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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be upset with the woman with dog in a playground

134 replies

MumOnAShortFuse · 27/10/2015 13:29

I was walking my dog at a local area that has a popular playground. It has a strong swing gate in it that has a very obvious sign that quite clearly states no dog by way of a nice little picture of a dog with a red line through it. At least, I thought that the sign made it obvious. I saw a woman with her kid and her dog in the playground whenI drove past to park. As they were still in there 15mins later (with said dog off his lead and running about on, and jumping on and off,some of the play equipment that has a platform on) I approached her and advised her she shouldn't have the dog in there. I've got 2 DD and I often don't take them in there as there is dog poo in there.
They were the only ones in there and she was insistent it was ok as she had bags with her.
I pointed out this wasn't good enough and if it said no dogs, it means no dogs whether they've pooed in there or not. If we know we're going to the playground, my dog stays at home. If it's been spontaneous, he gets tied up to the railings on the outside of the park.
She didn't like this pointed out and seemed to feel I was being unreasonable. Thoughts?

OP posts:
dodobookends · 27/10/2015 21:12

Do what I did - open the gate and let them escape and run away. Job done.

ragged · 27/10/2015 21:29

Ooh, Ptumbi, say what you think now. Don't be shy.

I read the 3 posts by OP. They are the only 3 posts I needed to read. I don't need to join in the Big Group Think by reading any other posts.

DianaTrent · 27/10/2015 21:48

I love my dogs. Given the choice they come everywhere with me, within reason, including most holidays. I would never take them into an area with a no dogs sign, though, and am very careful about worming and picking up poo. However annoying the owners who bring their dogs into no dog areas undoubtedly are, though, you'd have to be a pretty mean, twisted individual to intentionally encourage a dog to escape a safe area to potentially meet a long, painful end on the road outside, no? How would you feel if it happened right in front of you? It's not the dog's fault its owners are thoughtless idiots.

Klaptout · 27/10/2015 21:50

YDNBU, it's not just the hazard of mess, safety of children means no dogs, if like me and lots of over people you are anaphylactic to animal fur, Saliva and dander then any contact means at the very least an epi-pen incident, I've spent way too much time in hospital due to selfish people putting me and others at risk. I'd get on my high horse if I wasn't allergic.

amarmai · 27/10/2015 21:51

my gs is deadly allergic to dogs. His nanny took him to visit a friend of hers who had a dog and he ended up in hospital. So when we are in a park and some self entitled idiot brings a dog in -i speak up and don't stop until the dog is taken out.Thank you op for speaking up when you did not have to . We all shd do the same and maybe the self entitled idiots will have to stop.

itsmeohlord · 27/10/2015 21:53

Not unreasonable to expect her to heed the sign, but you were probably on a hiding to nothing.

totalrecall1 · 27/10/2015 21:58

YANBU and I would have done the same

MissBattleaxe · 27/10/2015 22:09

YANBU at all. I have confronted four dog owners who had their dogs in our nearby "NO DOGS" fenced playing area which has a huge playing field next to it. Despite the huge DOGS WELCOME playing field, people still insist on taking their dogs into the NO DOGS children's playing area.

Four times I have said to different owners "Excuse me, but dogs are not allowed in here"

Here's the excuses I've had

"He's only little"
"He's friendly"
"She just likes to run down there and back a few times and then I take her home" ( Ignoring the giant field behind her)
"It's all right, he won't do anything"

It makes me fume!

NO DOGS means all dogs, not it's OK for friendly dogs, small dogs, dogs that don't stay long or dogs who "won't poo". No dogs!

Bubbletree4 · 27/10/2015 22:21

I absolutely hate this and it's why I crammed swings and slide into my smallish garden. I hate parks because of dogshit. I never take my kids to the park. We have a little one by us which my dc could have spent hours in but people go into the fenced no dogs area and let their dogs roam whilst they sit playing with their phones. Wtf is wrong with people.

I love dogs btw.

dibly · 27/10/2015 22:21

YANBU but you might want to get a life

BaldHedgehog · 27/10/2015 23:06

YANBU.There's no need for dogs to be in the playground.Our one has banned the dogs recently not only because dog poo on the ground but also dogs on the loose cocking their legs against benches/equipment.

Abidewithme3 · 27/10/2015 23:11

Yes she had no right to have a dog in a dog free zone granted.

but you remind me of an old head girl at my secondary school who was always interfering. Seriously you saw her, parked up and confronted her without any intention of going to the park that day.

Gosh.

Cataria · 27/10/2015 23:11

YANBU. I adore dogs, my children adore dogs, we have dogs. NO DOGS means what it says. Otherwise it would say No Dogs Unless on Leads / No Dogs Unless Carried / Dogs Allowed.

