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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is it weird to stand outside a school at 3pm if I don’t have a child?

226 replies

Whatislifegw · 07/09/2023 15:35

Before you think I’m crazy! I have a dog who I want to expose to loud and busy environments and live very close to a school.

would it be weird to just stand or sit near the school at that time for my dog to work on being in that environment.

my dog is a very friendly and 6 month old German shepherd because he’s so big I want him to be able to behave around strangers and strange children.

(I have my own toddler who wouldn’t be with me) ideally in a few years I’d like to be able to do the school run when it’s my turn and bring my dog at the same time.

OP posts:
RandomButtons · 07/09/2023 21:06

Give over. School gates are not the appropriate place to train your dog. Other people’s children are not there for you to train your dog with. Can’t even flipping believe I’ve had to write that.

PickledFox · 07/09/2023 21:15

It’s a free country. I wouldn’t go too close to the school gates or anywhere where families don’t have enough space to go around the dog at a comfortable, non-scary, distance though.

Hibiscrubbed · 07/09/2023 21:23

So much overreaction on this thread. 😂

NutellaNut · 07/09/2023 21:31

Definitely being unreasonable. A school is not a place to socialise your dog. What if it got spooked by the noise and bit or scared a child? Awful for the child and you’d have a lot of explaining to to to say why you were hanging around a school with no good reason to be there. Weird thinking.

carly2803 · 07/09/2023 21:34

walk past?

as a dog person and have kids, it would really piss me off if i found out you didnt even have a kid at the school and were just waiting round!

i dont want my kids around any strange dogs. sorry

just walk past?

StopStartStop · 07/09/2023 21:42

keep you and your dog away from other people's children. urgh.

goingtotown · 07/09/2023 21:53

Outside a school is not the place to train your dog. Ridiculous idea.

Janieforever · 07/09/2023 22:06

Op, this is a great idea and it’s very clear people who either don’t have dogs or don’t know German shepherds are responding. I’ve no idea why they are doing so.

at 6 months old a gs is very obviously a puppy. Visibly a puppy. And a goofy one at that. The kids will love it, that’s your issue. But yes, pop along. It’s excellent training. Your dog will get much bigger and now is the perfect time.

LittleMonks11 · 07/09/2023 22:08

@VeterinaryCareAssistant errr - not like this?

IsItThough · 07/09/2023 22:19

Janieforever · 07/09/2023 22:06

Op, this is a great idea and it’s very clear people who either don’t have dogs or don’t know German shepherds are responding. I’ve no idea why they are doing so.

at 6 months old a gs is very obviously a puppy. Visibly a puppy. And a goofy one at that. The kids will love it, that’s your issue. But yes, pop along. It’s excellent training. Your dog will get much bigger and now is the perfect time.

We don't need knowledge of a breed to know that the OPs suggestion is totally selfish and inappropriate.

Zodfa · 07/09/2023 22:30

I don't think it's a good idea to train your dog - especially a large one - by exposing him to a large number of random small children without their consent.

MasterBeth · 07/09/2023 22:31

Maybe try a butcher's shop, OP? Or a cattery?

threecupsofteaminimum · 07/09/2023 22:33

Why don't you just take the pup to the park like normal people!

VestaTilley · 07/09/2023 22:34

It would be weird, inappropriate and would probably get reported. You shouldn’t take a German Shepherd anywhere near a school.

There are hundreds of other places to expose your dog to people and noise.

What an utterly bizarre suggestion.

