For six months now the law in Portugal has required that before licensing, obligatory training of dangerous dogs is carried out by certified coaches.
This was one of the new areas of legislation to control dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs introduced last year. Obligatory training had to be carried out by someone registered with the General Directorate for Food and Veterinary Services (DGAV).
The problem remains that there is no definition of a certified trainer.
The DGAV says that the regulations are 'extremely complex 'and it needs further input from experts and the police. The process is still under legal review, and until this is concluded nobody with this type of dog is obliged to take it through the training process proscribed by law.
Many associations working with dogs have been contacted by worried owners who know that the new law requires training by someone who is fully qualified.
Clubs have explained to owners that the law so far is ineffective, so far there is no regulation. The training by certified coaches was one of the key aspects of the long-awaited new law to regulate potentially dangerous dogs.
The head of the Rottweiler Club of Portugal said that many parish councils are insisting, when dogs are being registered, that the animals have a document confirming it has been on a course run by a certified trainer. This currently is not possible.
This has not stopped police action as around 500 dog owners in Portugal were fined last week for dog licensing offences. Pitbulls and a Rottweiler were seized and 133 owners of potentially dangerous dogs were fined for various reasons including the absence of a dog licence, not having their animals sterilised and having no valid insurance.
All dogs must have a dog license. This involves going to the local Freguseia with the vet card showing rabies vaccination, and microchipping if the dog is under a certain age.
