Dogs on beaches. Why?

[Chickensarmpit]

Today i took my 3 young kids to the beach for a rare day out.
It was ruined by dogs!
They shit all over the place, one pissed up my icebox and one bloody stole my sons ball.
We moved twice and eventually gave up and went home

Why do people insist on taking dogs with them? Grrr annoyed!

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Ah I see!

It would be no bad thing to see the back of such people,you're not wrong.

[Threefurrymonsters]

Starball i own three dogs because I like dogs (and most animals) better than I like most people, tbh.
I live two minutes from a pristine beach. Walk my 3 there every day, as do loads of other people. Nary a dog turd to ever be seen.
I say it's pristine...that is until the daytrippers turn up and leave their fag ends, coke cans and sandwich wrappers everywhere. Or they leave their rubbish beside the bin if it's full instead of taking it away with them. Rude, thoughtless littering bastards.
You can maybe see why I like dogs better.

[RealAleandOpenFires]

Picture & shame campaigns with hefty fines on all beaches with re:- to both irresponsible litterers & dog owners.

[RealAleandOpenFires]

Oooops! that should've been "irresponsible dog owners".

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Because out of season dog walkers get to know each other, even if only by sight.
Because out of season there's rarely dog shit on the beach.
Because out of season there's rarely litter on the beach

That's not crap, Mrs.Wolowitch.

I walk my dogs twice a day, but rarely at the same time or place on the same days. I still know a fair few dog owners local to me.

My Dad walks his same time of day, same place every day (the local beach as it happens) he knows everyone from the security men, the fisher men, the golfers and fellow dog owners.

Which is great for me because it means he can calm me down when I get power leaned by sopping wet, unusually hairy Rottweilers, by informing me their owner is just over the hill and will be along shortly to rescue me but that the rotties love his dogs and always run off to play when they hear them.

He even knows the ponies.

It's only when high summer comes that he has problems.

[manicinsomniac]

I've never understood the no dog thing. I don't live anywhere near the beach but it seems grossly unfair to disrupt local people's daily routine just because some people who are only there for the day don't like it.

[charitymum]

YANBU - it's not dogs though it's owners. Most are great but some are crap. A dog close enough to you and far enough from owner to wee on your picnic box is a danger. And please dog owners don't tell me it isn't. I spent all day at beach last weekend shooing dog away from my one year old who was playing at teeth level on blanket. And no there was not a dog free beach available.

[GoshAnneGorilla]

YANBU.

Dogs are not human. Humans have greater rights to public spaces then dogs do.

I would love a £1000 dog licence fee.

[manicinsomniac]

a £1000 dog licence fee is an appalling idea. How many people have that kind of cash to spare? What would happen to all (the majority?) of dogs whose owners would have to give them up because they couldn't afford £1000? What would happen to all the puppies born that nobody could afford to buy? Why should poor but caring and responsible people who would love a dog be debarred from owning one but rich people who could pay someone else to train, walk and feed it and give it a pat on the head every so often be allowed one?

[Chottie]

OP - I understand where you are coming from. We've had a dog on a lead allowed to pee over our windbreak. It is so annoying, having to rinse the windbreak off, watch DC and belongings.

I am sure that all MN with dogs are really responsible :) but dog owners who are not really spoil other people's day out. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live near to a beach, for some of us it is a really looked forward to treat.

p.s. I also think that dogs are not humans.

[SillyTilly123]

If they brought in a £1000 licencing fee I'd have to have my dog put down or rehomed. £20 a week on top of food/toys/vacs is totally undoable for me yet im very responsible. I've trained my Tilly loads and make sure she doesnt bother anyone (99% of the time she comes back) The thought I might have to get rid of her really upsets me. I could maybe afford £10 a month but not £20 a week.

Then theres my nan who has her little dog for company after my grandad died. How can she afford £20 a week on a state pension, when she already goes without some luxurys to feed him?

[saintlyjimjams]

Of course you get to know local dogs if you're a regular. My DOG recognises the locals, never mind me!

