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

[Whatislifegw]

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.

My friends daughter would literally jump in front of a moving car instead of walk past a dog. Because she's so frightened of them that she loses any common sense and screams too. She's 6. Please don't OP more people are scared of dogs than you think. Especially kids

You're recommending a chihuahua! You've not been around dogs much have you?! 😂

I just wanted to reply back to these points.

it’s not a big strong dog. My dog is 6 months so easily controlled and is not “easily riled up” I’m not sure what dogs you’re around but my dog is not reactive which I hope I’ve made clear in my points about my dog be trained and as I’ve mentioned I have a toddler so very used to children shouting running around and being touched.

me mentioning my dog walks off lead is not a bad thing… whilst there are owners with dogs off lead who shouldn’t be I already said he is trained off lead and has perfect recall and even then I mentioned I can see when he is tempted to stray towards people and if I ever think he’s in a position to fail I put the lead on but obviously in an environment outside a school he’d obviously be on lead

UPDATE -

I walked past and it went really well no children were eaten.

there was a lot of other dogs around to my surprise.

obviously I stayed out the way and stopped to wait if anyone wanted to go past so they wouldn’t have to go too close to the dog but he was mostly uninterested a teacher even remarked what a lovely dog he was.

The OP doesn’t have any children.

@KimberleyClark I'll think you'll find she does. Op mentioned her toddler.

Anyway Op, good for you, I'm sure pup is lovely.

a teacher even remarked what a lovely dog he was.

Honestly, I think there are better ways of getting your dog used to that sort of environment than using unsuspecting parents and kids who are excitable/stressed. This sounds mad

This post is entirely about you. How you feel about your dog, what you have done with your dog, what you can do with your dog. It feels as if you haven’t taken on board any of the comments made on this thread and I can see from your next post that you did walk the dog outside the school anyway. When my daughter was little she was absolutely terrified of dogs and as someone else mentioned she would definitely run into the road rather than be near a dog (this did not happen as I would just pick her up in such a scenario), her heart would be pounding and she would be tearful and terrified. She is fine now, but the point is that lots of little children feel this way and they cannot know all that is in your head about how well you can control your dog, do they? They will see the dog and be afraid.
what was the point of you asking people’s opinions on here? I am puzzled as you in no way sound like someone who actually had any interest in hearing what others have to say. Every response has been defensive. I can’t help but think that you want the positive attention that having a dog brings, with little regard as to the feelings of some children.

@Whatislifegw so you ignored everything everyone said. I guess because you and your dog are different op! How did a teacher comment about your dog? They shouldn't be off site nor you on! You also have a toddler so not sure why he needs to get used to children when you have one In his home

Dog owners make me so angry sometimes. I have met many responsible ones and they wait whilst you go buy if they can see you aren't sure. But it's irresponsible to walk with them off lead. Even the best behaved dog can get spooked and react.

Whatislifegw
I'm really sorry, but before I read your post, and had only seen the email, I didn't know you wanted to train your dog. However, it immediately reminded me of when my small cross-breed terrier type dog was young and the Dog Trainer at the class told me to take her to outside a school to get used to children.

I didn't do it. I was a Teacher once and did not think that outside schools was a place to train dogs. There are so many reasons why not. Just a few for example; If the dog is not yet trained it might upset the children even just by barking. It might wee and poo near the school. The area is not very large and parents need to get near to collect their child. Children might want to pet the dog and this is not advisable especially when the dog is not fully trained.

Sorry, but if you just walk your dog in different places he should eventually just settle down. He is still young and needs time to grow up.

This sounds well strange to me.. go take him a walk along a busy road.. you stand outside a school everyday and I think you’re gonna get reported!

The school where my grandchildren are do not allow dogs on the premises, so you may not be able too take the dog when your child is school.

Movingandlooking
You said;

"But it's irresponsible to walk with them off lead. Even the best behaved dog can get spooked and react."

Yesss!

