Childless dog owners at kids park

[Canisaysomething]

My DCs school has a children’s park right outside. There is no fence around it and nowhere does it say “dogs not allowed”. Dog owners with children at the school let their dogs walk about the play area and this isn’t normally a problem at all.

Here is my AIBU. There’s become an increasing number of childless dog owners going to the park before and after school to let their dogs “socialise” with the children using the park. I had to ask a dog owner the other day to call their dog away from my child trying to use the swing and was shouted at by the owner who said “she’s just excited and trying to play”. The dog at one point chased after my child who got scared and upset.

Here’s my AIBU. Who was right? Me or the dog owner?

There were no signs saying “no dogs” but aren’t dogs meant to be trained NOT to bother strangers? Especially children in parks.

This is just so vanishingly unlikely to be the case isn’t it though, it’s rather irrelevant.
Plus, even if you train search and rescue dogs, I’d still consider it pretty stupid at 3:30pm outside a school. I’d hope highly trained people had some awareness of more appropriate timing

There really aren't that many agility clubs out there - and they are always miles from anywhere and completely inaccessible on public transport. They're also expensive.

Agility clubs teach competitive agility, which is an entirely different skill to search and rescue.

Expense, travelling miles and weekly commitments to an agility club just doesn't suit the pet dog owner who wants an engaging interlude in their dog walk.

This idea makes about as much sense as telling someone whose child wants to go up climbing frames and down slides that they should join the local rock climbing club and start scaling the cliffs in the countryside an hour away.

There isn't a single public dog agility course in my county or the neighbouring counties. There's a few in London, so it's clearly possible, but we're nowhere near London.

There are facilities in my local parks for all sorts of sports - tennis, rugby, cricket, football, even volleyball and softball. Why not agility? Humans are just as involved in agility as they are in tennis, they go around the course with the dog.

Finally, dog's paws are no muddier than human shoes. We're talking about dogs balancing on the stepping log things for instance - their feet only go where human feet go.

There doesn’t need to be A responsible owner does not let their dogs near children unattended let alone chase one!

Speaking as a dog owner with a 2 yr old.

I assume because they’ve no children with them. She didn’t say parentless , don’t start!

A lack of facilities for training dogs doesn't entitle them to use children's facilities. There are no public dog agility courses because dogs aren't people. Public facilities are for people, not pets. People play tennis. People play rugby. Dogs are not people. You want more dog facilities, go and campaign for it, but you can't just help yourself to children's facilities.

Why are you comparing dogs with children? Not the same thing at all.

Dog owners seem to think their dogs matter as much as children. They don't. They do not belong in children's play parks - why you seem to think they do smacks of the ludicrous entitlement of many dog owners.

Keep your dogs away from children's play parks. If you can't find anywhere else to train the dog that's just tough.

There's a park not too far from me that has one! It's a lovely little green space. Tennis courts, bowls club. Really good playground no dogs!), dog agility area. Small allotment area for community use, a field/sports area and a community run café. More councils could do this

I feel bad now because I was being sarcastic and your reply is lovely! You don’t live near the Imperial War Museum do you?!

I can see the fun of a few little dog obstacles dotted about for sure :)

The facilities in question aren't specifically designated for children - they aren't fenced off, and there are no signs saying "children only" or "no dogs". They are for everyone.

Agility is a sport for humans as much as it is for dogs. Tennis involves humans and a racket. Volleyball involves humans and a ball. Agility involves humans and a dog. It's all just different kit for different sports.

Next you'll say that there shouldn't be bridleways because horses are pets, and horseriding has nothing to do with humans

Are you seriously arguing that what most people would recognise as a children’s play area isn’t for children because there are no signs?

I’m starting to understand why my bag of cashews said “contains nuts” now.

Is its a children's park or a public park....I have only ever seen fenced off paly areas within a bigger public park. I have never seen a park exclusively for children.

If other dogs are there why shouldn't dogs with out children be there.

I used to have a child who was scared of dogs, i completely agree dogs shouldn't run up to children or anyone....but now I have a rescue dog who needs training and needs to be socialised around children. I need to take her to these places so I can see how she reacts and continue to work on her training.

Owners often "shout" (because we are a bit further away) that dogs are friendly as reassurance....not an excuse or criticism....although some owners can be ignorant

A children's playground

Parents with children at the school go to the park AFTER dropping off

without their children

and the op is fine with that

She didn't say that, she said before and after school

Bridleways aren't just for horses though are they. That's a bit of a silly comparison. You want to take your dog for a walk along a bridleway, you're free to.
Agility does involve a human and a dog, yes. And a dog agility course. Not a children's playground.

The facilities in question aren't specifically designated for children - they aren't fenced off, and there are no signs saying "children only" or "no dogs". They are for everyone.

A playground with swings and slides is obviously for children! Surely people don't think that it is for adults or dogs? You don't need a sign to say it is for children it should be obvious to everyone.

The facilities in question aren't specifically designated for children - they aren't fenced off, and there are no signs saying "children only" or "no dogs". They are for everyone.

It's YOU! You are the person that need those warnings telling you that the steaming cup of coffee you just bought "contains hot liquid" and "this bag of peanuts is not suitable for people with peanut allergies" and "do not let your child operate this chainsaw"

I would write to your local council and ask them to clarify the rules around dogs in park, and put up a sign to make it clear. I'm pretty sure that in a children's playground dogs would need to be on a leash or at least under control even if there isn't a sign.

Could ask the local psco's too.

You mean you didn't operate power tools as a child? I did. Parents had me lighting fireworks - albeit supervised - from the age of about 6 too.

Peanuts always contain peanuts.

Parks are not always specifically dedicated to one sort of user.

There's an accessible swing in our local park, designed for disabled children. It doesn't say "disabled only" on it, and it gets lots of use from disabled and able bodied alike.

People who can't see that something can have multiple uses really do lack imagination.

How many times have you got stuck in the toddler swing.

People who can't see that something can have multiple uses really do lack imagination.

and people who think dogs should have equal access to a play park with children have far too much imagination. Or are deeply dim.

Do you train your dogs with the same abusive attitude you are displaying here? An untrained dog is not guilty of not being trained, it is the owner's responsibility. So go, kick the owner. All you are teaching your children is that abuse of animals is acceptable. But it is not - I see you kick any dog, you go straight reported to the police. Children in attendance or not because who can say you don't kick a child at home when they don't behave like you expect? Abusers of animals are often abusing people too.

None of the play parks local to me are fenced. It’s a council/ planners decision. There was a community request about the one next to a steep embankment and a river, still no but they’d grow the grass long and create a natural barrier.

I don’t mind dogs in parks, but they shouldn’t be trying to play with children. Mine will wait nicely with begging eyes at passing children desperate to give them a good lick in exchange for a belly rub.

Dog owners specifically seeking out busy playparks is ridiculously unfair! Dogs shouldnt be allowed to "interact" with strange children unless invited by child/ parent. Why should a DC be used as an unwilling training aid for some random dog? Ive no objection to dogs being in the play area, ie at the owners heel. Occasional use for mountain rescue agility training at a quiet time of evening isnt going to bother anyone, sure.

As both a dog and a child owner it pisses me off no end when people let their dog approach my child. I will in no uncertain terms tell them to get their dog on a lead. Absolutely no excuse for it. I had my dog a long time before my child and would never allow it to randomly approach kids without me making sure I call him back and put him in a lead. It’s just bad manners.

Play park local to me has a dog poo bin in it. Make of that what you will.

I'm pretty sure OP means childless as in having no children with them at the park, not that they don't have any children at all