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!

Yes Sizewell is dog friendly. I don't mind the power station, dh works there, we'd be skint without it! There's a lovely little cafe where you can get lunch and a drink but not much else for the kids. We often meet friends at Southwold and then there's the shops, the pier, the icecream and fish and chips for tea. If you don't mind the crowds of tourists. But then we can't take the dog. We have to compromise and do half and half!

Right. So that means that because we have a dog, nobody else in the family can do the beach activities they want- no picnics or sandcastles or sunbathing?

Always amazes me how parents with dc who are frightened of dogs go out of their way to walk past the main beach right to the end where dogs are allowed and then tut when a dog runs past their dc.

It's often the parents who make all the fuss and noise and encourage the dc to be frightened by rushing to "save them".

The point of a dog friendly beach is so that dogs can get off lead and have fun. Then people can do their normal activities eg: picnics on the part that IS'NT dog friendly without dogs ruining it. That's the last place I'd have a picnic. I might grab a sandwich and drink while there but not a fully laid out picnic. The dog owner probably laughed because he thought the same thing.

Hakukt, no we do all those things, we just expect other peoples dogs to be there and don't complain about it.

'Right. So that means that because we have a dog, nobody else in the family can do the beach activities they want- no picnics or sandcastles or sunbathing?'

No, you just have to go to a beach that permits dogs on leashes but not free-range. Because dogs steal picnics, run through sand castles and join in any beach ball or frizbee games without a second thought if they aren't under control.

Right. So that means that because we have a dog, nobody else in the family can do the beach activities they want- no picnics or sandcastles or sunbathing?

Of course you can, but just remember dogs are of lead and that's the risk you take. I would certainly try to prevent my dogs from interfering with your enjoyment but you have miles of beach on which to do those things and dog owners have part on which their dogs should be able to have fun.

We're taking the dog with us for a picnic today, i won't lay it out we'll get what we want from the cool bag as we want it, the dog will have his own bowl :)

So on a dog friendly beach all the usual "rules" about how dogs behave in public don't apply? What about jumping up at people? Knocking toddlers over? Peeing on other people's stuff? Grabbing food from people's hands? Does anything go?

How come it's OK for a dog to trash a picnic on a beach but not in the park?

not heard of a Dog Beach.
dog friendly, yes,
so the family including the dog, can go to the beach with dog and picnic if they want.
You are not foolish to eat a picnic with a dog in tow.

Yanbu.

I do find MN a bit of a rabbit hole where dogs are concerned. I've met very few people in real life who dislike/are so incredibly precious about dogs sharing the same airspace as them.

come on you can't expect people to have a family day out with a picnic and if they want to take their dog, they they can .

you have a picnic in the park with your dog,

what do families with dogs do about their picnics?

That's what many dog owners seem to need for their animals Hakluyt.
That's what they say is normal behaviour for dogs and is being repressed.
I want dog-free spaces and dogs under control or on leads, but if they need a space to be themselves, I'd rather a designated zone I can avoid.
Then they can do what they like with their owners and I'm not an unwilling participant
Every time I see two dogs having a scrap with their owners flapping I think 'At least it's dog on dog and not dog on human'

Camber Sands is a long stretch of beach, miles of beach with sand dunes between the beach and car parks. The car park at the dog allowed end of the beach has a very steep hill you walk up to get to the beach. There are numerous massive signs pointing that dogs are to the right, no dogs to the left.

The no dogs bit is a lot busier than the dog bit. However, no matter how well trained and behaved your dog is normally, when you take it to a beach with lots of other dogs about, they will run around like crazy in extreme happiness.

My dog does obedience training, is very cleaver and has great recall - especially where there is food at the end. However, on the beach she becomes so exuberant that her training and recall is limited.

Yesterday a couple were walking along the beach paddeling up to their ankles from non dog to dog bit. The girl was wearing a white dress. They wanted to walk the miles of beach from end to end.

However, dog after dog ran over to them to say hello. NOT aggressively, but very bouncy and a few jumped up. The girl wasn't happy. I have to say though, she was on the dog beach.

I already said about the father and daughter on floats that many dogs were barking at and the daughter was really freaking out about. They only needed to move to the non dog bit about 150 metres away, but no.

There were half a dozen families with picnics which dogs weren't eating or running over, but dogs were running over to say hello and then running off again. The dogs stayed for 2-3 seconds, but I guess dog after dog came over.

There were a number of teenage boys who set up beach volley ball - well the dogs went after the ball a lot. BUT why be on the dog beach section?

Exactly OP.
Why be on the dog beach bit, or the dog friendly beach bit if you don't want to interact with dogs?

everlong, she has a dog, so she probably likes dogs that are under the control of their owner.

So because this girl was on a dog friendly beach, it was OK for dogs to jump up at her and , presumably, spoil her dress? (I'm assuming that because you mentioned that it was white- you wouldn't have mentioned the colour otherwise)

My favourite beach allows dogs and I dislike it. It's the toileting that I find offensive as kids are playing and digging in sand where dogs may have been pooing and peeing. Eughhhh

Everlong- I do have a dog!

I'd see it as a risk I was taking Hakluyt. I'd prefer not to have any interaction with dogs, but if I had to walk through a dog zone, it's what I'd expect because for me that's what a lot of dogs seem to do.
But if I'm in their area...
I'd still not want or expect to be bitten or nipped, but the rest of it?
'He's my furbaby and he's only being friendly'

but the girl in the white dress should not have a dog jump up at her, wherever you are dog beach or not, you control your dog not to jump up at anyone.

As I said before dog owners can't win! So because YOU want a picnic on the beach you think everyone else should keep their dogs on lead in an off lead dog beach? Or have I misunderstood you?

Going to a dog friendly beach and complaining about dogs is like going to a petting farm and complaining about the animals.
And I'm a cat person. I don't like dogs. I would avoid the dog beach!