Pup not allowed in school playground

[Solo2]

Just posted on the AIBU forum but thought I'd also come over here for clarification.

The short version is that every day, parents bring pups/ dogs into my DCs school playground. Our pup has had about 4 visits. Tonight he was petted by loads of children and teachers but suddenly the headmaster screamed out of his upstairs office window that all dogs are banned from school grounds and we must remove him immediately.

Is this normal practice in school for Health & Safety reasons? Obviously, till today, it hasn't been the case but now our really really cute, well-behaved, lead-held, docile and calm puppy has been sent packing!

This has totally upset my sons - as one thing that interested them in Rollo was being able to 'display' his cuteness to friends. This is also really awkward for me re. dog walk and school runs, as I'll now have to cut short the afternoon walk, return Rollo home and then rush out to school (can't park in grounds so wouldn't want to leave him alone in the car for 30 mins - (the time taken to walk up school drive and finally, finally get DCs to leave with all the stuff they need - which often involves several return trips to the classroom!)

Just wanted to check if most schools ban dogs from the playground, even if on a lead and well-behaved - ie sitting or lying nicely and quietly, nest to owner?

Not allowed in ours either, although they seem to be prepared to turn a blind eye to pups being carried in arms. You have to pick KS1 children up from their classroom exit too, not the school gate. People either leave dogs at home or pair up with another dog owner, one goes and gets both sets of children, the other minds the dogs outside the gate. Some do leave dogs tethered outside, but as others have said there are many reasons why this is not a good idea.

I posted on the other thread - dogs are allowed in our school playground.

Lower school, children from year r to year 4, approx 150 children, normally at least 5 dogs on playground at pickup, sometimes a lot more. The parents have only been coming onto the playground for the last year and I was very surprised when the Head was allowing dogs on site. Not seen any wees or poos in the playground, although there is sometimes some barking.

Thanks. Lot clearer now and my issue is more with the WAY the head informed us of the rule and the fact that till tonight, dogs and owners have been coming into the playground for years and also into assembly a few times. So I don't know why it suddenly changed for us alone, tonight.

Can't meet DCs at school gates as children are not allowed to walk alone down the long school drive and through the grounds out onto the road -where there's not enough room anyway for parents to congregate.

One teacher told DS2 today earlier that he wanted our dog because it was so lovely and he also told DS2 to wait with the dog whilst he got another teacher who was dying to meet our dog, too, who avidly petted it. Everyone has been 'all over' the dog every time he's been there and the whole time he's petted, I'm right there, usually gently next to Rollo's mouth, to ensure that even an accidental mouthing can't happen.

However, I guess that's not the point - but that there's a rule against dogs at school which was never enforced with anyone until with us today and in a manner that really upset my DCs.

No dogs in my kids playground either. All the showing off was down outside teh schoolgates. :) worked well for the last ten years.
Head shouting out of window otoh is veryvery odd behavious

Not allowed at my dc's school either. It was a fairly unwritten rule but after a few incidents of dogs crapping in the yard and the owners just walking off there was a note sent out.

Not normal practice for Headteachers to scream out of windows, no

No dogs in our school playground either, they have to be left at gate tied to railings or whatever. I do have a neighbour with a gorgeous spaniel pup, she leaves her tied to railings on the inside - hence safer for pup (apart from kids petting her to death ) and the school is fine with that.

Dogs aren't allowed on our school grounds either, hence leaving school entails a gauntlet of several unattended dogs tied up outside.

Obviously it would be far safer for all dogs to be with their handlers than tied outside and left. However, with no dogs allowed on school grounds, at least the school can ensure no liability if there is an accident one day!

I take mine on the a.m. school run and wave my DC off at the school gate. At pick up, I have to go to their classes, so leave the dogs at home or take the car and drive us all to the park afterwards.

at WTWTA!

No dogs allowed here either .

I wait outside with mine and boys now where to find me .

There is a sign saying no dogs in playground , perhaps suggest your school puts one up and Head outs it in a weekly newsletter ( if you have one ).

we have to remeber as dog owners that not everyone loves dogs like we do !

I think Head could have handled it better - shouting out of window is not on .

My dog loves coming on school run and has since day one - loves the children (~but couldn't eat a whole one ! )

Parent's dogs were banned at my sons' school - but they did have the hunt meet there once a year when there were fox hounds all over the place - this didn't make sense to me. Care homes usually allow visitor's dogs in so I really can't see why dogs are banned from schools - surely parents would clean up if there were any accidents?

dogs are allowed in mine, but tbh even though I've got a dog of my own it drives me mad when the parents bring the dogs in. All the kids go loopy and stop listening to me....