I walk my dog year round on the same beach - I do often avoid sunny days in july/august but that's because of the way strangers (they may be tourists they may be daytrippers) react to ds1 rather than the dog, I don't think it's fair on ds1 to be gawped at.

I have never seen a dog poo on the beach. But see above, I don't go on days when I know the beach won't be busy with tourists/daytrippers. I always pick up after my dog, but then like many year round beach users I am in the sea a lot all year round. I don't want to swallow a dog turd while surfing.

I worry more about broken bottles & rusted bbq's - have nearly cut myself surfing before on glass at the shoreline - which must have been left on the beach very recently or it would have been smooth (eg if carried there).

Like many regular beach users I pick up, and get rid of other people's rubbish if I see it on the beach. Like many responsible dog owners I pick up other dog poo if I see it, eg in a park. It seems more practical than whinging or coming up with bonkers ideas about £1000 licences - being rich doesn't make you responsible or thoughtful. Sticking with the beach theme the last person to swear at ds1 at the beach was a rich tourist (judging by his car). I don't see that he would make a more thoughtful dog owner than someone who couldn't afford a £1000 licence. Most places have fines for not picking up anyway.

[Eastpoint]

I walked my dogs before 9 yesterday morning, only fishermen & dog walkers on the beach. However my little dog has just sicked up a big ball of tin foil left over from someone's picnic. Luckily it was windy & we didn't have as many picnickers as sometimes so there'll be less rubbish today.

[buttercrumble]

Get on the dog free part

[MrButtercat]

Yasoooooonbu

Loathe dogs on beaches(out of control greyhound on one at year).One we go to and pay taxes for was overrun last year- jumping over picnic blankets,over excitedly bounding up to people,poo,sniffing picnics etc.I love it when they're banned in the summer until Sep,whole different atmosphere.I know soooooo many people who feel the same.

We go to another one in the summer which allows them but on leads,marginally better.People still take the Mick,after getting fed up with an off the lead dog sniffing their picnic last year the family next to us reported it to the parking attendant and it was dealt with.

Yay to a tax and also visible license numbers so nuisance dogs are easier to report.

[ovenbun]

hmm...sorry you came across such bad owners at the beach...i think in future maybe asking for a dog free area is a good idea.

With this licence fee rubbish it would cost more to administrate than it would achieve..think it would be really hard to police..there will always be good owners and bad owners...farmers are regulated to the hilt but there are still bad ones...i think better regulation of breeders/puppy/litter fees would be more feasible..although still very difficult

xxx

[saintlyjimjams]

Oh I see the bonkers anti dog brigade have made it on to this thread as well. Pmsl at using 'I pay taxes' as an argument. Er presumably the dog owner pays taxes as well. What on earth is the relevance of that. I see far more dog owners than picnickers on the beach for ten months of the year. They're the ones buying food & coffees at the cafe in the middle of winter (well along with the surfers - not many picnickers).

[SoupDragon]

£1,000 a year from every dog owner might see enough dog shit wardens employed.

And parents could pay a similar fee to have the crap their children leave behind cleared up.

[curlew]

The problem is there are more irresponsible dog owners than responsible ones. I'm sure everyone on here is a responsible owner- but it' not much goo saying "we'll complain then" after your toddler has had it's sandcastle trashed by a manic spaniel and a collie has peed on your deck chair!

[SoupDragon]

The problem is there are more irresponsible dog owners than responsible ones.

No, the problem is that you generally don't notice the responsible ones because they are being responsible.

[Turnipinatutu]

Can't be arsed to read the whole thread.
If you don't like dogs on beaches, then fuck off to dog free beaches and stop moaning.

[saintlyjimjams]

No beer - it would mean only the wealthy could afford dogs. Personally my experience has been that having money doesn't necessarily make you thoughtful or considerate.

I meet many dog owners. Only one is what I would call irresponsible & her dog is a danger to other dogs rather than people.

[SoupDragon]

And yet you still try to argue that a ridiculous fee won't restrict dog owning to the well off