Ignoring "No Dogs" sign

[ChocChipHandbag]

Our small local park has a top area with a playground that displays "No Dogs" signs. There is a grassy area for ball games, picnics etc where dogs are not allowed, although they can be walked through the path next to it on a lead to the large dog-friendly bit of the park.

I constantly see people letting their dogs run round there.

Every now and again I politely point out the sign and about 50% of the time they will push back with "oh, I didn't think it mattered" "No kids here at the moment are there?" "He/she is no trouble" "it's not for people like me who pick up after their dogs" or something much ruder. Sometimes I will be interrogated about why I care, as if the Council sign is irrelevant.

AIBU to wonder what goes on in these people's minds? These are middle class people with labradors etc, not louts with devil dogs on strings.

(And for what it's worth, I care because grass is not wiped clean of poo when it's picked up, dog pee burns the grass and my son is scared of dogs).

Well done for pointing it out to them. I also do it. Hopefully if enough people do, then they will obey the park rules.

I think what goes through their mind sometimes is that because they love their dog they think everyone else will. Especially with friendly dogs, they think that there's no problem. Regarding the fouling, they've probably been desensitised to it so don't see it as a problem!

Would you be prepared to say anything? Maybe it lands better coming from another dog owner?

I agree about the desensitisation to the poo, but it's remarkably lacking in empathy not to realise that others see it differently.

The thing is, if we didn't have a "no dogs" area I probably would not be out campaigning for one. But I kind of think that if we are lucky enough to have a Council that thinks they are a good thing, we should be able to enforce it.

I think this is why people do it. They don't seem to get that whilst their dog may be lovely others may not think so/be scared of dogs.

At the beach the other day there were loads of people walking their dogs despite the signs saying no dogs allowed.

These are middle class people with labradors etc

They are used to getting their own way.

FWIW it drives me mad too - and I'm a dog owner. Tars us all with the brush.

Exactly this. Some are just entitled and decide rules don't apply to them, but most think everyone should love their dogs. Same with hygiene issues - because they are quite happy to hug and kiss their dogs, they can't understand why you'd think it unhygienic to take a dog into a shop or cafe.

Maybe report to the council who put the sign up in the first place? I am not sure what they can do though. In my view more councils should have enforceable bylaws whereby they can fine people who don't comply.

Selfish, entitled twats. Unfortunately, there are more and more of them every year OP. YANBU.

We actually do have a "friends of the park" organisation who raise it with the Council periodically and I believe that it is something that penalties could be issued for, but the council (understandably) don't have the resources to police it. We've asked for more signs but I'm not sure that it would make any difference because the offenders admit they saw the signs and chose to ignore them.

People don't think the rules apply to them.
We have a "no dogs" rule in the school playground. Yet every day there are people carrying their dogs. As if it stops being a dog if it's not on the ground. My kids are terrified of dogs after too many incidents if being jumped on but "he won't hurt you".

This also happens in our park, in the play areas. Guess who are the offenders? The parents with dogs and children - not the people only with dogs, who stay clear of the areas. It is not people with dogs - it is people who don't think anything applies to them, and that is in all walks of life. As a person with a dog, I have pointed out the signs to people with children who also have their dogs there, and apparently it doesn't apply to them because they have children.

@Achwheesht do you get them pushing back with their range of weak excuses?

I can sort of see why some people think they will ignore the sign but you'd think they'd have the good manners to accept when they are called out, apologise and move on- and indeed about half of those I mention it to do just that.

But the ones who double down amaze me. I wonder if it's partly human nature to lash out when challenged, even if you know deep down YABU, a sort of knee jerk response to the embarrassment?

You're so right @Quveas, and I think that it is this idea of people deciding things don't apply to them generally that irks me.

I tried it once, parked somewhere that I thought it was unreasonable of the Council to have imposed parking restrictions...got a ticket...

People's entitlement over rules that do not apply to them is so irritating, we have a similar with dog walkers in a small fenced-off lawn/garden area in the middle of a MASSIVE woodland park. They have acres to let their dogs poo and wee everywhere. WHY the one area where its kept nice because its not trampled by dogs all day?

