The number of out of control dogs issued warnings by West Dunbartonshire Council has increased by a third.

Introduced by the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010, local councils have the power to issue DCNs after a dog has been “out of control” and causing reasonable alarm or apprehensiveness.

Dog wardens have been forced to hand out 12 last year, compared with nine in 2016.

They outline the steps owners must take to control their dog in public, such as keeping it on a lead, muzzling, and microchipping.

Failure to comply carries a fine of up £1000 and the courts may also make an order to disqualify a person from owning or keeping a dog for a period of time or in cases where the court has decided that the dog is dangerous, an order may be made for the dog to be destroyed.

Statistics obtained from West Dunbartonshire Council show that in 2018, DCNs were handed out to the owners of a German Shepherd, two Akitas, a Serbian defence dog, three American Johnson Bulldogs, a Lakeland Terrier, a Rottweiler, two Dobermans and a Staffordshire Terrier.

Of these, eleven DCNs were issued as a result of dog on dog incidents and one involved a person.

In 2017, A total of 12 notices were issued to owners of an American Akita, an American Bull Terrier, a Malamute, two Staffordshire Crosses, a Lurcher Cross, a Patterdale Terrier, an Akita/Rottweiler Cross, two Japanese Akitas and two Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

Of these nine were for dog on dog incidents, one was for a dog and cat, one was for a dog and a sheep and one involved a person.

While, in 2016, nine DCNs were handed out to owners of two Staffordshire Bull Terrier, a Springer Spaniel, two American Bull Terriers, an Akita/Rottweiler Cross, a Border Collie, an American Akita and a Utonagan.

Of these six were for dog on dog incidents, another was for a dog and a sheep and one involved a dog and a person.

A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “West Dunbartonshire Council works closely with Police Scotland on cases of alleged dog attacks and investigates complaints about dogs which are not kept under proper control.

“Last year, we served 12 formal Dog Control notices on owners. These notices impose strict conditions on the dog owner and failure to comply can result in prosecution.”

There has also been a nationwide increase in the number of DCNs handed out since their introduction.

In September 2018, government statistics showed that the number of DCNs issued to owners in Scotland rose from 92 in 2011/12 to 339 in 2017/18, a rise of 270 per cent and a figure which did not even account for the number of those issued in Glasgow.