NO DOGS means I don't go to those playgrounds. I take the dogs and children where they can all play and get exercise.

The woman with her dog there is spoiling it for responsible dog owners who do not take their dogs where they are not allowed. I would have said something too.

Adarajames · 28/10/2015 01:12

Hurr1cane and anyone else with kids terrified of dogs- if you're anywhere near Brentwood in essex, essex dog club run a free cynophobia course for kids which has a brilliant success rate, well worth looking in to.

For leisure occasions my dog is never in no dogs areas and on lead where signs request it, we do however occasionally go into fenced in No dogs areas, when she's in harness and working, as shes a trainee search and rescue dog and needs to learn to look under and in such places as play equipment. We're all in uniform though and clearly explain what we're doing so generally don't have people having a go at us. Id not have the courage to tell others to leave though, at least not in our local park, it would probably end woth me hospitalised or worse, I've found those most likely to ignore the signs are least likely to respond nicely to it be being pointed out to them!

GenerationX2 · 28/10/2015 01:36

I agree no dogs means no dogs and people should always clean up after their dogs because its disgusting if they don't.

But I really do need to point out that if you are outside dog poo is the least of your worries, there are many animals around who carry worms, fleas etc which is left where they pee and poop.

There is no argument dog poo is disgusting - but so is fox and squirrel wee and poo

SirChenjin · 28/10/2015 06:43

Yes, but foxes and squirrels are not owned as pets and as such, are not generally barred from being taken into play parks - which is what this thread is about.

Slugonthewindow · 28/10/2015 06:56

There was dog poo at the bottom of the slide in our park last week - there are no words to express how disgusting that is.

YANBU. A dog is a dog. A playpark is a playpark for children, their little shoes and trousers and hands. Euch, it's revolting.

But I wouldn't have stopped to get out - aggro like that needs avoided as I'd get far too stressed out. My DS doesnt need to see me seething with an inconsiderate stranger.

K1mberly · 28/10/2015 07:05

YANBU

charlestonchaplin · 28/10/2015 07:07

I do not have cynophobia. I have an entirely rational healthy fear of dogs, also known as respect. I respect the fact that they have sharp teeth and strong jaws that are capable of causing me a lot of harm. Many of them can outrun me and pin me down with their sizeable weight, and since I don't talk dog language I can't cower and explain through my sobs that I didn't mean to disrespect them, honestly.

I like dogs, at least I like watching them interact with others, but unfortunately people do have a lot to fear from dogs, especially the untrained or poorly trained ones. And to the owner of Biscuit, the small dog who ran across the road to attack me last Saturday, if he/she so much as sniffs my ankles in the future, I will be reporting you and your dangerous dog, which is clearly completely untrained, to the authorities.

SirChenjin · 28/10/2015 07:47

Dies Essex Dog Club also run classes on how to be a considerate dog owner by keeping your dog under control at all times, how to pick up its poo, and how to ensure your dog doesn't frighten people?

ptumbi · 28/10/2015 10:21

I read the 3 posts by OP. They are the only 3 posts I needed to read. I don't need to join in the Big Group Think by reading any other posts. - so, ragged, just goady then?

If you'd bothered to read the majority of posts saying that NO DOGS should mean just that, and that it is NOT just a matter of dog poo as you seem to suggest, maybe you would have applied a little 'thinking' to your posts? Or were you jsut avoiding the 'big group think' by just, ya'know, disagreeing?

You may think this shows how radical and 'free-thinking' you are, not going with Group, but in fact it shows that you don't actually think at all.

Monkeyinshoes · 28/10/2015 10:44

YANBU. A dog running around in the playground would mean that we couldn't go in as DS2 is allergic to dogs. If the dog ran up to him, he'd have a face covered in hives and eyes swollen shut within 5 minutes. Playgrounds are for children and no dogs means no dogs no matter how carefully you pick up after them.

Adarajames · 28/10/2015 10:47

Charleston - I wasn't saying you do, just making people aware of the help that is available if theirs kids do

Sirchen - yes, it's part of their induction and mentioned in training, although generally those that take their dogs for training are the more responsible owners who'd not think of leaving dog mess anywhere anyway, unfortunately those that leaves the mess are those least likely to bother with proper training for their dog/s

totalrecall1 · 28/10/2015 12:44

Adara - surely there are other places you can train your dog apart from a childrens playground. There seems a ream of people on here that seem to think they are different to everyone else because there dog is small, its a search and rescue!! My dog would also sit patiently by my side in a playground but I wouldn't take him in there. There are a million and one places you can take a dog. A childrens playground is not, under any circumstances, one of them

fragola · 28/10/2015 13:17

YANBU and well done for saying something!