Aibu- walking dog In children’s park/ play area

[Sleeplessem]

So there is a small fenced off park/ play area where we live, residents actually pay an annual fee for its maintenance (which is a bit ridiculous really considering how small the area is, but that’s not relevant here). There is a very clear sign that says no dogs. Fair enough right.

Well the amount of times I’ve seen dog mess and dog mess bags (full of poop) just scattered around the park makes me really angry. I can’t let me near 2 year old play and explore in the kids area, which I pay for because some people are exercising their dogs there and not properly cleaning up.

Well today, DH and I went after work to the play area with dd and there was a lady exercising her dog there. Not saying she doesn’t clean up after it, but that’s not really the point to me as clearly some people aren’t and there’s a very clear sign on entry that says no dogs.

I wanted to very politely say something to the lady but DH talked me out of it. Would you have said something? DH agrees people shouldn’t walk dogs there but just more of the rash life kinda guy. The dog was clearly not a service dog of any kind so I do feel like there is no excuse to walk a dog in a child’s park. Am I wrong here? Would you have said something?

I would have said something.

It could be awkward telling off a neighbour, especially as she must have noticed the signs prohibiting dogs and decided to take hers in anyway. I'd complain to the company you pay the maintenance fee to, make them earn it and enforce their own rules

Is your DH normally such a wet blanket? Honestly you would have been right to call her out. No dogs means no dogs, it's not difficult!

It’s annoying, but I personally wouldn’t say anything. She knows it’s wrong and does it anyway, she would most likely keep doing it and would just think you were a busybody/should mind your own business. There will always be inconsiderate people in the world, I don’t think any of them will change just because a stranger lectured them.

I've said something before in this situation. Dogs shouldn't be in kid's play areas. This is how children get bitten (and faeces gets trodden in).

Not sure how they could enforce it aside from cameras which I doubt would happen. There’s already a sign and people always flout those sorts of rules case an point here. Honestly though there are constantly bags of dog mess on the floor, not sure if it’s foxes getting into the bins or people chucking it after cleaning up. 🤷‍♀️

I wouldn’t have told her off per se, I’d have said respectfully, please don’t take this the wrong way but please don’t walk your dog here or I don’t think you should be walking your dog here. Something cordial but to that effect.

I completely disagree, no dogs, fenced area for kids no dogs. I would have said something and have done in the past.

@ScaredOfDinosaurs

Is your DH normally such a wet blanket? Honestly you would have been right to call her out. No dogs means no dogs, it's not difficult!

He’s very soft let’s put it that way

@RugratMum

I've said something before in this situation. Dogs shouldn't be in kid's play areas. This is how children get bitten (and faeces gets trodden in).

That’s what I think too, especially because there are so few spaces that you can take a little one without fear of dog mess and let’s face it there are plenty of spaces to walk a dog

I said something to a dog owner on a beach that was supposed to dog free. My DS is fucking petrified of dogs (and yes I am trying to address that) and will refuse to go to a beach, park, wood etc if there is a high chance of a dog being there. This dog wasn't badly behaved or near us, but it's presence was enough to have DS wanting to go home so I very politely went and said "excuse me but did you know this bit of the beach is a no dog zone? There is a dogs allowed bit just down there". The couple with the dog looked a bit disgruntled but said oh ok and buggered off. Sometimes these things don;t have to be confrontational, especially when there is clear signage and no grey area of right and wrong.

@HugeAckmansWife

I said something to a dog owner on a beach that was supposed to dog free. My DS is fucking petrified of dogs (and yes I am trying to address that) and will refuse to go to a beach, park, wood etc if there is a high chance of a dog being there. This dog wasn't badly behaved or near us, but it's presence was enough to have DS wanting to go home so I very politely went and said "excuse me but did you know this bit of the beach is a no dog zone? There is a dogs allowed bit just down there". The couple with the dog looked a bit disgruntled but said oh ok and buggered off. Sometimes these things don;t have to be confrontational, especially when there is clear signage and no grey area of right and wrong.

Yeah exactly and that’s how I would have treated it, cordial and pleasant.

Dd is a little fearful of dogs too, she instantly asked to be picked up and didn’t want to get too close. Again it’s a kids space, so this shouldn’t be an issue xx

I would, and have in the past, told someone that they shouldn't have their dog in the children's play area.

It's bad enough that there's dog poo all over the grass in most parks, how are children meant to be able to run around freely in what is supposed to be an area for them to play in if there's dog poo all over the place.

Some children are fearful around dogs as well, so are they supposed to forgo using the playpark so someone's dog can have the pleasure of using it?

It's not meant for dogs. How hard is that to understand.

