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.

I was genuinely confused by the thread title and the OP. It wasn’t at all clear to me that OP just meant people who didn’t have children with them.

“Dog owners unaccompanied by children” would have been better. But OP has apologised for the confusion and possible offence so nothing more to say.

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

How do you think training happens? With real life scenarios. You don't sit the dog down with a blackboard, a textbook and a theory session.

If it's not signposted as being a dog free area, then it's open to all members of the community - regardless of their fertility.

Excluding people from open spaces built and maintained with taxpayer money based on their perceived fertility status is bizarre.

We have a similar area near me - an unfenced section of children's play equipment with no no dogs signs. We don't go when it's busy but we use it as a makeshift agility circuit - jumping, balancing and so on. Childless, childfree and childbearing people have funded it collectively. Children are well provided for; if only there were public dog agility courses.

YANBU, I would get your local council to erect signs saying 'no dogs'. However where I live we have a play park for children with signs banning dogs and the lovely dog owners all ignore the signs and let little Fido shit on the grass anyway.

Dogs are a serious health hazard within children's play areas. Aren't dog owners usually specifically advised not to walk their dogs in areas where children play due to toxicariasis and other health risks?

I think what she means is, people taking dogs to a kids park without children being with them. If they had children with them it would make sense as they would be there to play AND take the dog for a walk. Rather then be at an area for children, without a child.

Write to the council. Explain the issue ask them to consider signage and a fence to ban dogs from the children’s playground.

😂I think this country has now officially reached peak dog-entitlement.

Dogs aren’t usually allowed in play areas due to the risks from their poo, they shouldn’t be in there at all (as a qualified playground inspector!)

I assume she means that they have no children with them when they're at the park.

I'm baffled as to how people don’t understand this? 🤔

The fact that they don't have any actual children with them in a play park?

Nobody on this thread is genuinely offended by what you've said. Some very silly posters are purposely taking it the wrong way to derail your thread and make a point and try and make you feel bad because you mentioned dogs. I wish behaviour like that was banned because it's beyond pathetic and no one would do it IRL but unfortunately it is allowed to go unchecked on MN.

Because the people with kids are there anyway, with their kids, so they may as well bring their dog. The kids want to play so they have to go to the kids park. The people without kids can go anywhere, and they’re only coming to the park so their dogs can socialise with kids.
But it’s a kids park, not a dogs park.

Who on earth are the 15% who voted YABU to someone not wanting their child to be chased by a dog? Incredible

1. You have made an assumption they are childless.
2. you have made an assumption that they are purposively taking the dogs there to socialise.

you sound most entitled. If there is nothing to ban dogs - these people have as much right as you to be there.

re. The dog of the lead and not having good recall, that is an issue, but the rest of your post is most ridiculous. Imagine you are one of those women that WFH while looking after your kids and expect those without kids to work all holidays and cover when you need to pick up ‘sick’ kids.

Can you explain?

Speak to the council or whoever has responsibility for the park and explain the problem

I wouldn't be happy with somewhere, in theory for children's use, having dogs fouling the place.

if only there were public dog agility courses

Sigh. If only

It does! They're there for the benefit of the dogs not for any children they might or might not have!

The ludicrous amount of nit picking on this thread is making some posters look very, very silly. Most adults of average intelligence know what OP meant.

Utterly ridiculous posts by some.

Oh hang the OP for using the wrong term!

It's clear what she meant, so let's just address that point, can we?

It’s quite easy to tell if someone has a child with them or not. You look at them and ask the question - is there a child with this person? If the answer is yes, then they are a person with a child. If the answer is no, then they are, at that time, childless.

Perhaps you didn’t understand that OP wasn’t questioning whether people have ever actually produced a child. She was clearly stating that they were at the park without a child ie childless.
Hope that’s explained it a bit for you.

Actually I’ve encountered this twice recently. One was a very large dog being walked In the direction of a zip line. It was starting to chase the children as they moved then one clipped the dog in the face accidentally as they swooshed down. Luckily another adult dived in and grabbed the collar as the dog reacted. When I shouted at the owner to get the dog on lead and asked why they hadn’t taken the shorter walk around but had crossed the field to the zip line I was told the dog ‘needed to socialise and be round kids’.
I thought this was both dangerous and bizarre thinking, but a week later in another park a bully dog was brought into the fenced play area. A dad told them to ‘fuck off with that dog’ and got a mouthful about training and how accidents happen because of people like him never allowing contact. It was being allowed meanwhile to approach the roundabout that had kids on. Another parent led it back out the park and told the owner to get out. Bother were assertive older women on their own. Not the stereotypical feckless owner.
Slightly different but there’s also a woman in another park near other who’s apparently a trainer and always approaching parents of nervous children offering to teach their children dogs are ok. She really won’t take a no, and is pushy about it- offering to bring her dogs over. Kids are just out to see friends and play.

Does it actually bloody matter when most people with a comprehension age in double figures knew what the OP meant?

What would be on here if people didn't 'moan'?

And some 'moaning' threads are quite interesting