I have had dogs all my life whenever I have been able to look after them. I never walk them off the lead unless we are in an extremely safe place well away from people and roads.

Never let a dog off the lead by roads or children!

Most schools don’t allow dogs, they also ask that you don’t stand by the entrances as several children in the school have a severe phobia of dogs. Perhaps near a park or playing field might get the same effect?

I did similar with our GSD but not directly outside of a school. I lived on a popular school run walking route through a pedestrianised area where there was ample space to avoid the dog so we'd just sit outside of our house, which was in one of the corners of a large pedestrianised square so easy to avoid us, doing some settle training or look at me type stuff.

Then the second/third lockdowns happened and it all went to pot (we got her after the first lockdown, clearly not expecting any more!)

Another place I found good for exposure/socialisation was near to a small row of shops which got quite busy, we'd sit on a bench out of the way or on a nearby road corner. Basically I always chose spots which had at least a couple of meters of path for others to avoid us even if the dog were to get fully extended on our short leads.

Whatislifegw · Wrote Friday 09:34
UPDATE -

"I walked past and it went really well no children were eaten."

Why did you bother to ask us then?
As for the Teacher's kind remark, she did not know your motive for being there. Probably she thought you had a genuine reason to need to pass by.

Your comments about training this dog off lead are ridiculous. You say you would put him on the lead if he looked like he was going to do something he shouldn't. How crazy is that? He might be 20 metres away. As for his 'excellent recall' you can never rely on this and should never have your dog off lead near a road or among children as in by a school.

You are simply a selfish, stupid, thoughtless person who should not be allowed out with a dog especially a big one like a German Shepherd.

As the parent of a child who is terrified of dogs, please don’t do this. Dogs aren’t allowed on school grounds so I wouldn’t assume you can take your dog on the school run. A couple of people insist on bringing their dogs to our school and tie them up outside while they go to get their kids. One dog is jumpy, barky and yappy. It bothers me but DS literally tries to walk into the road to give this dog a wide enough berth. He gives all dog a wide berth and there are a lot of children that are the same. This isn’t the place for dog training

I wouldn't do this either, maybe go to playground near a dog walk. It's too busy with a puppy in the mix, might traumatise him 🤣

But your dog being generally good makes no difference to a child who is smaller than that dog and is scared of him. Please don’t be one of
those dog owners who belittles children’s fears just because your dog is fine. Dogs are a totally normal and common fear for children with good reason frankly. And lots of dogs including yours are bigger than many children, it would be the equivalent of us leaving the office and having to walk past a lion while being told it’s ok, they’re generally good.
I get you want to help your dog and that’s commendable. But don’t subject children (or anyone actually!) to it.

This makes me think you are male -
"I’d like to be able to do the school run when it’s my turn."
So yes it would be weird to sit outside a school, on your own, not waiting for anyone, with your young, large, boisterous dog that's not used to children or crowds. In fact it's pretty selfish, not community minded and someone could get worried, scared or hurt.
Take the dog somewhere else that's busy, rather than targetting kids.

Weird and getting weirder

This. Lots of small children don’t like dogs because comparatively they’re huge. Children aren’t there for your dog’s benefit

O sure, yes, by all means put my small child in danger so you can teach your untrained DOG how to behave. Sounds like a fabulous plan. Maybe your pup will only bite one over zealous child that runs up to him/her when (s)he is overexcited and pulling on the lead. Maybe I'm old just old fashioned, but I think CHILDREN should come before entitled people's dogs.

I did have a genuine reason for passing by I was walking my dog.

and I did listen to feedback as my first question was about practice ignoring people and just staying in one spot to get my dog used to the environment I instead walked past.

the children weren’t there for my dogs benefit I simply walked past a school which I’m more then entitled to do and I gave everyone a wide birth I’m well aware not everyone likes dogs and took that into consideration.

i understand peoples concerns as I’m sure you’re relating it to your own schools but the one I walked past had about 6 different paths towards the school and a huge open area in front. I was well out the way the paths weren’t narrow.