Some dog owners need to learn to pick up their dog's leavings and understand that not everywhere is accessible to dogs.

I'm not anti dog, I have a dog of my own. but this sort of thing really annoys me.

But it's only playing, and really friendly, and noone else minds! Nah, I'm with you. I'd have said something.

We have a neighbourhood whatsapp group, was thinking about posting in there just kindly asking dog owners not to exercise their dogs in the park.
Too much?

We’ve gone back after tea as it’s a lovely day and there’s a lovely pile of fresh mess as soon as you walk in

I have 2 dogs and I would've said something.

And it really pisses me off when I see dog poo just left. One of my dogs always poos in a long grass and i still pick it up. And dispose of the bag in the bin!

As an owner of 2 dogs and one 2 year old DD I absolutely wouldn’t take my dogs into a children’s play area. If we walking the dogs and happen go visit a park my DP carries on walking the dogs and I take DD on the park. If my intention is to go to the park for DD to play I leave the dogs at home.
It’s not difficult.
Some people are just rude

By all means ask in the WhatsApp group if you’d like to vent, but I imagine all you’ll get is a load of messages of people who already don’t walk dogs there agreeing with you and the culprits will continue/take no notice. Reading your message won’t be the first time it has occurred to them that walking a dog in a play area is wrong, especially if there is a sign in the park. They won’t suddenly change.
I don’t understand people who take it upon themselves to police others behaviour (however politely)/share their opinions on a strangers behaviour however immoral it may be. Changes nothing. It’s like if a health nut went up to someone in McDonald’s and said “I don’t think you should be eating that burger it’s bad/has more salt than the guidelines say”. If it’s a crime/you’re concerned report it to the police or council otherwise let people make their own choices without thrusting your opinions on them.
I’m aware of the irony/hypocrisy here as people are of course entitled to comment on others behaviour/tell strangers off if they wish. But in this case you did invite people to tell you if they thought you’d be unreasonable to police a stranger and I think you would be.

Oh and I agree that walking a dog in a play area is out of order/leaving poo is dangerous and gross. I just don’t agree that it should/can be tackled by people with no authority pointing out that it’s wrong

I have a dog and I always say something.

Once there were two very large dogs that had been deliberately let off leash in the enclosed kids area. Another kid there was plainly freaked out by them but their carer was too nervous to say anything.
The owners expressed surprise at this being a no dog zone (CFs) but did move the dogs.
There was a actual dog park within a quarter of a mile!

There is no way I'd let my dh talk me out of saying something

I feel your pain. fenced in parks should not have dogs in. Even if they are 'well behaved' if every dog owner took their dog in... one park where I live the park is totally fenced in so dogs don't tend to go in but another park in the area has like a fence with gaps with a green space around it. People think because dogs are allowed in the green space around the okay area they can just run freely in the okay area which isn't totally fenced off. But there's still a massive no dogs in the play area sign, people still let their dogs in and often off lead which makes it worse.

@Strawberryshitfest

By all means ask in the WhatsApp group if you’d like to vent, but I imagine all you’ll get is a load of messages of people who already don’t walk dogs there agreeing with you and the culprits will continue/take no notice. Reading your message won’t be the first time it has occurred to them that walking a dog in a play area is wrong, especially if there is a sign in the park. They won’t suddenly change. I don’t understand people who take it upon themselves to police others behaviour (however politely)/share their opinions on a strangers behaviour however immoral it may be. Changes nothing. It’s like if a health nut went up to someone in McDonald’s and said “I don’t think you should be eating that burger it’s bad/has more salt than the guidelines say”. If it’s a crime/you’re concerned report it to the police or council otherwise let people make their own choices without thrusting your opinions on them. I’m aware of the irony/hypocrisy here as people are of course entitled to comment on others behaviour/tell strangers off if they wish. But in this case you did invite people to tell you if they thought you’d be unreasonable to police a stranger and I think you would be.

I kind of agree with your point on posting In the group but re saying something to someone about walking their dog in a child’s play area, i don’t really see this as policing people’s behaviour, at least not In the same leagues as your McDs example for instance. I see it more In lines of if someone was smoking indoor/ non smoking area. It’s more asking for considerate behaviour in my opinion. Xx

Actually, I think if you have a child with you who wants to use the park and can’t because someone had their dog in there, then I think you’d be justified to ask them to leave so you can use the facility. But if it’s in the evening and there’s no children around/you’re not planning on using the facility yourself then the dog walker isn’t really harming you (they may clean up poo/dog may have already pooed for all you know) so why get involved-unless you get a kick out of telling people what to do.

In this instance it was the former, we’d gone specifically to the play area for dd, a place where she can run around (in theory) without us worrying about her tripping over and landing In dog mess.