dogs at school gates

[southeastastra]

hi im really livid but would like to hear all sides.
took my ds4 to school this morning - outside the school (not in school grounds) someone had tied up a dog I would say it was a cujo type dog (sorry dont know much about breeds). It was tied right by the entrance that we have to go in which is very small and also the nursery entrance.

im not saying this dog is dangerous it just looked big and to my son scary. I am so fed up of people taking these animals, even tied up, to the school.

Am i over reacting? my son is scared of dogs, and i have tried to tell him they're nice etc, but this is now getting on my nerves, it seems so irresponsible for parents to do this, should i call school? this dog was not on the school grounds but very near!

Thanks Im just so angry.

In all honesty I do think you are over reacting. Some small children are nervous of dogs but they won't get over it through avoidance.

I do think dogs that are boisterous, over excitable etc should not be tied up near school gates, but a dog owner has every right to leave a placid and well behaved dog that just sits there in a docile way minding it's own business.

Sometimes the walk to school is the time effective way for busy mums with several children and a dog to fit in the dog walk.

Very very annoying (we have a parent who does this), but so as not to really upset the dog people on here can I also say I also get really irritated by.....

groups of Mums with pushchairs who stand right by the gate chatting, so you have to push through them to get in

group of parents standing on the pavement just outside, smoking, so you have to push through them risking burns and suffocation to get in

the parents who wait by the glass corridor (where the door to get in the building is) so they can see their little treasures walk from the hall to the classrooms, who are then blocking the way for the children still trying to get in before 8.50 when the door is shut.

I used to tie my dog by the school (in cool weather!) and she was very large and potentially scary looking, however, I only ever ties her well away from the gates so the any one walking past could get past with loads of room to spare if they were nervous at all.

THere was also another person who used to do this but they used to tie the dog right by the gates using an extending lead, the dog was really friendly so it would go and say hello to all the children (jumping up etc) once I saw a girl trying to get out who was clearly petrified and she spent ages trying to sidle psast it (I wanted to go and help but had my dog with me so thought it would make things worse IYSWIM). When the woman got back I told her about it and explained that the dog always did this and that the poor girl had been beside herself. After that she usually tied it to a tree further away - but still on the extending lead

I understand your worries but TBH I would say it depends how near, I always thought a reasonable confort zone was about 12 ft (ie having to pass not closer than 12ft away from the dog) and tried to make sure that this space was always available.

and serenity the parents who park across the lowered kerb and so near to the safety railings (to prevent children crossing road on corner) that you can't get a pushchair through.

I agree with the example that Securmummy gives - that the over friendly dog should be kept away from the entrance...

but there is a black labrador tied right by the gates next to our Pre School entrance. It just sits there calmly ignoring everyone - but it happy to be stroked if people approach. Can't see the harm in that.

It depends upon the dog.

southeast I think you're right to be angry, I would be too.

On what basis precisely?

dunno why, but i found 'cujo type dog' incredibly funny.

don't mind me now. i'm feeling potty.

I agree HMC, my dog was like that, very happy to be stroked but would just sit otherwise and was on a short lead (ie could sit/lie down but not walk off).

Saadia why do you say that?

SEA if the dog was right by the entrance then you have cause for complaint IMO, however, I would try to work with your son on his fears as, at 4, you may be able to help him but once he gets a little older it will become set in his mind - perhaps your gp can recommend someone with good practical ideas?

Probably not what you want to hear but I would have said an over-reaction. Pets are part of the British way of life. The dog wasn't doing anything scary or threatening, so live & let live.
Children can be frightened by all sorts of things but by showing them that hoovers, dogs, flapping bags, shadows etc can be just a normal part of life - they learn to be less frightened by them.

Sorry yep I think a slight over-reaction too. You might have expected it too be a wee bit further away from the entrance but agree with others re getting used to dogs etc.

Surely whilst you're trying to get your child into school is not the time to teach them that dogs aren't scarey. My boys are wary but not frightened btw, but if they were I would want to choose when and how I introduced them to dogs, not forced to do it by a parent who hasn't bothered considering the feelings of other people at the school. I don't like or trust dogs I don't know, I wouldn't be happy about having to walk within mauling distance of one to get into school, even more if the owner isn't about.

bozza - haven't quite got that here, but we do get people parking on corners that stick so far onto the side roads that no one can get past (one particular black cab driver/parent springs to mind!) and pillocks who park on the yellow zig zags too.

serenity, what an awfully inflamitory post, I am stunned.

