To think if you go to the dog beach you should expect dogs

[Blackdogagain]

I took my pooch to the beach for the first time today. The beach is huge and split in half, one half is for dogs, and there were many of them. Most dogs were off the lead and playing freely.

A few families were also on the dog beach, but were without a dog. However, a few families were obviously irate with the dogs running and swimming everywhere.

Is it me, but if you sit on the dog half of the beach, you can't get huffy over dogs running around.

One father and daughter were on inflatables in the sea and 3 dogs were running into the sea next to them and the girl was obviously worried and scared of them. The owners called their dogs back and walked up the beach a bit, which was good of them.

Surely though, if you don't want dogs around, bloody well go to the dog free half of the beach!

When you have a busy beach, and all the crap, blankets food, inflatables, balls, bats, chairs, wind breaks, and fishing nets, you have to accept with the limited space left that there may well be a trodden on castle, or a trip over a blanket.

Nothing to do with bad behaviour from kids or dogs and everything to do with crowded beaches and trying to set up somewhere your not going to shred your feet ok rocks shells or cans or be sat by the toilets or surrounded by the rubbish washed up on the sand.

You have seen the pics in the paper? It's crazy crowded. Accidents will happen. If you want to sit in silence then go in winter or find yourself somewhere really secluded because otherwise you have to put up with PEOPLE in a confined space and the disadvantages that brings

If it is a beach where half is available to dogs and half where the beach is free from dogs - I still think the dog owners are liable for the behaviour of their dogs - and must still exercise full control over their animals.

I believe the humans using any part of the beach are entitled not to be harassed or approached by dogs, the dog owners are still liable to uphold the law regarding their animals behaviour. Therefore if I had a dog run through my picnic, shake it's wet coat over me or race about and knock my toddler off her feet I would be just as entitled to be p*ssed off whichever part of the beach I had chosen to use.

I wouldn't think that because one part was ok for dogs and one part not ok for dogs would mean I could expect out of control dogs to bother me in the dogs allowed area.

Unless of course the sign said "Dogs will be running wild and liable to be out of control on this half of the beach - enter at your own risk"!!!

I don't think it gives the owners carte blanche to be aggresive to other people, shit all over the place without it being cleaned up and be incapable of being bought to heel.

I may have missed it but has anyone actually said that any such behaviour is in any way acceptable?

Oh look another inconsiderate dog owner has made her way to the thread.

Oh, give over.

As other posters have said my kids have had their lovingly made sandcastles destroyed by other kids (sometimes accidentally, sometimes not), adults (usually accidental), dogs (always accidental since dogs don't go out of their way to be destructive). When the dog ran over the sandcastle, the owner apologised. The other times sometimes there was an apology, sometimes not.

I think the problem here is the term "dog beach"

That just means that dogs are ALLOWED on that part of the beach. Not that they OWN it.

YANBU OP. If dogs aren't allowed to run around on a beach that has been designated dog friendly, then where exactly should they be running around?

but nobody has said that dogs shouldn't be kept under control have they? The only people talking about obnoxious behaviour have been the dog-haters who seem to think that running and playing and splashing on a beach is somehow out of control behaviour.

And this may come as a shock to some, but a dog probably doesn't actually know what a sand castle is you know, clever as they are.

But the people the op referred to were complaining that there were dogs swimming in the water next to where they were playing - on a dogs-allowed part of the beach - and the owners of the dogs moved them further along, so clearly under control.

sometimes children scream and shout and splash and flick sand - not big piles of it but inadvertent flicks - and someone who doesn't like children or doesn't have them will think this to be out of control behaviour - it isn't - it is normal child behaviour. Some dogs run and splash and play and bark - and dog haters or those without dogs think it is out of control behaviour - it isn't - it is normal dog behaviour.

It is very simple. If someone is a dog owner then of course their dog should have good recall and be kept under control. but if someone is irritated by the mere fact that dogs are allowed off lead then it would be common sense not to go near an area where dogs are allowed off lead when there is a no-dogs-allowed area further up.

I took three large dogs for a walk this weekend. One enormous GSD and two lab retriever crosses. When they were let off their leads they ran and barked and played and splashed and had a great time. Presumably this is out of control behaviour to some. when I whistled them they came back. but I am aware the mere fact they are allowed off lead is a no-no to the dog haters of mn, because they run, and they bark.

They are, in fact, guide dogs. But when they are let off their leads they are just dogs. And even the clever guide dogs probably don't know what a sand castle is and might knock one down accidentally.

There is a vast difference between dogs which run out of control, aggressive, jumping up at people etc and dogs who just run about and splash in their normal doggy way. But it seems that some people either don't want to or can't see that.

Agreed! Whenever we go on holiday we are restricted as to which beaches we can go on with our dog - most of them don't permit dogs. And whilst I would never let my dog approach another person I do expect my dog to be able to enjoy the beach WITH us.

