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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dog lurching at children in playground

71 replies

Jogonlogonpip · 06/09/2022 09:32

Would you say something to the owner of the dog or the school?

The rules of the school are that well-behaved dogs are allowed in the playground but this dog is a breed known for being aggressive and not good with children and the owner had no control over it.

It was on a lead but she was chatting and it was jumping up at little kids and lurching forward with no muzzle. It's not a banned breed in the UK but massive and typically used as guard dogs.

OP posts:
Isaidnoalready · 06/09/2022 09:33

Contact the school they will probably ban all dogs

BodenCardiganNot · 06/09/2022 09:34

I would take it up with the school.

Bananarama21 · 06/09/2022 09:34

No dogs should be in the playground at all that's appalling of the school. I girl got mauled by a dog at my primary school when she went to pet a dog at the gates.

Popaholic · 06/09/2022 09:37

Yes email to school office. Absolutely no dogs allowed in our playground at primary school. If parent has to bring the dog, they wait on the street and ask a classmate’s parent to bring DC out of school for them. Very simple.

londonrach · 06/09/2022 09:38

Tell school...no dogs allowed in school grounds at DD school and tbh all school s I've been to so rare they allow it

DangerNoodles · 06/09/2022 09:38

The playground is no place for dogs anyway, madness that the school allow any dogs. Most dog owners will say that thier dog is well behaved even if they are not.

My DS was attacked by a 'friendly' dog so he is terrified of them so it pisses me off when lazy owners try and combine the dog walk with the school run so DS has to walk past jumpy dogs on the way in.

5foot5 · 06/09/2022 09:39

I think I would mention to school.

When DD was in primary a family near us used to go in with a dog on a lead. It wasn't a breed known for aggression, nor do I think it was a dangerous dog, however it was excitable and used to jump up. My DD was a bit unsure of it at first but got used to it as she saw it nearly every day (we often ended up walking in to school with them as they lived so close.) Anyway, clearly someone must have complained because a communication came round from school that there should be no dogs on school premises.

soggydigestives · 06/09/2022 09:47

Bring it up with the school. No dogs should be allowed on the playground. We had a woman who tied two up to the gate just outside the playground - you had to walk past them to leave the school and they were always barking and snarling at the poor kids. I agree with pp about lazy dog owners combining the walk with school pick up. The pavements are busy enough without dogs getting in the way. My ds is regularly pounced upon by people's 'friendly' dogs. I don't give a shit if they are friendly, we don't want them jumping on us!

winesolveseverything · 06/09/2022 10:03

Absolutely complain to school.
Mention safeguarding.

We had a similar dog rule at our school, I complained numerous times, long story short, it took a local tragedy involving a pet dog for the head to finally see sense and all dogs were banned from school grounds.

Notanotherwindow · 06/09/2022 10:08

If its on a lead and can't actually get to the children, I don't see the problem. Is this particular dog actually aggressive? Because all you have said in your post is that it was jumping and lurching towards the kids. Dogs do that, they get excited. If the owner was preventing it from actually getting to the kids it wanted to jump up at, its not exactly a danger is it. Its restrained, which is more than I can say for some peoples kids

Snugglemonkey · 06/09/2022 10:17

I would take it up with school. Dogs are banned from the playground at DC's school, maybe you could present the case for the same at yours?

abovedecknotbelow · 06/09/2022 10:18

I'm amazed they are allowed in the playground TBH.

Johnnysgirl · 06/09/2022 10:18

Talk to the school, it's probably not even allowed on school grounds.

Snugglemonkey · 06/09/2022 10:18

Notanotherwindow · 06/09/2022 10:08

If its on a lead and can't actually get to the children, I don't see the problem. Is this particular dog actually aggressive? Because all you have said in your post is that it was jumping and lurching towards the kids. Dogs do that, they get excited. If the owner was preventing it from actually getting to the kids it wanted to jump up at, its not exactly a danger is it. Its restrained, which is more than I can say for some peoples kids

No dog should be jumping and lurching at children! It is the playground of a school, children have the absolute right not to be intimidated or frightened in it.

mountainsunsets · 06/09/2022 10:19

I'm amazed the school allow dogs on the playground at all - that's a lawsuit waiting to happen surely?!

Rockbird · 06/09/2022 10:19

School definitely. But I don't think it'll make much difference, the owner will probably just stand outside the gates and the dog will continue to lurch at the children as they go past anyway.

gatehouseoffleet · 06/09/2022 10:23

DangerNoodles · 06/09/2022 09:38

The playground is no place for dogs anyway, madness that the school allow any dogs. Most dog owners will say that thier dog is well behaved even if they are not.

My DS was attacked by a 'friendly' dog so he is terrified of them so it pisses me off when lazy owners try and combine the dog walk with the school run so DS has to walk past jumpy dogs on the way in.

All of this. Dog walks should not happen on the school run. The pavements etc are generally too busy anyway.

I'd definitely talk to the school and they can also put signs up saying no dogs to be tied up outside the school either though it might not help if owners insist on bringing their dogs and hanging around outside.

NCHammer2022 · 06/09/2022 10:24

I’d speak to the school. I don’t think dogs should be in the playground at all anyway but especially not if they’re not fully under control.

NCHammer2022 · 06/09/2022 10:25

Notanotherwindow · 06/09/2022 10:08

If its on a lead and can't actually get to the children, I don't see the problem. Is this particular dog actually aggressive? Because all you have said in your post is that it was jumping and lurching towards the kids. Dogs do that, they get excited. If the owner was preventing it from actually getting to the kids it wanted to jump up at, its not exactly a danger is it. Its restrained, which is more than I can say for some peoples kids

Kids are supposed to be there though, dogs shouldn’t be (IMO). A big dog jumping and barking at you when you are the size of a 4 year old is pretty unpleasant even if it can’t actually bite them.

GreenManalishi · 06/09/2022 10:26

Contact the school

theremustonlybeone · 06/09/2022 10:27

Sorry but any dog that is lurching at kids as they wander into school is totally unacceptable. I would speak to the owner but that is me but you must contact the school. Most schools have CCTV footage and will be able to check it and contact the owner direct.

Original poster
Jogonlogonpip · 06/09/2022 10:31

Thanks everyone for your input and sorry to hear that so many have had similar issues.

Looks like I need to contact the school. I like the policy that well behaved dogs are allowed in the playground but this one isn't, sadly, and the owner doesn't have any control over it. She was also not paying any attention so I found it to be quite unsafe.

I'd be satisfied with a muzzle rather than a complete ban but will see what the school have to say.

OP posts:
DanielRicciardosSmile · 06/09/2022 10:31

DS's primary school used to allow leashed dogs at pick up time. Until 2 dogs got into a fight, with both owners refusing to intervene, leave, or even move to a different spot. It was utter carnage as you can imagine. Dogs were banned by the following morning.

10HailMarys · 06/09/2022 10:45

It's much more likely to be just excitable rather than aggressive or dangerous - but if it's a large dog and the owner can't control it, then she absolutely shouldn't be bringing it into busy or crowded places, particularly with small children.

A muzzle isn't the answer, really, because if it's a big dog like a Dobermann or a German shepherd, it's more likely that it will knock a child over than bite. The school just need to tell the owner that they can't bring it to school pick-ups any more.

I love dogs and this owner obviously hasn't got a clue what she's doing.

fyn · 06/09/2022 11:01

Dogs shouldn’t be in playgrounds full stop. There is the clear risk of injury but also things like Toxocariasis, worms and E. coli. Playgrounds should be a clean space for children to play with minimal risk.