AmyDudley · 07/09/2023 22:40

*Op, this is a great idea and it’s very clear people who either don’t have dogs or don’t know German shepherds are responding. I’ve no idea why they are doing so.

at 6 months old a gs is very obviously a puppy. Visibly a puppy. And a goofy one at that. The kids will love it, that’s your issue. But yes, pop along. It’s excellent training. Your dog will get much bigger and now is the perfect time.*

I'm a dog lover, but this is ridiculous. School is not the place to train your dog and get him used to children. Some children will be afraid of dogs, they may have had a bad experience with dog. Some of the children will be four years old just starting school, struggling to settle into a new environment, feeling stressed perhaps tearful, they really really don't need a dog thrown into the mix. Yes some children may love to see a dog, (mine would have) but many may not and they have a right to come out of school and not be unnecessarily scared because you are only thinking about your and your dog's need. Totally selfish and self absorbed. Think about what a school is for - it's not a dog training facility, it is for children to learn and they have a right to feel safe there.

shnia · 07/09/2023 22:43

I don't think this is a bad idea per se, but depends on the location of the school. As I'm sure you know, you start work like this at a distance, so you need to be able to wait somewhere far enough away that your dog is under threshold. If you can do this, then move slightly closer, and so on without blocking the path and being in the way, then it's not a problem.

kitsuneghost · 07/09/2023 22:58

Do kids trying to get home from school want to ge walking oast you German shepherd that is not fully socialised around noisy environments and children. i think not.

BetsyBobbins · 07/09/2023 23:07

@WiddlinDiddlin you're being completely unreasonable and not recognising this is the worst idea ever given the amount of people in this thread who are saying it so. There are fundamentally so many wrong things in the OP's post:
1- It's a sodding German Shepherd, a big and strong dog, yet untrained, who can get easily riled up by lots of children talking loud, running, on scooters, etc

2- It's creepy behaviour, I wouldn't like to see someone who's not collecting a child standing outside/close enough the school gates. Even if you choose just to walk past the school every day at the same time you'll get noticed, believe me.

3- this little nugget here from the OP: he is generally very good lots of children play outside where we live and my dogs walks off lead with no issues (although I can definitely see the temptation to go over if they’re playing with a ball) . Dog is usually off lead 🚩The worst dog owners are the ones incapable of seeing that the world does not revolve around their dog. "Oh my baby is so well behaved, never barks, doesn't bite, is very respectful of people and children". 🙄

I don't want to "live in a bubble" but I just wish some dog owners weren't so oblivious to reality and were more respectful of others to be Frank.

Ssme92 · 07/09/2023 23:12

I voted YABU because I know of children who hsve a massive massive fear of dogs. Also saying you are doing it to train your dog suggests there is a chance he could bolt, misbehave, launch at the kids. There has to be other options ahead of this.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 07/09/2023 23:19

Please don’t do this.

Even if your motives are great, don’t introduce an unnecessary dog into a school environment, where lots of kids may be scared of dogs.

Also, kids aren’t there to train your dog.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 07/09/2023 23:22

Also - you don’t want to go to the secondary schools as YOU might feel scared. But you’re not worried about how primary kids might feel about having to walk past an untrained dog.

Pleaseme · 07/09/2023 23:29

I have kids at the school but it's really normal where I live. There's a park with a playing field opposite and it's really normal for there to be a selection of dogs for children to stroke (after they have asked the owner ) anyone who happens to be chucking a ball for their dog down the field will have a line of children who'd all like to have a go. It'd probably be overwhelming for a lot of dogs but I suspect you'd dodge the park at 3:30- 4pm if it was. My dog enthusiastically licks strange children who ask to pet her and then rolls over for a tummy rub but she's been doing the school run since she was a puppy and has always been keen on being the centre of attention.

NewName122 · 08/09/2023 00:22

🤣🤣🤣

Georgeandzippyzoo · 08/09/2023 00:26

I walk ours past the local primary at break /lunch times when there's lots of noise and movement. At first he was interested but not even a flicker.

Cornishclio · 08/09/2023 02:17

In our local primary school parents wait in the playground near the classroom door so the teachers can see their parent there before releasing the child into their care. No dogs are allowed in and quite honestly obstructing school gates with a large unruly dog when there is lots of children and parents trying to leave the premises doesn't sound a good idea.