stream area of Cherry Hinton Hall.
Last year 11 fixed penalty notices were issued to people found breaching the PSPO.
John Thorogood, 68, walks his dogs Jojo and Max on Coldham's Common and Stourbridge Common.
He said that "everybody gets on" and that "most people are aware of the rules", but agreed there should be rules in place for dog owners.
"We need to know what you can do and certain times of the year when you can't let your dog off because of nesting birds and things of that nature," he said.
Dog owner Sian Hopwood, 56, said she hadn't seen "any issues whatsoever" with dogs causing problems.
She said: "There are lots of dogs that are relatively well-behaved I think, and everybody just gets on.
"If there are problems, then they need to have some rules to keep people in check."
In its response to the consultation, the Kennel Club said it welcomed the idea of giving local authorities powers to restrict dogs not under control.
But it warned: "There exists the possibility that a dog, through no fault of its own, could be considered a 'nuisance' or 'annoyance' to someone who simply does not like dogs."
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