Why not teach them at school time Serenity? Lots of dogs who are clearly family pets - therefore used to small children. Seems like the ideal time to me.

I bet if you asked one of the owners if your children could get close & just have a look at the dogs, they would be more than happy to let you.

I don't have a dog, but do think you are over-reacting. I'm not sure what you mean by you want to choose your time to teach your children that dogs aren't scary, surely they run into dogs all the time out and about.

If the dog was running loose in the playground that's one thing, but tied up outside? If it's too near the gate just ask the owner to tie it up a little bit further away.

You can't force all dog owners to follow your timetable serenity- just realised that I got serenity and your post mixed up southeast- the bit about teaching your children was in reply to serenity's post.

I'm afraid I am one of those parents who takes my dog to school gates.Because that is the time I walk him. I always leave him on a tight lead with DS1 whilst dropping off my little one. He is a gorgeous little terrier and would lick to death anyone who came near him. I totally understand concerns over big dogs but do you really think someone with a viscious dog would bring him on the school run?
I think it is good for children who are scared off dogs to see them-not neccesarily be forced to stroke them. Avoidance will not overcome their fears.

Definitely an over-reaction. My daughter is too young at the moment, but I would definitely use the walk to school as an opportunity to walk the dog too. Apart from the need to fit the dog's exercise into the day, they're social animals and much happier being involved in family life.

I wouldn't leave him tied up alone, but that's more to do with my concern for his getting pinched or overwrought with lots of children around him. If a dog IS tied up, it should be away from the main entry / exit route, so that no one has to approach it who doesn't want to.

I understand that some children are scared of dogs, but expecting to keep dogs off the streets isn't really the answer. The first time I took my dog out as a three-month-old puppy, a boy of about 7 or 8 ran away from him, screaming 'Don't eat me, don't eat me!' Ridiculous. I only have a small terrier. I personally felt that his mother had a duty to help him through this problem, not let him live his life in fear, expecting dog owners to rearrange their days so that they only go out in the streets when everyone else is safely in school / work / bed.

Inflamitory? How exactly? {shock} right back at you.

It's you lot downplaying other peoples fears and trying to make other people stick to your timetables (why would mine be less relevant than yours anyway?) I think and I think I said my kids aren't scared of dogs - we're talking generally.

And let me point out, that we aren't talking about dogs tied up well out of the way (12 ft I think you said in your post Securmummy) we're talking about ones tied right by the school gates. Please calm down, jeez you lot take things so personally

You can't police people's legal behaviour out on the streets!

My DS is terrified of dogs, big or small, and the pavement outside the school is a mass of smokers and dog owners - who aren't allowed in. That's life. If a dog owner allows their animal to bound all over us in an uncontrolled way (and then says 'he won't hurt you'...that constant irritating refrain) I say something, but the world is no more mine than theirs, and if they wish to walk thier pets on the school run, we live with it. DS is going to hgave to learn to live with a lot, one way and another - I can't change the environment to suit his every need.

I take my 10 week puppy to school with me. Its the best opportunity to walk him and it keeps dd1 occupied on the walk home ( 20 min walk)

While waiting for dd1 I keep him on a very short lead and he just sits or ususally lies down without any fuss.
He is only a little cocker spaniel and not very scary for a child of any age and thereore I don't see a problem..if on the other hand I owned a large dog that could be perceived by small children to scary, then I would have to think twice about it.

But no, generally, I don't see it as a problem as long as the dog is under control.

I don't see what was inflammatory about Serenity's post, though.

Where exactly does anyone say dogs shouldn't be on the streets? The OP was about a dog tied too close to the school gates. This is turning very silly.

The Head at ds1's school asks parents not to leave dogs tied at the gates because she had received so many complaints about it. Generally what was happening was that when dogs were tied to the gateposts they were trying to get at the dog tied to the opposite gatepost IYSWIM. Adults and children were getting caught in the crossfire.

If the dog in the OP was quietly sitting/lying down then I personally wouldn't have a problem with it.

Hmm, ok, serenity, of course it wasn't. TBH I am too shocked to even bother arguing over the finer points of talking about mauling distances, timetables etc etc especially when ever other comment had been thought out and amicably written.

Knock yourself out, I am sure that the thread will only be improved by introdution of such relevant and interesting topics.