No dogs in school playground. Is it ok to carry your dog in?

[LtEsmeHansard]

As long as they don't touch the ground?

Lots of parents with dogs at our school - mainly small ones - we are in a large city. It's right next to a busy road too so can't really leave them outside. Some used to tie them up in a corner of the playground but now the caretaker patrols that area to prevent it, so some parents are now carrying their small dogs in. I have not by the way, my routine doesn't necessitate taking my dog on the school run. Just seen a parent be asked by the deputy head not to carry her small breed dog in as the rule is "No Dogs" on school premises - but the reasoning for this has always been unhygienic in school playground. If dog doesn't touch ground then not unhygienic surely? So no harm done. Anyway thought I would put it to MN as it's something that I have idly wondered about over the school run years

You are misunderstanding me.

Just because I dont like dogs per se doesnt mean that I dont care about them and want them treated properly, so in the respect I suppose you could say that yes I am a dog lover as long as they dont come near me! I have severe allergies, maybe if I had been able to get to know them then I would have one, who knows.

Doesnt alter the fact that if you keep a dog unhappy in order to keep yourself happy then you are selfish and not in fact a dog lover yourself.

Thanks for clearing that up Bogey, I didn't want to speak on your behalf but I understood what you meant about not liking dogs but then speaking about how they should be cared for properly. Like I said, a dog lover is someone who wants the best for a dog, to put its well being, health and happiness before your own x

Thanks for posting 7, yes I knew what you meant!

I think that Navy doth protest too much!

Nope, no means no.
First scenario that springs to mind is if you were carrying your dog and your child fell over and needed comforting/suddenly became upset about something etc. The first thing you'd do is put the fog on the floor to assist them. Straight away you've broken the rule.
If you then have to carrylimp your child in and the dog needs to walk, another dog carrier sees you and decides their dog should be allowed to walk too.
Far easier to implement a blanket ban.

While I agree children should be taught not to stroke a dog without the owners permission I think 1000 times more strongly that if you have a dog which has a tendency to bite while being stroked you should not leave them unattended, tied to a fence where 100 plus primary children some as young as 3 plus babies will be walking past. Mow that is irresponsible.

No dogs are allowed in supermarkets...You don't carry them round there under your arm..No difference.

As previous posters have said, other children may be scared by them. My DD2 has an inexplicable fear of dogs, even tiny ones, so would be terrified. Why should she have to run the gauntlet or feel scared in 'her' space because other people want to break to rules.

No dogs means no dogs. I am alelrgic and so is ds 2 he is only 2. And i have had owners let there dogs rub themselves all over us even when i say please dont and try to move away. I can imagine this dog wrestling out of the owners arms and running up to a poor child that has allergies and then thats it for the day poor kid will have to suffer. My kids know not touch animals they dont know and to be honest are terrified of cats and dogs no matter what size. They are only aged 2 and 3. But i expect the school play ground to be a safe place. We arent allowed to send food in with peanuts due to allergies so dogs should stay out as well. Also the dog might decide to bight or scratch. Animals are unpredictable.

This drives me mad. Our school also has a no dog policy which small dog owners think doesn't apply to them. I wish I was strong enough to carry my American bulldog in just to prove a point!

talksensetome You should go up to pet the dog and say ''What a nice cat!'' when they say its a dog say ''Oh, its just they're banned so I didn't think anyone would bring a dog in here!''

I might just do that User there is one small dog owner in particular who annoys me. I have encountered him before whilst walking my dog and he picks his up and looks at us like my dog is going to eat his and gives us such a wide birth. Dog is a actually terrified of little dogs so would sit behind me and cry before he so much as sniffed the tiny creature. He is just being dogist judging my dog on his size.

I've decided to complain about the dogs tied up just by our school gate
Tonight there was a youngish (so enthusiastic and friendly) lab tied up immediately by the gate, so there was no way to get into the playground without it reaching us - it actually jumped it's legs actually ON the buggy. Dd was terrified.
I know it was just being friendly but it really doesn't help when DC are scared to have a dog bigger than them jump up at them.

Good for you LoveMyPatio I'm sure the gates are school property and therefore they can enforce that rule, same with the fence all the way around I assume.

Ours states no dogs in any circumstances but people do carry the odd tiny dog and I don't see the problem... Adults are taller and they won't be holding them in random children's faces for it to bite. Larger dogs are tied outside but little ones are liable to get stood on in the crush, easier to steal and even the friendliest dog may nip when left alone and surrounded by hundreds of little legs on a street.

