dogs at school gates again

[nikkershaw]

fgs can people not keep them a little away from the entrance, it's not alot to ask for? we don't all want to pet your pongy pooch and i'm sick of detouring around them.

thank you

RubyRuby, well said. I take my dog to the school sometimes. He is trained (eventually) to lay by my feet at the school gates. I have to stand at the gates because otherwise dd1 would not see me.

I won't tie him up away from me, because if a child hurt him he would snap at them. If another dog tried to fight him, he would fight back. I trust him 100% I do not trust other dogs/unknown children.

If someone asked me to move away because they were scared/allergic I would happily oblige.

I actually don't agree with dogs being left alone tied up anywhere. It leaves them opeb to abuse.

However, the OP doesn't say that the dogs are tied up, or even being a nuisance, just that they are there. It is them simply being there that is apparently causing a nuisance.

As for phobias, what about people with phobias of cats? Should everyone have to keep their cats indoors so that people who are afraid of them don't have to encounter them? Should we have a mass cull of spiders so that people who have phobias of them don't have to see them? Should all buildings be on ground level so those with a fear of heights don't have to go up high? Or do we all just have to accept that some of our phobias are a part of everyday life and we have to learn how to deal with them?

Of course, someone with a phobia (or even without one!) is well within their rights to expect to not be bothered by a dog, but if a dog is just sat there minding it's own business, paying them no attention, surely they should accept that dogs are a part of everyday life and they will have to see them at some point?

Shiny - that's completely different because you're with the dog.
I think the op is on about dogs tied up and left so that people have to push past it.
In my case, the owner refuses to move it, even though it's large and therefore intimidating to many, and because she's involved with the school, it's not unusual for the dog to be left there unattended from 8.40am until nearly 9.30. That's not responsible is it?

"I actually don't agree with dogs being left alone tied up anywhere. It leaves them opeb to abuse"

Yes. Quite agree. It also leaves them open to getting nervous and potentially reacting badly.

Chooks, agreed, the average dog is at far more risk from 70 primar school kids than vice versa under the circumstances described. However, I long ago lost patience with those who don't want a dog near them purely because they don't like them/are "scared"/accuse the dog of being likely to bite without very good reason/don't want precious Tarquin to get breathed on licked by a dog and soforth.

I'm too old and I've heard it all too many times before to take those types of remark with any tolerance.

I'm sure people will argue with me so apologies for not hanging around to fight my corner today but unlike most days when work allows a bit of flexibility, me and my younger Shep are off in a short while to get to the vet some miles away.

Keep your fingers crossed that the lump on this VERY family friendly, affectionate, well behaved German Shepherd isn't serious please folks. :(

Yes to keeping cats inside - pleeeaase - cos I hates the buggers.

Fingers crossed Val - hope he's ok :(

Fingers crossed Val - hope he's ok :(

Oops. Don't know what happened there!

Chooks - point the woman to the DogLost website which daily features dogs which have been stolen whilst left unattended. These are just the ones whose owners know of/bother to use/have access to DogLost. Dog theft is RIFE and there is NO WAY she should leave her dog unattended.

Perhaps go to the website yourself, select a few stolen dogs from the past week and email the links to her? Use a disposable email address if you want anonymity.

Educating her might save the dog's life (and resolve your problem too ).

Just a simple question.....

As all dogs can if provoked turn.....

How would you all, those who think dogs shouldn't be near schools, deal with my brother bringing his labrador to the school?

oh bear in mind he is blind

Hope your lovely pooch is ok Val.

I DO like dogs but it's true that some owners are totally oblivious of how scary their own dogs can be to others, or how they behave differently towards other people than they behave towards the owner. Our neighbours have 4 dogs, and all four are among what I think are the big and scarier looking breeds. (They also have three small kids ). One of their scariest looking dogs recently got under the fence and killed one of our chickens. I really like our neighbours, the Mum was distraught at what had happened. However while she was trying to tell me that the dogs really were friendly and totally harmless (just a couple of days af the chicken incident) the horrible things were hurling themselves at the fence and barking and baring their teeth at me. Yeah not dangerous eh? much...

My kids have now been taught to run like hell for the climbing frame if any of next doors dogs try to get into our garden. It shouldn't now happen as they have improved the fencing..but you never know. I certainly feel very threatened by them when I am in my own garden.

..and I haven't even mentioned the BARKING!!!

marge you should never run from charging dog and the dog will be faster than the children.

Stand your ground and look at the dog (do not stare it out, though or maintain eye contact, dogs see this as a challenge) and back away slowly. If you run from a charging dog, it will chase you.

