To think this dog should not have been brought to school?

[sb6699]

Took ds and dd1 to school this morning. Standing right in between the two gates was a mum with a pit bull terrier so everyone had to squeeze past it.

Some of the smaller children were obviously very nervous of the dog but she still didn't move.

Given the breed of the dog AIBU to think that this mum should have left the dog at home or at very least dropped off her dcs outside the gates (our school rules stipulate that if you have a dog you should be no closer than 50 yards to the gates anyway!).

What a rideculous thing to say that people shouldn't take dogs on the school run.

I stand back from the school gates with our 5 month old labradoodle who sits obediantly beside me. She gets excited when DD comes out of school but sits perfectly still waiting next to me for the rest of the time - lots of children come up and ask if she is friendly and if they can stroke her and with their parents permission I let them - neither I or my dog are harming anyone.

I think the fear that permeates some of the women on here are going to lead you to have very nervous children.

Next we will be banned from taking dogs to the corner shop or the park!

And as for clearing up dog poo - I have always done it - even on farmers fields where others don't - you shouldn't tar all dog owners with the same shitty brush!

have not read ALL the posts

BUT

it strikes me as bizarre that the OP claims

"our school rules stipulate that if you have a dog you should be no closer than 50 yards to the gates anyway!"

you expect us to believe that? so members of the public are banned by the school from walking past with their well behaved dogs on leads ? So the little old lady who lives 2 doors away must keep her dog in the house because her garden is too close to the school?

no way could or would a school have such a rule.

LEM - from wasabipeas' link it appears I was thinking of the Tosa which is banned not under the muzzling order.

Pretty certain it was a pit-bull was very similar to the dog dh had (many moons ago).

Madame - I'm not against taking the dog on the school run but was more concerned at the type of dog and the fact that she was blocking the school entrance with it. If you're dog is friendly and you're not directly in front of the school gates, no I agree you're not doing any harm.

I agree with loobeylou.

Our school does have this rule loobey. Obviously it can't be enforced on general members of the public just walking past, but is for parents who have their dogs with them when waiting for their dc's after school.

There are quite a few and there had been incidents of dogs jumping up on children as they walked by and being tied to the gates and left on their own.

kslatts - do you think the OP was designed to get the "debate" between those who "love their dogs and have the right to take it anywhere", and those who think "they should be kept under control in public areas, showing due courtesy for everyone else" started off again?

boring

oh come on sb.....

50 yards away? 50?? no way!

the most they could do is ask parents not to bring them onto school grounds, and not to leave them unattended at the gate either

how close parents come with their dog to collect the DC is absolutely nothing to do with them.

50 yards away - pah!

(BTW why is your school working in yards not metres?)

Don't know loobey - not me who makes the rules - we just get the letters!

Are you sure it was a pitbull op?. I very much doubt it tbh, more likely a staffy or something like that and it was on a lead, yes?

But sb6699 surely parents of kids at school are members of the general public so I am intrigued as to how they can enforce this? They can request it yes, but enforce? I wouldn't think so.

Squonk, due to the very layout of my ds's school gate ( situated right in the middle of a long and narrow pavement) then yes, some kids have to walk past me and my dog to get past to the gate.

I only got my dog last November and am amazed by the reaction of some parents who simply do not want dogs any where near their kids.

Dr - no, I'm not sure how they could enforce it tbh.

pinkmagic - am starting to doubt if it was a pitbull given the reactions on here but as I said before was v. similar to dog dh had many moons ago. Was deffo not a staffie and yes was on a lead.

YANBU my youngest,aged 3, is scared of dogs even though he's never been hurt by one or seen anyone been hurt by one. i have to calm him down every day when we have to walkl past the ones tied up by his older brothers school. it also really annoys me the amount of dog mess around the school. i've lost count of the amount of times i've cleaned shoes/scooters or had to walk on road to avoid mess!!
i would ask the head to mention in the next school letter about how close dogs are allowed to school

I am amazed that the school can enforce that rule assuming that the footpath and grass verge belong to the council and not the school.

DrNortherner I too am shocked at the amount of parents who do not want dogs near their kids as well and it will not stop me walking my dogs to school. They are on a lead, I pick their crap up and I know my dogs are fine with people because they are under my control!

I think the dog-owners on here are all obviously responsible and considerate pet owners.

The issue (as I see it) is with the selfish twunts who think that their right to go wherever they want with their (barky/snappy/vicious) dog regardless of anyone else's feelings or needs.

A playground is for children to play in. Not dogs.

DrNo - If you are a distance away from the school gate and people can (if they wish) cross the road to avoid you and your dog, or safely go around you so they are nowhere near the dog, I wouldn't have a problem with that. My issue is with dogs in the playground, jumping up and barking at (sometimes very small and frightened) children and with dogs tied up at the actual school gate so that the children all have to go very close to it in order to get in/out of the school grounds.

In short, my issue is with dog owners who, by their actions, FORCE children to come into contact with their dog whether they like it or not.

