School have threatened to call the RSPCA.

[YappyYapster]

I've name changed for this as it's potentially quite identifying.

DC started school this term. The first few days we realised that lots of people walk their dogs to school and leave them outside the gate. I thought this was a great idea so we've been taking our dog for the past couple of weeks.

I soon realised she yaps the entire time she's left so have kept the time to a minimum, I literally wait until the door opens and then run in with DC and come back. Maybe three or four minutes at the very most. We only take her in the mornings.

Last week was lovely, I was so pleased at the great routine we were all in, DC loves walking with the dog so it makes the school run a pleasure, the dog gets a walk at the same time every day so is calm and relaxed at home the rest of the day.

Today was a disaster. I came back to find a lady with her dogs pursing her lips at me and saying 'that poor dog is so distressed'. I said, oh I know she's yappy but she's not distressed, but I am working on training her to be quieter'. She then gave me a bit of a lecture on separation anxiety and lots of (well meant I'm sure) advice on how to train her, much of which I'm already doing.

I decided then not to bring her for a while until I could train her to sit quietly. I was quite sad about it, but resigned.

Got home and a while later I had a phone call from the school. Apparently several parents have complained and if I bring her again school will call the RSPCA.

I explained that I had already decided it wasn't working to bring her and she kept speaking over me and saying it's not fair on the children or the other dogs (fair enough) and that it's cruel to let her bark and they will report me if I carry on.


I am MORTIFIED.

I spent the whole afternoon crying. Barely managed the school run this afternoon but did it by keeping my head down and not making eye contact with anyone.

I have MH difficulties so may be taking this more personally than it is. But I feel awful that people think I'm some awful abusive dog owner and I really don't want to ever go back there. Obviously I have to. It's a small village school and I think I've blotted my copybook with them forever.

Sorry for the length of this, if you've managed to get through it all I applaud you.

My AIBU is, was I unreasonable to take her in the first place? Would you consider a yappy little dog to be distressed enough to call the RSPCA?

[YappyYapster]

No they only said I can't leave her tied up. And the woman who lectured me was a grandmother of a pupil.

[CotswoldStrife]

OP, you said you'd been asked not to bring your dog again by the school, no mention of just not tying it up. You didn't say that the person you think complained was a parent, just a dog walker. And surely now you've proved the school right - the dog can't be left? As a PP said in a few weeks time this will hopefully be old news, don't make too much of a drama out of it now.

[Atenco]

Just read your last post. Good for you, OP.

[OriginalBlonde]

Yappy, good for you and good on your in laws helping you with pick up.

[Notquitewhatiexpected]

Try not to let it bother you, easier said than done, I know. It's the mummy mafia at work, sadly backed up by the righteous receptionist. Take your dog for a walk after the school run and enjoy it, knowing you're not being judged by those who have nothing better to do with their time.

[Floggingmolly]

But you can only stand outside with the dog when there's someone else with you that can go in and collect your child, is that right?
So total was just a pointless exercise in being "right". Hope it felt good

[YappyYapster]

Yes bleating. It's a ridiculous threat, which I knew anyway, and it's better for me to hold my head up and ignore the playground mafia by taking her and staying with her outside the school. She didn't bark or yap once.

[Ausernotanumber]

"Bleating" ?

[YappyYapster]

And the school have asked me not to leave her tied up, not to not bring her at all.

[YappyYapster]

Oh i didn't mean it aggressively at all. I stood outside with her with the mindset that if anyone approaches me bleating about the RSPCA I'd have an assertive come back.

[CotswoldStrife]

OP, it does sound aggressive to 'stand your ground' and not do as the school asked at this stage. Have you discussed it with them at all?

I'm not sure what you are trying to prove here, but I don't think you'll be doing yourself any favours with the school or the parents! It is very early days in the school year, don't burn bridges straight away!

[Notmuchtosay1]

I've not read all the replies. But take no notice. I know of a few dogs that yap constantly when left. I bet it's a little dog. For some reason they do it more. I don't think you'll train him/her to not do it though. If he or she is little can you carry up to the school door? The rspca don't usually pay much attention to sick animals in my opinion. So a yapping dog won't bother them.

[YappyYapster]

Yes of course. Today she stood by me being the epitome of well behaved hound while my ILs picked DS up at the door.

[LittleLionMansMummy]

Presumably op's plan is to stand with the dog (hence no yapping) while the in laws collect the dc. I don't see a problem with that - the problem is the dog being left tied up and barking. That won't be the case. Presumably you'll leave the dog at home next time, then the in laws aren't with you op?

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

I've read the thread and thought I had posted on it earlier. Anyway, my take on this is that the school by telling you that you can't bring your dog and leave it tied up at the gate have made more work for themselves as you must then tell the school that if you're not allowed to bring your dog and leave it restrained at the gate, then none of the other parents/guardians are allowed either. It's got to be a fair and impartial rule and this is the only way that it can be both fair and impartial.

If they don't send out a communication to that effect, they are selectively applying the rules and that isn't fair.

That's the way I'd approach it.

Hope your walk this afternoon goes well.

[Floggingmolly]

Why, in the name of all that's holy are you still insisting on exercising your God given right to stand outside the bloody school gates with your dog?
Quite aggressively; by the tone of your post...
The school over reacted massively by threatening you with the RSPCA, certainly, but the bottom line is - the school gate is no place for a dog, yapping or not.
Why can't you let it go?

[YappyYapster]

My inlaws are coming over in a minute to do the school run with me, so they know where it is in case of emergency (love them).

I'm going to take DDog with us and stand outside with her. The mood I'm in, im just WAITING for someone to bring it. I've had a shit couple of days because of this and I'm all ready to assertively (not aggressively) stand my ground.

[user1471461436]

I see both sides of this as in yours and the school, but trust me that woman is an idiot. People seem to think dogs = furry children, i am a dog owner by the way. I have a very yappy terrier. One woman once informed me I was cruel for not letting her off her lead because she obviously wanted to play! I can see why school dont want dogs outside but the rspca wont give a flying shit about it. Breaking news: dog barked. Hardly shocking

[user1474627704]

'Am l the only one who thinks it is sad that so many children are so terrified by a tied up dog?

And why do you think those children are scared of dogs? In my experience its directly because of dog owners, like many on this thread, who put their dogs and themselves above anyone else, and scared the crap out of kids in the process. My afraid child was bitten by a dog of such an owner, thats why he's scared!

[SpidersFromMars]

Ignore the school busybodies. The school is already behind the times, you've sorted it, and the problem is solved. No need for anyone to worry anymore.