We got a dog as my DC was quite unconfident and we thought it would help. It made a huge difference. Children generally love dogs. Testing how shown that pets are good for children. I'm sure many people have considered not getting a dog because of these school rules, when it would benefit their family, it would maybe encourage more children to walk to school as well which many schools measure now.

Our dog comes to school with us pretty much every day. I abide by the rule that there's no dogs in the playground, she is left tied up outside and I hate it, she looks really sad sometimes and I worry she may get taken, but its so improbably as she is well known among parents so I risk it as she gets a morning walk, which makes her happy.
I think its crazy that I can't pick her up. Its her first walk of the day and she has another one later, I work. The majority of the children at the school love seeing her (some are ambivalent, none scared), and the odd occasion I don't bring her they ask where she is.

I don't take my dog in, but some in school do pick up and the head doesn't pick them up on it, which I think is fine. I think the rule should be dropped, then if dropping it is abused, justifiably re-instated.

Hereforthebeer. If the first walk of the day for your dog is the school run then I find that cruel. You say yourself the dog looks sad being tied up outside and you can not say that NO kids/parents are scared of it, just because they don't say it to your face does not mean they don't find it a problem.

You are one of those dog owners who thinks everyone finds your fur baby as great as you do. Belive me, they don't.

Can I also say how stupid and dangerous it is to leave a dog tied up ANYWHERE in this day and age? All you have to do is google stolen dog and the amount which were left tied up and take is ridiculous.

You're putting your dog through unnecessary upset and danger.

I don't think dogs should be allowed on school premises. Carried or not. But I do think it's sad that people can't take their dogs on the school walk. Can't they be tied at the school gate? Or better still the child say goodbye at the gate. I don't walk to school, it's too far but I do say goodbye at the gate. I don't go in. Many mums pull up at the gate and the child gets out and runs in. (Countryside school, I know this is difficult in towns/cities) We have s few mums with reception age children that tie their dogs up for 2 minutes while they see their child in. Surely one of those is a solution?

Again we have the absolute idiots who think a dog getting a walk is more important than the safety of children. It beggars belief.

Hereforthebeer are you absolutely sure that not one single child is scared? Even ones that come to school after you or younger siblings accompanying the school run? Really?

Notmuchtosay - it us the dogs tied up at the gates (so you HAVE to pass them) that are the problem for my children. Who are only scared because both have been knocked over several times by "just being friendly" dogs.

We used to have dogs on the playground until one day the after school club leaders had to usher all the children inside because of an uncontrolled and angry dog on the playground. Took a while to find Mrs Gormless and get her to remove the brute.

Then there was a row of yappy or barking dogs outside the gates you had to get through. Some of them really unhappy at being tied up.

Now we have no dogs. It's good. It is a shame, because of course some dogs are well trained but unless you have a doggy exam to see which ones can and which can't come, no dogs means just that.

Problems with tying up at the gate:

-People still have to walk past what are now UNSUPERVISED dogs.
-Dogs can slip leads and run away if left tied up.
-Dogs left tied up are extremely vulnerable to being stolen.
-Being left tied up can be stressful and upsetting to dogs.
-The dog can still reach, jump up or bite children as they walk past.
-Dogs left tied up together could fight/wind eachother up, or bark at eachother/people which can scared those with a fear.

• People who are scared/allergic to dogs still have to come into contact with the dogs as they walk past them - now without owners there to control them.

Unless the dogs are tied up very far from the gate/fence near the gate (At least 20 metres plus) then it still poses a risk to those coming in and out of the school.

The most sensible thing to do would be to stand on the other side of the road, watch your children cross over and go into the school gates while you stood with the dog at a safe distance, this is what people do at the school near me and it works well. The gate and fence are school property and it would be best if the school enforced these rules as ours does.

Hereforthebeer I had to laugh at guys assertion that your dog is loved by the "majority". People who tie their dogs up are not good dog owners. If your dog gets attacked, they can't properly defend themselves and there's a risk of theft.

I love my dog but I realise that other people don't and humans come before dogs, especially in a school playground,

I like dogs a lot. I also know my opinion is not the only one that counts.

The playground is for pupils, some of whom may be allergic or phobic.

That means no dogs. Not even the smallest, best behaved dog, with all the caveats in the world. If it's a dog, it's a no.