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AIBU?

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Original poster

To feel the doggy-as-child thing goes too far

133 replies

Lovelyideas · 30/10/2016 21:20

I like dogs. I got my parents a dog and she changed their lives. But something seems wrong about dog stuff in our little town. The whole child-substitute thing just goes too far. It is as if all the pressures of child rearing are transported on to dogs.

Example 1 today. I bump into friend K with her cute new puppy. A stranger's puppy interacts with K's puppy. K and stranger exchange friendly doggy chitchat. K's puppy is straining at the lead and they have this dialogue.
Stranger: oh! Yours wants to come off the lead!
K well, I wouldn't trust her yet.
Stranger: oh, what you can do is, take her to the park, you know the enclosed children's playground before the kids get there, it's so good for her training!
K oh right....
Stranger: or the tennis courts, she can have a great time on the tennis courts and she can't get out.
K right, thanks...

This is not an isolated thing, I have noticed it for a while. I am sure that my parents -yes- trained their dog. But then she became part of the scenery, not the big focus of conversation. There were no dog play dates, dog cages or dog anxiety. They did not allow their untrained dog in areas where dogs are not allowed for very good reason. And she was none the worse for it.

OP posts:
Dontpanicpyke · 30/10/2016 21:43

Taking dogs to run round a child play place is bonkers.

Original poster
Lovelyideas · 30/10/2016 21:44

Cherry, yes, I really object to the dog owner thinking that it was fine to take over the playground. It was the lack of shame about it - actually suggesting it to a stranger- that made me feel it was part of a cultural problem.

OP posts:
wysiwyg16 · 30/10/2016 21:44

An enclosed play area WITHOUT children is the perfect place for recall training. We've done this a few times, don't see the problem.

wysiwyg16 · 30/10/2016 21:45

I imagine the owner would have meant a time when no children were in the play area - like 7pm at night etc...

toastytoastbear · 30/10/2016 21:45

In fact it's not even the pissy smell, it's the risk of going to pick up a tennis ball from the edge of the court and it being soaked in dog piss 😷

kissmethere · 30/10/2016 21:45

if the dog goes to the toilet on the tennis court that can't be goo for the court can it? And I'd say no to using a children's playground too. Especially urine is not going to be cleaned up is it?

PoppyPicklesPenguin · 30/10/2016 21:46

I thought this was going to be about pampered pooches which is crazy to me, I saw one in a pink outfit with a matching buggy the other week.

But I'm actually quite concerned that some owners think that it is ok to let their dog into a child's play area, even if no kids are about dogs, are dogs and will go to the toilet if the mood so takes them in an outside area (from what I've experienced from family who have dogs) this isn't going to be pleasant for children who use the area later in the day.

Original poster
Lovelyideas · 30/10/2016 21:47

Wysiwyg
The problem is that

  • the children cannot come in till the dogs see fit to leave
  • children tend to fall and crawl in the playground
-many children are scared of dogs
OP posts:
2kids2dogsnosense · 30/10/2016 21:47

The dog with a dummy - you don't live in Whickham, do you? There's a beagle here who loves her dummy (she's about 9 - not a puppy).

ErrolTheDragon · 30/10/2016 21:49

Given that puppy poo is often a bit squitty, using a kids playground (even if empty) as a training area could be a bit antisocial if you aren't 100% sure you can clean up any accidents.

My dog once found a dummy abandoned in a park, he looked hilariously proud of himself with it!Grin

Original poster
Lovelyideas · 30/10/2016 21:50

Actually I guess dummies are a private matter, my opinion is irrelevant.

OP posts:
CozyAutumn · 30/10/2016 21:50

People shouldn't be taking their dogs on a children's playground. Absolutely need for it.
And tennis courts? For what reason also? So the dog can chase after tennis balls? As fun as that may be for dog 🙄, the dog will be getting in the way.

What's wrong with them having a run on a field

CozyAutumn · 30/10/2016 21:50

Absolutely NO need for it.

wysiwyg16 · 30/10/2016 21:51

On a 20 min walk down to the play area a dog should have done all its poos and wees. We chose times when no kids were there and would have left immediately if there were any.

The recall training we did left little time for wandering around aimlessly pissing up slides, it was all based on running and coming back to us.

BigGreenOlives · 30/10/2016 21:51

I've read about a dog chewing the teat off a dummy & suffering from an intestinal blockage. Dummies are for babies, not puppies or dogs.

HopelesslydevotedtoGu · 30/10/2016 21:52

I've been told by various relatives:

"Getting a dog is as big a life change as having a baby"

. "Our dog does that too! Let me tell you the story of how they learnt...."

"Are you visiting on Sunday to see the dog?"
"No, I'm bringing your new grandchild to meet you..."

Let's hope the dogs visit them in their nursing home in 30 years time!

Original poster
Lovelyideas · 30/10/2016 21:53

I remember now our dog used to carry a toy dog in her mouth :)

We would never have dreamt of having her run around a playground though - dog urine and poo smears are not safe for little children

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 30/10/2016 21:54

Our dog was a huge hit with everyone in MILs nursing home but yeah, he couldn't have got there alone and he'd have been useless at the paperwork.

FluffyPineapple · 30/10/2016 21:54

*Yes fluffy it seems your grandmother's wise words have been forgotten.

Crawling children should not have to wait for dogs to finish playing, nor should they have to crawl over dog poo smears in the playground*

Exactly! I see no reason why dogs should have to frequent closed in play areas meant for children. If dog owners train their dogs to recall from puppyhood they won't ever need to be in areas meant for children - and shouldn't be allowed.

2kids2dogsnosense · 30/10/2016 21:54

I always let my pups off (in a safe place i.e. no traffic) as soon as they are inoculated. While they are still tiny they will follow you because you are who they know.

If you leave it to later they are starting to develop confidence and independence and will be harder to train to recall.

I've never lost a dog yet - but I can sympathise with the poster who fears her dogma be stolen. There are some nasty people about.

NoncommittalToSparkleMotion · 30/10/2016 21:55

I like dogs and have owned them most of my life, but they've never been my fur babies. They're my pets.

My dog is separated from guests when we have a party, we never let her off leash in public places, she only eats dog food, she went to obedience training, etc.

My mother and mother in law have dogs as baby substitues. They jump on the table at dinner, bark incessantly, and wreck the shit out of things around the house because "they want to play!"

I can't stand it.

So when they tell me "my dog is my baby" I can't help but think "ugh."

Would this be in the same vein, OP?

Original poster
Lovelyideas · 30/10/2016 21:55

Wysiwyg

You are looking at the world through the needs of a dog. The needs of the family intimidated by your dog take precedence I'm afraid.

OP posts:
SpookyMooky · 30/10/2016 21:55

I'm surprised a kids' play area bars are narrow enough to contain a puppy.

2kids2dogsnosense · 30/10/2016 21:55

*dog may - not dogma

For crying out loud, Autocorrect - just STOP IT!

Cherrysoup · 30/10/2016 21:57

I got puppy blues, big time. It's a life changer, for sure.

Recall can be tricky. Last pup I had, we did longline (lunge line from my horse!), a puppy sized dummy and lots of excitable squeaking to encourage him back.

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