Barking at the fence does not mean they are dangerous, they may just be protecting their boundaries.

And as for the at having large dogs and small children, my dad bought be a Doberman puppy for my second birthday, after that we had a GSD and they now have an Akita. I am still here and have not been eaten. The most 'dangerous' dog my family have ever owned is the small, fluffy terrier I have now. I'd have trusted the Doberman with my dc over him any day.

Good luck Val..sure he will be fine

Thanks all! :)

Marge, I have 3 large dogs (see profile). And 2 children. And, as I said, have had dogs, including the breeds people claim are "dangerous", since the DC were born.

MY dogs will go nuts at you at the fence. Or at least 2 of the 3 will. The one that won't? Not the Labrador, but the biggest German Shepherd. They are also perfectly well behaved, friendly dogs and no threat (unless you are threatening me, in which case my LABRADOR will have something to say about it!).

Mine are trained not to chase rabbits/chickens/pheasants etc whilst we are out walking (I live in the country). However I couldn't guarantee that they would act like this when not under my supervision.

that does NOT mean that they or ANY dog is a natural or automatic risk to you or your DC. I work with all manner of dogs, some of which are dog and/or cat aggressive. ALL of these are VERY human friendly. I'm not saying this will ALWAYS be the case but that other-animal aggression in dogs and human-aggression in dogs are NOT naturally connected.

My kids work with these dogs in rescue too, btw. :)

Now I really MUST run, thanks again for the kind wishes ladies.

Good luck at the vet Vall, fingers crossed for you x

I have let my DSs go next door and they have played the kids and their dogs when the next door family are about. There's been no problem. Since the chicken day I'm not letting them go next door any more. The neighbours kids are more than welcome to come here to play. I just don't trust the dogs further than I could throw them if they get out. They have tried to get under the fence to GET at us as we have been bimbling about in our garden, not even anywhere near the fence.

I was making the point that owners do not understand the perceived threat felt by other people who may have had bad experiences. One other neighbour told me she had to rescue a walker who had frozen with fear on the footpath at the end of our gardens as these nasty beasts were hurling themselves at the fence trying to get through at her.

marge2 - I agree that there is a lack of understanding on the part of some owners about other people's feelings. The responses to your post by people trying to explain why your concerns are not legitimate are textbook. It doesn't matter how safe the dogs may be - the point is that they have behaved in a way that makes you feel afraid. There is nothing the owner can do to stop you being afraid and the dogs have a right to live in their own home, but that doesn't make you unreasonable for feeling the way you do.
I remember as a small child actually flattening myself against the wall of an alleyway in absolute terror after a dog came running to it's gate barking and snarling. It was safely contained and the owner was not in any way in the wrong, but it was still terrifying to a child.
I just wish that all dog owners would be as considerate as some of the owners who have posted here with a real understanding of other peoples feelings, and a willingness to act accordingly.

I personally like dogs - I really do. But I've never come accross such threatening ones in my life. We were on the verge of looking for a puppy when these new neighbours moved in. We have now decided to wait till they move ( 2 yr lease apparently!) as otherwise it would be a constant bark fest.. and what if they got to our puppy?????? It doesn't bear thinking about.

Beertricks....I agree and even worse DS2 was able to walk him last year in the summer without anyone helping him....how awful are we for letting that happen. (this was on dogs day off)

I think the OP is not being unreasonable. My DD has had two separate dogs on two separate occasions try and attack her - one was in it's garden and we were walking past, the second was in the town centre with it's owner. The first one went for her face through a hole in the fence (she was in her buggy at the time) and the second tried to nip her hand.

Unsurprisingly she was terrified of any dog after that and it didn't help that the estate we lived on, many allowed their dogs to run free. We have since moved - all the owners I have met here are responsible, and the local primary school teaches children how to behave around dogs (eg never approach a dog with the owner present & ask the owner if you want to pet it - shame some of the kids here won't listen if you say 'no'). DD has now improved to the extent where she will ask to pet a dog - however, if a dog was unattended at the school gate she would find that scary. Not because she has a phobia, but because she is more comfortable if the owner is visibly present. Maybe someone should point out to the OP's governor that if it was hurt/provoked and defended itself she would be liable for any insurance claim (plus if not present in that scenario, I believe she could be prevented from keeping animals in future). It sounds as if the dog in question is probably well-behaved, but no-one can guarantee what a dog (or child) will do if provoked - leaving it unattended for almost an hour (like in Chooks case) is not fair on the dog.