I think they probably think it is an unreasonable rule . Even though they push back, hopefully you put them off doing it again.

I regularly see people letting their dogs chase the goslings and ducklings in our local park. It is really upsetting. A lot of people just aren’t really up to the responsibility of having a dog.

Some dog owners are really entitled and think the rules don’t apply to them.

Middle class. Supposedly civilised people with common sense, but when it comes to their beloved dog they can do whatever the hell they want.

It’s no wonder people are so resentful towards dogs when there is such a big amount of owners like this. Not like it’s the odd one, it’s loads!

Dog owner here. Actually, more than that - massive dog lover, dog obsessive madwoman.

It really annoys me when people do this for all the reasons you've talked about. And it gives all dog owners a bad name.
I always say something.
If I have my phone on me, I take pictures of the dogs too and if/when the owners take issue, I say that I'm sending the pictures to the Council.

It depends on what the bylaws are in your area in terms of policing. In my local park, the Council can fine up to £500 for a dog off-lead outside of the allotted times. So the excuse that they don't have resource to police it is bullshit.
On one of the rare occasions the Council has wardens in the park, I watched them stop ten people in about half hour. If every one of them got fined, that'd be £5,000. Even if half appealed and didn't pay, that's £2,500. Surely that's more than the Council paid out for the 30-mins of two wardens' time?!

@ChocChipHandbag It’s utterly irresponsible of dog owners to let their dog into a dog free zone- (I am a dog owner)
Also, the worm risk.
was at vets today and a dog owner came in to reception and was horrified that their well looked after dog had passed a roundworm.

The owner has been worming their dog since puppyhood with vet prescribed meds.
(Was clear to hear!)

So yes, worms can live in dogs who are routinely wormed (This surprised me- there is no residual effect from a wormer- it just clears out adult worms-
if there are adult worms, chances are they are passing eggs in the poo - even if picked up, residual eggs could be left behind.

Such a shame isn't it?

I'm a dog owner and it really annoys me how many people don't follow simple rules regarding their dogs. We have a park near us where dogs need to be kept on leads, I choose to go there as one of our dogs isn't keen on multiple off lead dogs approaching him, but the signs don't seem to make any difference to some people who still let their dogs off lead.

Is it a fenced off area? We have a local park where there’s a huge open grassy area with a wooden play structure in the corner. There is a no dogs sign up near the play structure but dogs are allowed off lead in the park, so you are supposed to guess how close to the play structure your dog is allowed. It’s often deserted, in which case my kids with play on the structure and dog and I will play sticks nearby. If there were kids on the play equipment I’d take my dog further away, but it’s not made crystal clear what the rules are.

OP if you’re very anti-dogs maybe your boy is picking up on it and it’s feeding his fear? My DD was very scared of dogs when little (rightfully so, I kind of think it’s sensible of little kids to be wary)…but she loves them now she is bigger. Wanders off point of thread, sorry!

Do people take their dogs into the enclosed areas because then they can let them off lead? I have a colleague whose dog has shit recall so she gets up at 6am to take him to the fenced kids playground to let him piss all over it instead.

We live in an increasingly entitled society in which people think rules don’t apply to them. It’s not just evident with dogs in the park, it’s everywhere.

I agree Op. I see it all the time but I must admit I'm nervous of approaching people because of confrontation and how aggressive people can be. You wouldn't believe the cheek of people and how they react when being caught out. My mum for a while noticed dog poo in her outside recycling bin and noticed it was an old lady with a small dog doing it on her ring door bell. She put a sign up on the bin instead of confronting her but it was ignored and the old lady still she carried on putting dog poo in the bin. My mum confronted her next time and she never once apologized for being caught out or really even took responsibility. She made up an excuse she only did it once when my mum said she could show her countless times it's happened from her phone. She just walked off. Some people even when being called out just don't want to accept they are being incredibly selfish and disrespectful. She hasn't done it since thankfully but I think it's only because she knows she could be reported with evidence now not through decency.