And just because we are a nation of dog lovers doesn't mean that we all have to love every dog, no matter what.

Zahra - okay so you know your dogs are fine and under your control, but how would you feel if a child ran out into the road because they were frightened of getting too close to your dog and got run over?

Just because your dog is safe and under control does not mean that other people know that the dog is safe and under control.

Some people do have a phobia of dogs - a phobia being an irrational fear. As it is irrational, no amount of reassurance will make a difference.

I'm always amazed when aprents take dogs either into schoolor tether them by the gates, one at ours gets left amongst a crowd of noisy children for a significant while and whilsT I have known the dog since it was a Pup and think he'slovely, kids ren't always understanding of dogs and its not worth it imo.

However the 50 yards thing amdeme , public highway. They can request but that's it.

TiggyR, that is a very sad story, but plenty of ppl own Akitas without them ripping anyone apart.

Alot of the 'softer' breeds (will not be naming) are known for attacking, but ppl look past that because they r 'cute'

I have a bullmastiff - not a breed for the 'cutesy' brigade, and vv big, he would scare kids if they didnt like dogs, so id never take him to the schl gate. but i can understand your friend wanting a challenging dog, BM's can be challenging but are known to love kids and be gentle giants......training is kep, as with every dog.

my point is, you cant write off an entire breed - every dogs different.

Oh Sqounk I agree, a playground is no place for a dog at all. And dogs that jump up at kids can of course scare them to death. That's why I never leave mine alone, I stay with him. I know he is a friendly chap, but as a lab he is a big dog and could easily knock over a small child and hurt them inadvertantly which would be awful for everyone concerned.

phew! glad we agree, DrNo

Actually, I typed a long post earlier about pit-bulls, but it got lost in the ether - took me ages as well! Don't you hate it when that happens? Anyway, I'm sorry if this is going to sound trollish, I swear I'm genuine, but I mentioned mastiffs and bullmastiffs in my post. I won't type the whole thing again, but the bottom line is that my husband's secretary has just got back from a holiday where, very sadly, her 18 month old nephew who was with her was seriously savaged by a bull-mastiff (or English Mastiff - hard to be 100% sure from the photo) owned by the family they were staying with. He had to have emergency plasic surgery. I googled 'mastiff' and the work 'attack' to see what I got. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you. Then I did it with all types of dog who have been originally bred to fight or protect or intimidate. Same story, including akitas. I then googled my own dog with the word attack, to see what I got. The only thing I could find was a video on Youtube of 'my' dog 'attacking' his owner by licking him to death! Of course any dog can turn if it's not raised correctly but when was the last time anyone was savaged to death by a beagle, and when did you last see some drug dealing gangster scum with a springer spaniel on a lead?

Squonk.

I wouldn't be too happy if I witnessed a child being knocked over 'near a school' and would be highly concerned regarding

1. the parents duty of care.

2.The vehicle drivers competence & suitability to drive (Dangerous driving).

My dogs are under control.

I'll put the question back to you and ask - How do these people manage in other public areas?

We are ambassadors for the dog walking community- to hide away and fail to win hearts and minds can be the bigger crime- don't you think (the clue is in the last sentence)

Being scared of dogs is one thing and an importanat one. If you don't like them then it doesn't matter what the breed is.

There is another type of person too who just doesn't like them. Me. I don't like being sniffed, slobbered and jumped up at, or dc.

It annoys me when you get the 'don't be scared he's just being friendly' line. I'm not scared. I just don't want it near me.

well, I can only speak for myself and my family.

In other public areas, we approach the owner and explain that dd2 is very frightened of dogs and ask if it would be ok if she tried to stroke their dog.

Normally they agree, occasionally they have said that it may not be a good idea as their dog is excitable.

They then get their dog to sit still and we take dd2 over to the dog and encourage her to look at it and when she feels a little happier to stroke it.

Through doing this as often as possible we have managed to get her to be wary of dogs rather than absolutely petrified.

However, this approach is not suitable for the school gate. She needs to know that the school is her space and she is safe from anything she is frightened of.

If I were walking to school with her I would of course always hold her hand if I saw a dog as I know how she may react. But sometimes you can't see a dog and by the time I have spotted it she is running off and out of reach - which she is very definitely allowed to do around the school grounds.

As I said, my dd2 is now okay but other people aren't and out of consideration for them I wouldn't take a dog somewhere that they can't avoid the dog if they wanted to.

TiggyR - you are entitled to your opinion, and sadly obviously put all owners with 'bull' breeds in one category, how very sad for you.

It is very sad about the boy, i was attacked as a child by a labrador - i certinaly dont tar them with the same brush.

i would personally never have a beagle, but that is why its good to research your breeds before buying. I dont need to 'google' as i spent a year looking for the right breed and went to many shows/clubs and spoke to alot of vets/professionals.

TiggyR, Beagles were breed to KILL rabbits - maybe that didnt come up in your google search!