Auckland Council has proposed a region-wide time and date restriction for dog walking on parks and beaches (file photo).

Taking a dog for a summer beach walk in Auckland will become harder if new rules go through.

Auckland Council is proposing tougher rules which ban dogs across the region's beaches from 10am to 7pm, from Labour Weekend to March 31.

Currently rules vary between beaches, with some allowing dog walking from 5pm.

Beachgoers were divided on the change, with one dog owner saying it would cut her daylight dog walking hours to as little as 15 minutes.

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North Shore resident Claire Teirney said the new rules meant there would be nowhere to walk her dog during daytime hours.

"Up here the beaches are where we all walk our dogs. There aren't really any other places to take them – you can't compare Mission Bay or Takapuna beach to the beaches here.

"For those wanting to walk our dogs after work it means we'll have to wait until 7pm and have a window of only 15-40 minutes of daylight."

Belinda Ward, who has been knocked down three times by a dog at Takapuna beach, welcomed the prospect of tougher rules.

SUPPLIED/CLAIRE TEIRNEY Rhodesian ridgeback cross Max enjoys taking his daily swim 200m off Stanmore Bay beach.

She tore the tendons in her right upper quad after being knocked down by a dog for the first time in 2015, and has suffered similar injuries two more times since.

"Making each beach have the same times region-wide will make it a lot easier for people to understand," Ward said.

"I've been bowled down, tripped up and had to jump over dogs so many times on the beach and I have to try to avoid them."

Supplied Stanmore Bay at 5pm on October 23.

Auckland Council's Regulatory Committee agreed to the rule changes on Thursday.

The new by-law was expected in late 2019, once it had been through public consultation.

Local boards would make the call on whether beaches were on-leash or off-leash during the times that dogs were allowed.

Supplied Albany Ward Councillor John Watson opposed changing the current rules around dogs on beaches.

Michael Sinclair, bylaw manager for Auckland Council, said proposed rules would be easier to communicate to the public.

"In the last five years, 13 local boards have been granted exemptions to the current laws, meaning we now have 17 different time and season definitions being used," he said.

"We're proposing a new definition of 10am to 7pm for specified beaches and parks.

Rebecca Moore/Stuff Milford woman Belinda Ward has been knocked down and injured three times by dogs at Takapuna beach.

"We're aware of the impact this will have on a few areas who have not made changes to the definition."

Rodney, where 11,547 dogs were registered, was expected to be most affected the the changes. .

Albany ward councillor John Watson was one of two councillors who voted against the change in rules.

Currently, dogs were banned at beaches in the area from 10am to 5pm during summer time.

"The current times have been working just fine in our area – there's no need and certainly no demand to change the times," Watson said.

"It's clear to me the suggested change will adversely impact on many dog owners in this ward during the summer season.

Rebecca Moore/Stuff An Auckland Council sign outlining dog rules at Takapuna beach.

"The light will be fading at the beginning and end of this season and after 7pm isn't going to suit people with families and other circumstances."

As of October 2018, there had been 105 dog-related injuries at Auckland beaches, according to ACC.

In 2017, there were 158, and in 2016, there were 130.

An ACC spokeswoman said in several cases, the dog was mentioned in the accident description as part of the context but was not the cause of the claim – for example, the injury could have been caused by tripping over while dog-walking.

The proposal would go out to the public for consultation in May 2019.