Dogs in the playground on school pickup

[MrsJamin]

I don't think dogs should be allowed in a playground at drop-off/pick-up, am I being unreasonable? What is done at your school? My school allows it and I don't think it's quite right.

Who wants a playground that's been peed and shat on by dogs?

I agree, just wish we could do something about the cat and fox mess, they ignore the signs completely!

In all my 20 odd years of going in the school playground I've never known a dog to poo! And if they did do you think a parent would just leave it there??

My brother had an appendicitis and when the surgeon who removed it a dog worm was wrapped round it. We had never owned a dog, and didn't come into contact with them, as family and friends didn't have them either. However, a dog was frequently brought onto school grounds and the owner didn't look after it. The LA banned dogs from all LA school land after my parents complained. This was in the 80s, but several LAs also did the same. There have been several cases of sight loss, lung damage and other problems due to children ingesting dog worm eggs.

My DM was in hospital and the lady next to her was blind in one eye. Her mother had taken her to the park as a toddler and she had contracted toxoplasmosis(?) from animal faeces and gone blind. The mother said there were no traces on her hands.

toxocariasis

www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxocariasis/

there is a huge difference between a school dog, PAT dogs and random parents bringing dogs onto the playground.

and the pp who said 'these dogs live with children so should be fine'
Ha ha ha.

PAT dogs or a 'school dog' are vetted and trained and ownded by respnsible adults.

The biggest issue for schools (apart from dog mess/disease which I suspect is very rare) is that the dogs coming in are unknown, and therefore a complete unknown quantity in terms of behaviour, and temperament. And given the cross section of society contains complete idiots when it comes to dogs, and that parents are represented in the whole of society....

Not all dog owners are the sensible responsible group that are on mn

it's so normal for dogs to be on the school grounds that I've never given it a lot of thought
It was the same for our rural state primary. Lots of people had dogs that they brought with them and there was never a problem as everyone used their common sense.

Yanbu. My DD is terrified of dogs, the owners walk them right up to the door of the school.

Also irresponsible dog owner leave a trail of dog poo on the paths. It is disgusting.

They're not allowed on the playground at my dc's school, noone takes dogs past the boundary fence. I stand by the gate, out the way, if I have our dog with me.

I think it is part of your duty as a parent to educate your child to be dog aware and be more resiliant. I can't stand when a I see a family out on a walk in a dog friendly park and seeing the kid scream when a friendly, interested dog approach and their parent clutching them, reinforcing the reflex to panic. The dog then finds screaming stimulating and goes to inspect and then parent hold on even tighter. You are doing your kids a disservice.
Owning a dog (and other pets) enhances quality of life and teaches kids empathy. I can't stand this 'let's all drive to school and keep our houses sterile with as much antobacterial spray possible' attitude. We are more likely to develop allergies this way. It is very rare to pick up toxicara worms from a healthy dog over 5 weeks old as their immune systems don't usually allow them to develop.
It is very rare to get a truly savage dog. Parents need to teach their kids how to approach dogs properly - calm, quiet behaviour and checking with owner before trying to pat it.

I agree with most of your post fairy, but it’s not up to dogs-owners to dictate how and when parents teach their children about dogs by bringing them onto a school playground.

Fuck no

Wow it must be wonderful to live in a world where you can dictate to people what they are allowed to be scared of.
My DC is scared of dogs, I'm sure they'll grow out of it, but for now we'll deal with it as best we can.
Can someone point me in the direction of the thread where we can berate parents for doing their children the disservice of being scared of spiders, clowns or cotton wool.

My problem isn't with kids being scared of dogs. It's the way grown ups deal with it - reinforcing it. Having dogs waiting at the school gates causes a bottle neck where kids are forced to pass them at close proximity. It would surely make better sense for dog owners to find a quiet space at the back of the playground and less fuss made of the whole thing in general.

Very common for them not to be allowed.
Maybe contact the headteacher or governors and ask for it to be looked at?

It would surely make better sense for dog owners to find a quiet space at the back of the playground and less fuss made of the whole thing in general.

Again, fairy, you’re trying to dictate how parents manage their children’s reaction to dogs by suggesting they are allowed into the playground. It’s up to parents to decide the best way to get their children used to dogs, not to have it forced on them in a place they cannot avoid.

I love dogs but I back our head teacher all the way on this.

It’s not (in my experience) about kid being afraid of dogs, it’s about the school potentially being liable should a child be hurt by a dog on school grounds

I am a dog owner. I walk my dog to school with us on the school run. Why do I take him....because I have to walk the kids to school anyway (over a mile), the dog needs a walk, and I have to work mid morning so I can either 1....leave him at home, walk to school and back and then take him out....which would be a short walk. or 2...walk him to school, then take a long walk over fields, moorland and forests on the way home so he has a longer walk.

He is never taken in the playground....I dont want dogs peeng up the kids benches and play equipment. I dont want poo in the playground (even if it is cleared up)

I dont leave him tied up either, I stand at the other side of the road until its time to go in, walk across and see kids into the playground and then go back to the other side of the road... there are kids who are scared of dogs. Also there has been a lot of dog-nappings lately.

I don't think how the dog behaved is extreme enough to warrant a complaint from me this week, but let's say I'm going to keep a close eye on the behaviour of the dogs in the playground from now on. I understand that it has big repercussions for the dog owners if they cannot bring their dogs onto the school grounds and I'm not quite ready for the vitriol if they found out it was me who complained.

Guide or assistance dogs only in my opinion.

Dogs not allowed at my DC's school.

DS1 is fine with dogs. DS2 doesn't scream but he will move quickly away from a dog and I will pick him up and keep him well away.

I'm sure some dog owners think this is OTT and that I'm "doing him a disservice". However, despite being around dogs regularly since birth, he's very allergic and no, I don't mean he'll sneeze a bit if he strokes the dog. He starts swelling up if a dog even pants too close to him. I'm not reinforcing a fear, I'm keeping him well away from your dog whilst he's still at a height to get sniffed in the face by them.

Dog walkers stood outside the gate, not sn issue. Certainly not on school groundd

the person with the dog who jumped up at you is the problem, and you could meet them anywhere.
speak to school op.