Stinkle - We tend to stick to the little out of the way beaches with no dog restrictions that the tourists haven't found yet

Don't local people use them then? OK, I assume that you are local but don't tell me that other local people without dogs are happy to sit there and have dogs defecate nearby and have their sandwiches stolen.

She never said her dog did any of those things

And she encounters problems whilst her dog was ON A LEAD because someone else without dog who's dd didn't like dogs,decided to go onto the part if the beach open to dogs.

How on earth do you make out she was in the wrong.

Oh and when the sea is full of poo and tampons/condoms wash up on the beach , it's not jst dog poo you need to worry about

Happy Where have I said he pinches picnics I don't clear up his crap? I actually said he was on a lead

If people really feel that strongly about not wanting to share a beach with a dog, they can use one of the very many other ones where dogs aren't allowed

Happy Where are all these sandwich-stealing dogs? I can't say that I've ever met one.

If you read MN, you would believe there are gangs of mugging dogs on every British beach with the sole intention of depriving innocent picnickers of their sustenance.

That's when they're not pooing, splashing people and destroying sandcastles, of course.

Warlin2
"I also blame parents whose kids are scared of dogs. Introductions to calm, well trained dogs will make them realise there is nothing to fear. I don't allow kids near my dog unless I know them for her protection and I don't let me kids touch other dogs without the owner's permission. I hate people who shield their kids every time they see a dog......what message do that send?"

Have you heard of children?

What a bunfight. If your dog is likely to behave like an arse, stay off the dog beach and take it where it can be an arse without disturbing other dogs and other people (I do). However, shaking on coming out of the sea is not behaving like an arse. Running about is not behaving like an arse. Jumping up at people is. Getting wildly over-excited is, too. Same as with kids at the beach, really: they will shake out sandy towels without thinking, and run about shouting. It's part of life. But if they start jumping on other kids' sandcastles or stealing cake, it's time to take them home, with a Quiet Word about they should behave next time.

If you don't like dogs, avoid beaches where they are allowed (i.e. very few, in high summer). You are entitled to go to the local park and not step in dog crap or be assaulted by a dog, or have your picnic swiped by one. However, you are not entitled to demand that all dogs be kept on a lead 100 yds away from you, anymore than I am entitled to demand that nobody plays football because it gets in the way of the dogs running about, and because the football might just hit me.

It's called live and let live. I put up with stuff other people do which I don't like, because I accept that they are entitled to do it - smother the air waves with the World Cup, for example. In fair exchange, I don't think it's unreasonable of me to do the odd thing which might piss off the odd other person. Like let my dog off the lead at the recreation ground when there are a few other people about, most of them dog walkers, and the others a mum and kids at the swings. (And before you ask, or assume I don't, I do dispose of his crap in a responsible manner).

Why did I join this bunfight? Dunno, really... Just don't want the anti-dog team to win.

There is a vast difference between dogs which run out of control, aggressive, jumping up at people etc and dogs who just run about and splash in their normal doggy way. But it seems that some people either don't want to or can't see that.

Yes, but then some posters here seem to think the crap owners and nasty dogs just don't exist. Most of us will have experienced being growled at, being jumped at or being menaced by a dog whilst the owner stands there and does nothing, tells us he's only sniffing or is conspicuous by their absence.

And as a dog owner you've not come across dogs and owners like this , then you probably exactly that sort of problem dog owner, who cannot see that your dog's bad behaviour should be curbed, isn't endearing and is unwelcome by everyone else and bleat 'that's just what dogs do.' No it isn't if they've been properly trained and socialised.

As I have said, time and time again, I don't hate dogs, I actually quite like dogs and I have no problem sharing a park, a beach, a pub garden with well behaved dog who is running around and exploring, I do have a problem with aggressive and/or out of control dogs.

People are fully aware that owners like that do exist.

However the amount of threads complaining that there was merely a dog in a vicinity, or that a dog was off a lead no matter how little interest the dog had them or sat under a bench bothering no body is ridiculous

everlong spot on. Brilliantly said.

Nope everlong.

You have previously confessed that your dog approaches kids when you're in the park and you don't see the problem with that and don't know why people get upset. Because they're friendly. Now you're backpedalling.

If you think that's acceptable, then no, you're not a good dog owner and yes, you have seen dogs out of control.

Everlong:
^But what is the actual problem with a dog being "friendly".

Apart from it bugging you that a dog shouldn't be off lead and coming over, what is that dog actually going to do?

Before I had dogs and when I had young children if approached by a dog tbh it was a non issue. Sometimes we'd stroke it, sometimes not. Nothing ever happened.

I don't get the uptightness surrounding dogs out for a walk even if they do come over for a fuss.^

Exactly. You think it's fine for your dogs to approach people, because you think the dogs are friendly, and you think people are hysterical if they object.

That's the definition of an inconsiderate dog owner. Acting all victimised won't change that.

And I'm done. Enough entitlement for one day.